BLIND BOY FULLER — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 2 • 1936-1937 | DOCD-5092 (1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second volume in Document's chronological overview of Blind Boy Fuller's life and music contains some of his most popular recordings, including the 1936 sessions which yielded both "Truckin' My Blues Away" (an update of Tampa Red's "What Is It That Tastes Like Gravy?") and "Mama Let Me Lay It on You" (a rendition of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe's "Can I Do It for You?"), both of them definitive versions. Fuller's gift for making familiar songs his own pops again on his next session, from early February of 1937; backed by Dipper Boy Council and Bull City Red, he delivers renditions of "Mamie," "Untrue Blues" (a version of the "Crow Jane" theme) and "New Oh Red!," all of them revelatory and unforgettable. Jason Ankeny

Abridged from this album’s original booklet notes. Blind Boy Fuller’s 1936 sessions (mostly included in Vol. 1) yielded ten titles including Trucking My Blues Away (a remake of Tampa Red’s “What Is It That Tastes Like Gravy?” from 1929) and Mama Let Me Lay It On You (a version of Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe’s “Can I Do It For You?” from 1930). Both of these titles were popular enough to be issued on several of the ARC labels (with Trucking later reissued twice on Columbia) as well as being re-recorded in No. 2 incarnations at later sessions. Regardless of their genesis, both titles have been associated with Blind Boy Fuller ever since he recorded them and his versions have inspired a host of imitators. Blind Boy Fuller’s third group of sessions took place on February 8, 9 and 10, 1937 with Dipper Boy Council and Bull City Red present on guitar and washboard on some tracks. Bruce Bastin has noted that Fuller’s Been Your Dog uses the same melody as Bull City Red’s “Black Woman and Poison Blues” and that its guitar part is similar to Red’s “Mississippi River” both recorded in July 1935. Mamie was recalled by Willie Trice as the first song he learned in the mid-1920s so these two songs may offer evidence that Blind Boy Fuller was drawing from a common pool of local material. Untrue Blues was a reworking of the “Crow Jane” theme (the 1927 version by Julius Daniels on Victor 21065 has “Richmond Blues” – a song covered by Bull City Red at the July 1935 session – as its flip-side). Fuller was probably aware of this record as well as Josh White’s popular version (“Blood Red River” from 1933). In addition to this, Richard Trice recalled that Fuller carefully studied Carl Martin’s definitive version of “Crow Jane” from 1935. This should all serve to illustrate how much conscious reconstruction of recorded blues material took place in the group of musicians surrounding Blind Boy Fuller. The last title recorded at the February 1937 sessions was New Oh Red! with both Dipper Boy Council and Bull City Red added on this exuberant remake of the Harlem Hamfats’ hit of 1936 (itself a remake of their own “Oh, Red!” from earlier in that year). Blind Boy Fuller was, at this point in his career, a fully professional, seasoned recording artist whose records sold as well as any of the Chicago competition. DOCD-5092
Tracklist :
1        Cat Man Blues 3:05
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
2        When Your Gal Packs Up And Leaves 2:52
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
3        Mama Let Me Lay It On You 2:54
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
4        If You Don't Give Me What I Want 2:53
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
5        Boots And Shoes 2:49
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
6        Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 2:51
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
7        Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 2:46
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
8        Sweet Honey Hole 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
9        Untrue Blues 2:49
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
10        Tom Cat Blues 2:36
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
11        My Baby Don't Mean Me No Good 2:54
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
12        Been Your Dog 2:44
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
13        My Best Gal Gonna Leave Me 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
14        Wires All Down 2:47
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
15        Let Me Squeeze Your Lemon 2:59
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
16        Death Alley 2:39
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
17        Mamie 2:50
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
18        Mamie 2:43
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
19        New Oh Red! 2:46
Guitar – Dipper Boy Council
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
Washboard – Bull City Red
20        If You See My Pigmeat 3:01
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
21        Stingy Mama 2:41
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
22        Why Don't My Baby Write To Me? 2:40
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
23        Some Day You're Gonna Be Sorry 3:07
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller
24        You Never Can Tell 2:54
Vocals, Guitar – Blind Boy Fuller