Robert Johnson and the
Robert Johnson poster from Amazon - ad
As the theme for this website is the Crossroads, I would be remiss if I didn't include a section on Robert Johnson and the legend of the crossroads. Robert Johnson was an American blues singer who lived a short life from May 8, 1911 to August 16, 1938. His life has reached legendary status due to the mysteries surrounding his life and death, particularly the rumor that he sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads.
Johnson's music and recordings have influenced many musicians who have tried to emulate his signature style of guitar playing. This list includes the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton among others.
Johnson's music and recordings have influenced many musicians who have tried to emulate his signature style of guitar playing. This list includes the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton among others.
Crossroads Folklore
Road junction photo © Copyright Andrew Hill and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons License
The belief that a crossroads, a place where two or more roads intersect, is a place of supernatural power is common across many cultures. The place where roads cross has often been considered unlucky, or even dangerous, because it was believed to be a place where supernatural spirits would gather. The myths surrounding crossroads span the world and include Hecate, the Greek Goddess of Crossroads, Hermes, and the Roman goddess Trivia. Fairies and vampires were also believed to gather at crossroads. Crossroads were considered to be no-man's land, belonging to no one. They were a boundary between the mortal world and the otherworld.
Crossroads have also been utilized for burials around the world, especially of suicides or people believed to have been the victim of witches or demons. The corpses of criminals were hung at the crossroads so that the spirit of the condemned would get confused and not be able to haunt the living.
In the world of mysticism, crossroads were used for divination. A person could go to a crossroads on a certain night, which varied according to culture, and ask a question of the ghosts who lingered there or listen for a message from the wind. This bears some resemblance to the vision quests undertaken by young men in indigenous cultures.
A grimoire known as The Key of Solomon states that magical workings are best done at a crossroads. The Key of Solomon, which was written in the middle ages and had nothing to do with King Solomon, was a manual used by alchemists and students of the Jewish Kabbalah. The word grimoire is the French word for grammar.
Crossroads have also been utilized for burials around the world, especially of suicides or people believed to have been the victim of witches or demons. The corpses of criminals were hung at the crossroads so that the spirit of the condemned would get confused and not be able to haunt the living.
In the world of mysticism, crossroads were used for divination. A person could go to a crossroads on a certain night, which varied according to culture, and ask a question of the ghosts who lingered there or listen for a message from the wind. This bears some resemblance to the vision quests undertaken by young men in indigenous cultures.
A grimoire known as The Key of Solomon states that magical workings are best done at a crossroads. The Key of Solomon, which was written in the middle ages and had nothing to do with King Solomon, was a manual used by alchemists and students of the Jewish Kabbalah. The word grimoire is the French word for grammar.
What is Hoodoo?
Cover of CD entitled "The High Price of Soul," a collection of Robert Johnson's most prominent material.- ad
In order to talk about Robert Johnson and the legend of the crossroads, I need to talk about hoodoo. First of all, hoodoo is not Voodoo. Those of us who were not raised in or near the culture often make that mistake. Hoodoo is very complex and there are many differing theories about its origins and meanings. I am not going to attempt to discuss the finer points here.
“Hoodoo is the indigenous, herbal, healing, and supernatural-controlling spiritual folk tradition of the African-American in the United States.” Katrina Hazzard-Donald, Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System - ad
The consensus among scholars and practitioners seems to be that hoodoo arrived in America through the slave trade. It has much in common with West African traditional religious and medicinal practices. A prominent deity of the African religion is Legba, who can be found at crossroads and serves as an intermediary between the mundane and spiritual worlds. In hoodoo he is called The Black Man. This will be an important point in our discussion of Robert Johnson.
As the unwilling, transplanted Africans were scattered around the country, new influences were incorporated in the hoodoo traditions, including the use of Native American herbal lore, European folklore, and Christian and Jewish beliefs and customs. Thus hoodoo has evolved as it has been passed down through the generations.
At the beginning of the 20th century, during the years Robert Johnson lived, hoodoo was widely known and practiced in the Mississippi Delta region where there was a large population of African-Americans descended from slaves. This includes the belief that if one goes to a crossroads at midnight, he will meet a Black Man who will confer certain skills on that person, such as luck in throwing dice or playing an instrument. The "black man" was also called the "devil," but in hoodoo beliefs it had nothing to do with the Christian Satan. As mentioned above, the black man has roots in the beliefs about the deity Legba, although hoodoo does not mention him specifically. The black man refers to his color of his clothing.
