Clarksdale Moan
Encyclopedia
"Clarksdale Moan" is a blues song recorded by delta blues
musician Son House
. First released on a 78 RPM single
in 1930, the equally sought-after recording "Mississippi County Farm Blues" was present on the A-side. The song remained unheard until 2005, when an anonymous record collector discovered an original 78 RPM disc in decent condition. It was then released in 2006 on Yazoo Records
' The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of, which contained many other rare blues recordings from that era.
in Grafton, Wisconsin
in 1930, released on a 78 rpm record. These recordings were highly sought by blues historians of later generations, as House was a seminal influence on later blues greats, particularly Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters
. While seven of these recordings were rediscovered (see below), the "Clarksdale Moan" 78 continued to elude collectors and was dubbed the "Holy Grail" of lost blues recordings.
. While "Clarksdale Moan" was a previously unknown song, "Mississippi County Farm Blues" is an earlier (and faster) version of a song Son House later recorded at his Library of Congress
recording session in 1941, entitled "County Farm Blues". Both "Clarksdale Moan" and "Mississippi County Farm Blues" also appear on JSP Record's
2007 box set, When the Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues, Rare Cuts: 1926-1941.
Delta blues
The Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
musician Son House
Son House
Eddie James "Son" House, Jr. was an American blues singer and guitarist. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms, often played with the aid of slide guitar, and his singing often incorporated elements of southern gospel and spiritual music...
. First released on a 78 RPM single
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in 1930, the equally sought-after recording "Mississippi County Farm Blues" was present on the A-side. The song remained unheard until 2005, when an anonymous record collector discovered an original 78 RPM disc in decent condition. It was then released in 2006 on Yazoo Records
Yazoo Records
Yazoo Records is an American record label, founded in the late 1960s by Nick Perls. It specializes in early American blues, country, jazz, and other rural American genres ....
' The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of, which contained many other rare blues recordings from that era.
Background
Son House recorded nine songs for ParamountParamount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
in Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,312 at the 2000 census. The village is adjacent to the Town of Grafton and the City of Cedarburg.-History:...
in 1930, released on a 78 rpm record. These recordings were highly sought by blues historians of later generations, as House was a seminal influence on later blues greats, particularly Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
. While seven of these recordings were rediscovered (see below), the "Clarksdale Moan" 78 continued to elude collectors and was dubbed the "Holy Grail" of lost blues recordings.
Discovery
In September 2005, a collector announced he had obtained the lost "Clarksdale Moan" 78 in reasonably decent condition. On April 4, 2006, both "Clarksdale Moan" and "Mississippi County Farm Blues" were released on the collection The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of from Yazoo RecordsYazoo Records
Yazoo Records is an American record label, founded in the late 1960s by Nick Perls. It specializes in early American blues, country, jazz, and other rural American genres ....
. While "Clarksdale Moan" was a previously unknown song, "Mississippi County Farm Blues" is an earlier (and faster) version of a song Son House later recorded at his Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
recording session in 1941, entitled "County Farm Blues". Both "Clarksdale Moan" and "Mississippi County Farm Blues" also appear on JSP Record's
JSP Records
JSP Records is a British record label, founded in 1978 by John Stedman , releasing recordings by blues musicians such as Professor Longhair, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Witherspoon, Louisiana Red and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. The label is based in London, England.JSP now predominantly releases remastered CDs...
2007 box set, When the Levee Breaks: Mississippi Blues, Rare Cuts: 1926-1941.