As the legend goes, Robert Johnson was not a very good guitar player when people first heard him play. He then disappeared from the scene and returned some time later as a masterful guitar player. The rumor was spread that he had gone to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil to obtain his skills. Robert Johnson never made that claim. Historians have clarified that he was actually studying with a human teacher. There may be one more reason why his guitar playing was so unique. We'll get into that a little later.
For more information about hoodoo and the crossroads mythology I recommend Hoodoo,Conjure, and Rootwork - African American Folk Magic.
“Hoodoo is the indigenous, herbal, healing, and supernatural-controlling spiritual folk tradition of the African-American in the United States.” Katrina Hazzard-Donald, Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System - ad
The consensus among scholars and practitioners seems to be that hoodoo arrived in America through the slave trade. It has much in common with West African traditional religious and medicinal practices. A prominent deity of the African religion is Legba, who can be found at crossroads and serves as an intermediary between the mundane and spiritual worlds. In hoodoo he is called The Black Man. This will be an important point in our discussion of Robert Johnson.
As the unwilling, transplanted Africans were scattered around the country, new influences were incorporated in the hoodoo traditions, including the use of Native American herbal lore, European folklore, and Christian and Jewish beliefs and customs. Thus hoodoo has evolved as it has been passed down through the generations.
At the beginning of the 20th century, during the years Robert Johnson lived, hoodoo was widely known and practiced in the Mississippi Delta region where there was a large population of African-Americans descended from slaves. This includes the belief that if one goes to a crossroads at midnight, he will meet a Black Man who will confer certain skills on that person, such as luck in throwing dice or playing an instrument. The "black man" was also called the "devil," but in hoodoo beliefs it had nothing to do with the Christian Satan. As mentioned above, the black man has roots in the beliefs about the deity Legba, although hoodoo does not mention him specifically. The black man refers to his color of his clothing.
As the legend goes, Robert Johnson was not a very good guitar player when people first heard him play. He then disappeared from the scene and returned some time later as a masterful guitar player. The rumor was spread that he had gone to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil to obtain his skills. Robert Johnson never made that claim. Historians have clarified that he was actually studying with a human teacher. There may be one more reason why his guitar playing was so unique. We'll get into that a little later.
For more information about hoodoo and the crossroads mythology I recommend Hoodoo,Conjure, and Rootwork - African American Folk Magic.
Time to Listen to the Music
Study the Lyrics
Let's look more closely at the lyrics to the song. Was Robert Johnson saying he went to the crossroads to make a deal with the devil?
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please"
Yeo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride
Ooo, eee, I tried to flag a ride
Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by
Evidently not. Johnson was a traveling minstrel. He made his living wandering from town to town, playing guitar and singing at small clubs, which were called juke joints, or playing on the street for pocket change. So the first two verses of the song refer to the fact that he had gone to the crossroads to hitch a ride to the next town. He wasn't have any luck because no one knew him.
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down
I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down
You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, babe, I'm sinkin' down
And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west
I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, "Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please"
Yeo, standin' at the crossroad, tried to flag a ride
Ooo, eee, I tried to flag a ride
Didn't nobody seem to know me, babe, everybody pass me by
Evidently not. Johnson was a traveling minstrel. He made his living wandering from town to town, playing guitar and singing at small clubs, which were called juke joints, or playing on the street for pocket change. So the first two verses of the song refer to the fact that he had gone to the crossroads to hitch a ride to the next town. He wasn't have any luck because no one knew him.
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, risin' sun goin' down
Standin' at the crossroad, baby, eee, eee, risin' sun goin' down
I believe to my soul, now, poor Bob is sinkin' down
You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown
That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, babe, I'm sinkin' down
And I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west
I went to the crossroad, baby, I looked east and west
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress
Cross Road Blues Take 2
There were two versions of Cross Road Blues recorded by Johnson. The second version has an added verse which adds a deeper meaning to the song.
Mmm, the sun goin' down, boy
dark gon' catch me here
oooo ooee eeee
boy, dark gon' catch me here
I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman that
love and feel my care
Listen to the second version below and then I will provide more information about why this version is so compelling.
Mmm, the sun goin' down, boy
dark gon' catch me here
oooo ooee eeee
boy, dark gon' catch me here
I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman that
love and feel my care
Listen to the second version below and then I will provide more information about why this version is so compelling.
Sundown Towns
Book by sociologist James W. Loewen about Sundown Towns - ad
A quick search on-line will pull up many articles claiming or assuming that Johnson is singing about selling his soul to the devil and he is “sinkin' down” into hell. But if you know the history of the times, the words take on a whole new meaning.
Although all the slaves were freed in 1863 following the Emancipation Proclamation, anyone familiar with the civil rights movement knows that obtaining equal rights for African-Americans has been long battle. At the time Johnson was hitching rides in the South, laws of segregation between whites and blacks were the norm. Some towns and counties went as far as passing laws which forbid black people from being in town after sundown. They were known as Sundown Towns and would usually post signs warning “niggers” not to let the sun go down while they were still in town. The penalty for being caught out after sundown was usually violent and so it is no wonder Robert Johnson sings about not wanting to be caught when the sun went down.
Willie Brown was another blues musician who often played with Johnson.
"You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown" It may only be coincidence, but one of the signs often posted at the edge of Sundown Towns said, “If You Can Read . . . You'd Better Run . . . If You Can't Read . . . You'd Better Run Anyway.' “ (source: When Signs Said 'Get Out').
The song has been interpreted in many different ways. Only Robert Johnson knew what he meant. He did sing other songs that mention the devil and being chased by hellhounds. Most likely this refers to the fact the at the time blues music was considered to be secular and of the devil as opposed to the gospel music of the churchgoers.
Although all the slaves were freed in 1863 following the Emancipation Proclamation, anyone familiar with the civil rights movement knows that obtaining equal rights for African-Americans has been long battle. At the time Johnson was hitching rides in the South, laws of segregation between whites and blacks were the norm. Some towns and counties went as far as passing laws which forbid black people from being in town after sundown. They were known as Sundown Towns and would usually post signs warning “niggers” not to let the sun go down while they were still in town. The penalty for being caught out after sundown was usually violent and so it is no wonder Robert Johnson sings about not wanting to be caught when the sun went down.
Willie Brown was another blues musician who often played with Johnson.
"You can run, you can run, tell my friend, Willie Brown" It may only be coincidence, but one of the signs often posted at the edge of Sundown Towns said, “If You Can Read . . . You'd Better Run . . . If You Can't Read . . . You'd Better Run Anyway.' “ (source: When Signs Said 'Get Out').
The song has been interpreted in many different ways. Only Robert Johnson knew what he meant. He did sing other songs that mention the devil and being chased by hellhounds. Most likely this refers to the fact the at the time blues music was considered to be secular and of the devil as opposed to the gospel music of the churchgoers.
Artists Inspired by Robert Johnson
Can't You Hear the Wind Howl? The Life & Music of Robert Johnson available from Amazon - ad
The music of Robert Johnson has inspired many musicians who followed in his footsteps. He in turn was influenced by the reigning blues musicians of his time, including Son House and Charlie Patton. However, Robert changed up the music from earlier blues players, developing a style which prompted others to change their style as well. Renowned artists who developed the Chicago Blues sound were also influenced by Robert Johnson. This list includes Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, and Elmore James.
Part of Johnson's unique technique was related to the fact that he had very long fingers, as can be seen in the photo on the cover of the DVD "Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?"
Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones has said, "To me Robert Johnson’s influence—he was like a comet or a meteor that came along and, BOOM, suddenly he raised the ante, suddenly you just had to aim that much higher. You can put the record on now, and it’s a fresh and interesting as the first day you heard it." Covering Robert Johnson’s Blues Became a Rite of Rock ‘n’ Roll Passage
Rory Block
Rory Block's Lady & Mr Johnson tribute album to Robert Johnson. Rory with Richard Johnson, great grandson of Robert Johnson Cover Photo by Shonna Valeska - ad
Rory Block is a highly acclaimed, contemporary female blues singer and musician. In 2007 she released an album called The Lady and Mrs. Johnson which features many of Robert Johnson's songs.
Now listen to her version of Cross Road Blues below.
Bob Dylan
"I didn't invent this, you know, Robert Johnson would sing some song and out of nowhere there would be some kind of Confucius saying that would make you go, 'Wow, where did that come from?' It's important to always turn things around in some fashion."
Bob Dylan (Source: Rock's Enigmatic Poet Opens a Long-Private Door)
Bob Dylan (Source: Rock's Enigmatic Poet Opens a Long-Private Door)
Jack White
Rolling Stone: And when did you discover the blues?
"I didn't get into it deep until around eighteen. I dabbled in things like Howlin' Wolf, Cream and Led Zeppelin, but when I heard Son House and Robert Johnson, it blew my mind. It was something I'd been missing my whole life. That music made me discard everything else and just get down to the soul and honesty of the blues."
Jack White
Jack White, Rock Innocent, Rolling Stone
"I didn't get into it deep until around eighteen. I dabbled in things like Howlin' Wolf, Cream and Led Zeppelin, but when I heard Son House and Robert Johnson, it blew my mind. It was something I'd been missing my whole life. That music made me discard everything else and just get down to the soul and honesty of the blues."
Jack White
Jack White, Rock Innocent, Rolling Stone
Eric Clapton
Probably no one is more well known for playing the music of Robert Johnson than Eric Clapton. He discovered the blues musician in his teens and stated, “At first the music almost repelled me, it was so intense, and this man made no attempt to sugarcoat what he was trying to say, or play. It was hard-core, more than anything I had ever heard. After a few listenings I realized that, on some level, I had found the master, and that following this man's example would be my life's work.” (excerpted from Clapton: The Autobiography via Google Books)
Although Clapton has covered many of Robert Johnson songs and in 2004 produced an album called Me and Mr. Johnson, he is probably best known for his rendition of Johnson's Cross Road Blues.Clapton first developed the arrangement for an ad hoc group called Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse and the song was re-titled Crossroads. This version includes a few lines from Traveling Roadside Blues as well.
I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
You can still barrel house, baby, on the riverside.
It was when Clapton formed the group Cream with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce that the song truly entered the rock and roll world.
Eric Clapton once wrote "Robert Johnson to me is the most important blues musician who ever lived... have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice" (Constructing Robert Johnson}
Two versions of Crossroads arranged by Clapton.
Although Clapton has covered many of Robert Johnson songs and in 2004 produced an album called Me and Mr. Johnson, he is probably best known for his rendition of Johnson's Cross Road Blues.Clapton first developed the arrangement for an ad hoc group called Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse and the song was re-titled Crossroads. This version includes a few lines from Traveling Roadside Blues as well.
I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
I'm going down to Rosedale, take my rider by my side.
You can still barrel house, baby, on the riverside.
It was when Clapton formed the group Cream with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce that the song truly entered the rock and roll world.
Eric Clapton once wrote "Robert Johnson to me is the most important blues musician who ever lived... have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson. His music remains the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice" (Constructing Robert Johnson}
Two versions of Crossroads arranged by Clapton.
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Robert Johnson's Mysterious Death
Photo of one of three possible burial sites by Courtland Bresner via Wikimedia Commons
Robert Johnson had a short and tragic life. In fact, he belongs to the 27 Club, a group of musicians who have died at the age of 27, which includes Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin, among others. Although not much is known about Johnson's life, we do know that he was an itinerant musician, wandering from town to town, playing on street corners or small taverns. He often stayed with women he knew or would pick up one following one of his performances. It seems that groupies are not a new invention.
Robert Johnson's death is as mysterious as his life. In August of 1938, Robert was playing at a dance near Greenwood, Mississippi. The story is that he was flirting with a married woman and her husband poisoned him by handing him a bottle of poisoned whiskey. He started to feel ill, could not finish playing, and was taken to the home of a friend. The poison used was said to be strychnine, but that is probably not the case. Strychnine has a distinctive smell and taste that can't be disguised in a drink. It also starts to work very rapidly and the victim exhibits involuntary muscle contractions. Death usually follows quickly by asphyxiation.
We know, however, that Robert was ill for three days and he did suffer a great deal during that time. He was not taken to a doctor because no one had money for doctors. Another blue musician, David "Honeyboy" Edwards said he saw him just before he died and described Johnson as “crawling around, his stomach all upset” The legend has evolved to an unsubstantiated claim that in the end he howled in agony, crawling on all fours "like a dog." Honeyboy was convinced he had been poisoned with something called “passagreen.”
Sources: Robert Johnson, Magnet For Myths
David “Honeyboy” Edwards on Robert Johnson and Mississippi Delta Blues
This probably refers to Paris Green which is also known as copper acetoarsenite, a combination of copper and arsenic. It is highly toxic and was first used in Europe as a coloring agent in wallpaper and paint, and later used as an insecticide. It would have been readily available in the early 1900s. “Acute exposure to Paris Green may include dizziness, headache, a sweetish, metallic taste and garlic odor to breath and feces, difficulty in swallowing, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Rapid heart beat, acute hemolysis (red blood cell breakdown), altered mental status, muscle cramps, seizures, toxic delirium, convulsions, and coma may also be noted.” Copper Acetoarsenite
So if we believe that Robert Johnson was poisoned, Paris Green is a likely suspect.
Robert Johnson's death is as mysterious as his life. In August of 1938, Robert was playing at a dance near Greenwood, Mississippi. The story is that he was flirting with a married woman and her husband poisoned him by handing him a bottle of poisoned whiskey. He started to feel ill, could not finish playing, and was taken to the home of a friend. The poison used was said to be strychnine, but that is probably not the case. Strychnine has a distinctive smell and taste that can't be disguised in a drink. It also starts to work very rapidly and the victim exhibits involuntary muscle contractions. Death usually follows quickly by asphyxiation.
We know, however, that Robert was ill for three days and he did suffer a great deal during that time. He was not taken to a doctor because no one had money for doctors. Another blue musician, David "Honeyboy" Edwards said he saw him just before he died and described Johnson as “crawling around, his stomach all upset” The legend has evolved to an unsubstantiated claim that in the end he howled in agony, crawling on all fours "like a dog." Honeyboy was convinced he had been poisoned with something called “passagreen.”
Sources: Robert Johnson, Magnet For Myths
David “Honeyboy” Edwards on Robert Johnson and Mississippi Delta Blues
This probably refers to Paris Green which is also known as copper acetoarsenite, a combination of copper and arsenic. It is highly toxic and was first used in Europe as a coloring agent in wallpaper and paint, and later used as an insecticide. It would have been readily available in the early 1900s. “Acute exposure to Paris Green may include dizziness, headache, a sweetish, metallic taste and garlic odor to breath and feces, difficulty in swallowing, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Rapid heart beat, acute hemolysis (red blood cell breakdown), altered mental status, muscle cramps, seizures, toxic delirium, convulsions, and coma may also be noted.” Copper Acetoarsenite
So if we believe that Robert Johnson was poisoned, Paris Green is a likely suspect.
More Tributes to Robert Johnson
Image adapted from Pixabay.
"Robert Johnson was able to play guitar like nobody else has been able to. Nobody can figure it out. All that stuff about him making a deal with the devil may be true, because nobody can play that way."
John Mellencamp
"Robert Johnson's music sent me reeling. I couldn't even imagine how someone could play the guitar the way he did and sing at the same time. I learned a lot from that experience."
Bonnie Raitt
"When I first heard Robert Johnson I thought he was from outer space."
Robert Cray
I used this image of skeleton to illustrate that many musicians have gotten inspiration from someone who died a long time ago.
John Mellencamp
"Robert Johnson's music sent me reeling. I couldn't even imagine how someone could play the guitar the way he did and sing at the same time. I learned a lot from that experience."
Bonnie Raitt
"When I first heard Robert Johnson I thought he was from outer space."
Robert Cray
I used this image of skeleton to illustrate that many musicians have gotten inspiration from someone who died a long time ago.
A Most Intriguing Theory
Image from a Marfan Syndrome case report.
I have sprinkled throughout this little essay on Robert Johnson, quite a few quotes from well-known musicians who describe how difficult it is to re-create Johnson's style of playing guitar. Keith Richards said that it sounded as if there were two guitars playing at one time. In Clapton the Autobiography, Eric Clapton talks about Robert Johnson's fingerpicking style that had him "simultaneously playing a disjointed bass line on the low strings, rhythm on the middle strings, and lead on the treble strings while singing at the same time.”
I have also alluded to the fact that there may be a natural reason for that. There is some speculation among doctors that Johnson suffered from Marfan Syndrome. Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue which anchors your organs and bones in your body. People with Marfan Syndrome are unusually tall, very thin, and have very long arms, legs, fingers and toes. In Robert Johnson's close-up picture, you can see his elongated fingers on the neck of the guitar. It only makes sense that if you had longer than normal fingers, you would learn to play the guitar differently than people without this disorder.
In fact, a physician named David Connell wrote an article entitled “Retrospective blues: Robert Johnson—an open letter to Eric Clapton” which reassures Eric Clapton and others that Johnson's disability gave him an unfair advantage. It might also explain why people of that culture were so quick to assume that he learned his skills from the devil.
Dr. Connell goes on to provide an even more intriguing theory regarding Johnson's manner of death. Marfan Syndrome also affects the heart with a high probability of damage to the aorta. This can lead to an aortic dissection, which is rare in the general population but more common in Marfan patients. Aortic dissection results from a tear in the inner muscle wall lining of the aorta, allowing blood to split apart the muscle layers of the aortic wall.
It has been described as a sudden feeling of ripping or tearing with the degree of pain varying from severe heartburn to excruciating pain. It can be accompanied by sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, weakness, fainting, and can even be felt as abdominal pain. Death can follow quickly if not treated in time.
Now let's assume that the theory about Johnson having Marfan Syndrome is correct. It is possible that he was dosed with something like Paris Green which made him sick. The trauma of that may have further weakened his heart, leading to an aortic dissection. Let's also assume that his pain was excruciating, so bad he had to crawl on the floor to try to relieve it; so bad that it made him howl in agony. As Dr. Connell mentions in his article, he actually observed this happen to a small child.
To learn more about Marfan Syndrome, visit the WebMD website.
I have also alluded to the fact that there may be a natural reason for that. There is some speculation among doctors that Johnson suffered from Marfan Syndrome. Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue which anchors your organs and bones in your body. People with Marfan Syndrome are unusually tall, very thin, and have very long arms, legs, fingers and toes. In Robert Johnson's close-up picture, you can see his elongated fingers on the neck of the guitar. It only makes sense that if you had longer than normal fingers, you would learn to play the guitar differently than people without this disorder.
In fact, a physician named David Connell wrote an article entitled “Retrospective blues: Robert Johnson—an open letter to Eric Clapton” which reassures Eric Clapton and others that Johnson's disability gave him an unfair advantage. It might also explain why people of that culture were so quick to assume that he learned his skills from the devil.
Dr. Connell goes on to provide an even more intriguing theory regarding Johnson's manner of death. Marfan Syndrome also affects the heart with a high probability of damage to the aorta. This can lead to an aortic dissection, which is rare in the general population but more common in Marfan patients. Aortic dissection results from a tear in the inner muscle wall lining of the aorta, allowing blood to split apart the muscle layers of the aortic wall.
It has been described as a sudden feeling of ripping or tearing with the degree of pain varying from severe heartburn to excruciating pain. It can be accompanied by sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, weakness, fainting, and can even be felt as abdominal pain. Death can follow quickly if not treated in time.
Now let's assume that the theory about Johnson having Marfan Syndrome is correct. It is possible that he was dosed with something like Paris Green which made him sick. The trauma of that may have further weakened his heart, leading to an aortic dissection. Let's also assume that his pain was excruciating, so bad he had to crawl on the floor to try to relieve it; so bad that it made him howl in agony. As Dr. Connell mentions in his article, he actually observed this happen to a small child.
To learn more about Marfan Syndrome, visit the WebMD website.
Well That's All Sorted Then
Okay, I admit I borrowed that term from British slang. It just seems to be a cool way of saying that I believe that I have come to the end of my little essay on Robert Johnson. I had been thinking about writing about the Legend of the Crossroads for quite awhile because...well, because this is Grannysage's Crossroads and it seemed appropriate to include it. Although I had heard of the legend, I really knew very little about either Robert Johnson or the blues. It has been a great learning experience for me as I delved into doing the research.
Unfortunately, this page is not enabled to receive comments. If you would like to join the conversation and leave a comment, slide on over to my blog post "A Mysterious Synchronicity Gets My Attention." There is also more to the story about how this finally got written. I'd love to hear from you.
Unfortunately, this page is not enabled to receive comments. If you would like to join the conversation and leave a comment, slide on over to my blog post "A Mysterious Synchronicity Gets My Attention." There is also more to the story about how this finally got written. I'd love to hear from you.
Header image via Pixabay