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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Amazingly, given his weighty reputation as a blues guitarist, Eric Clapton has previously released only one all-blues collection in a solo career spanning 30 years. That album, 1994's From the Cradle, may have topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, but Clapton certainly betters it with this interpretation of 14 Robert Johnson classics. The reason for this is primarily in the vocals. Clapton's voice has always been too soft, too undamaged to convincingly tell such tales of woe. Now though, veteran of various personal catastrophes, he can give a fair impression of a man who has seen too much. Surrounded by an impressive musical team including Andy Fairweather Low and Billy Preston, with Jerry Portnoy playing a blinder on blues harp, Clapton delivers a deep, pulsing "When You Got a Friend", a searing "Little Queen of Spades", a boogilicious "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" and a bucking "They're Red Hot". "Come on in My Kitchen" and "Me and the Devil Blues", meanwhile, are tough acoustic efforts, more in keeping with the legend of Johnson at the crossroads at midnight. Clapton fans will love this--it's his best in ages. --Dominic Wills
Review
'Clapton is God'' was a commonplace piece of urban graffiti in the late-Sixties, as the guitarist with the Bluesbreakers and then Cream set new standards for dazzling solos and beefy riffs, attracting the religious adulation of rock fans with spray cans. The white boy could certainly play the blues. He was a technical genius, although perhaps lacking the soul of Jimmy Page or the vision of Jeff Beck. After becoming supreme AOR guitarist in the Eighties and Nineties, Clapton has now reached for his story of the blues and thumbed the pages back to the first chapter. He's retrieved his bottle-neck and returned to his roots.
Me and Mr Johnson is Clapton's open acknowledgement to the Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson; a man Clapton says has influenced him all his life. Recording in 1936 and for a year or so afterwards, Johnson played songs that echo up from the wellspring of popular music like solemn and brooding prayers to some dark entity. Rumour was that he had sold his soul to Beelzebub, down at the crossroads, in exchange for his extraordinary guitar expertise. He died in 1938 but he has become a touchstone for the genre, his brief output inspiring a host of postwar guitarists and songwriters, from Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King, to the British bluesmen such as Page and Clapton. Without Johnson the blues would be a very different shade indeed.
So, 35 years on, Clapton is no longer God: he now plays the Devil. For him to take on Johnson's catalogue makes perfect sense. With both wailing electric guitar and acoustic-slide under his arm, Eric runs through ''When You Got a Good Friend'', ''Milkcow's Calf Blues'', ''Come On In My Kitchen'' and a dozen other tried and tested Johnson tunes. They are all delivered with sincerity, love and respect. The band are as tight as a bottle-stop, the recording is as clear as a bell and Clapton's singing and playing sound just fine. Me and Mr Johnson will appeal to his AOR audience after a bit of authentic as much as it will to staunch blues fans hungry for digital-age renditions of Johnson standards. --Rob Webb
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
At long last, EC gets "Up close and personal" with the legendary Robert Johnson and his music. Not withstanding EC's previous renditions of some of RJ's songs (Crossroads when he was with Cream probably being his most well known but he has performed others down the years, for example Walking Blues and Malted Milk from the Unplugged album) this is an inspired and authentic piece of work. Apparently the album came about as a result of EC and his band jamming RJ songs as a way of relaxing whilst working on his next "original material" album (due for release in '05 apparently - Guitarist Magazine May 2004 issue). The playing by all band-members is great - Doyle Bramhall II is inspired in his slide work, and Billy Preston demonstrates some wonderful "blues with a feelin'" on his Hammond.
14 tracks are listed, all are delivered with Eric Clapton's unmistakably soulful vocals, with some great guitar work by the Master, but he also gives his band members space and time to perform their own talents. It really is like listening to a highly polished and fluent blues jamming band - the tonal quality of the amps is captured wonderfully, Class A valves driven to the edge of distortion!
Delta Blues, delivered with feeling - buy it, you won't be disappointed!
14 tracks are listed, all are delivered with Eric Clapton's unmistakably soulful vocals, with some great guitar work by the Master, but he also gives his band members space and time to perform their own talents. It really is like listening to a highly polished and fluent blues jamming band - the tonal quality of the amps is captured wonderfully, Class A valves driven to the edge of distortion!
Delta Blues, delivered with feeling - buy it, you won't be disappointed!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
That Robert Johnson (RJ) through his lyrics and early recordings and EC through his playing are each in their own ways critical to the wide love and appreciation of the blues that now exists is beyond doubt. The release of an EC CD of RJ songs thus seems a perfect and long overdue pairing esp. after the renewed enthusiasm and hunger EC showed on his recent "Reptile" CD, after too many years of indifferent recordings. Sadly any hope for a set of inspired and memorable renditions of songs that reflect EC's love of RJ's music (evidenced by the sleevenotes and the cover painting by Peter Blake) are missing in the grooves of these recordings.
Backed by his core "houseband" of Steve Gadd, Nathan East and Andy Fairweather-Low, with additions of Billy Preston on keyboards and Jerry Portnoy on harmonica especially, EC delivers a set of perfunctory performances none of which really gets under the skin of RJ's lyrics or provides renditions that leave you wanting to listen again. After several listenings, the main issue seems to be EC with vocals that sound ragged in parts and guitar playing (either electric or acoustic) that is overall professional but not memorable, plus a drum mix that at times seems incongruous.
By the end I felt I was simply listening to a very good blues band "having a blow" session and found my mind wandering to better versions of individual RJ songs (such as the Stone's "Love in Vain"; Flaming Groovies "32-20 Blues" and Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac's "Hellhound on my trail").
In summary a listenable but not memorable recording.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Recorded in 2004, this album is only the second pure blues album of Eric Clapton's solo career. Dedicated to one of the most famous and legendary (and for once the word legendary is used correctly) bluesmen of all time, Robert Johnson, this record shows Clapton at his best.
Clapton treats these songs with a great deal of respect, and the real passion he has for the music really shines through. Sounding more committed to the music than at any time since `From the Cradle', he turns in a cracking performance. These are not songs he could have done justice to any earlier in his career, his voice is now world weary and battered and his guitar playing mature and restrained. He delivers a well chosen set of Johnson's best songs, and by his own standards this is one of his best solo albums.
I do have one niggle. The production is at times just a little too slick and polished. The raw edge to the music is slightly lacking. Comparing it to Clapton's solo work it is a marvellous record, but if, say, you were to compare it to Pete Green's set of Johnson covers, or even the original recordings by the great man himself, this record is just a little lacking in emotional punch and intensity. I'm still going to give it 5 stars though, as depending on what sort of mood you are in would determine which versions you go for, and this record is a classic if you are in the mood for something a little more polished.
Clapton treats these songs with a great deal of respect, and the real passion he has for the music really shines through. Sounding more committed to the music than at any time since `From the Cradle', he turns in a cracking performance. These are not songs he could have done justice to any earlier in his career, his voice is now world weary and battered and his guitar playing mature and restrained. He delivers a well chosen set of Johnson's best songs, and by his own standards this is one of his best solo albums.
I do have one niggle. The production is at times just a little too slick and polished. The raw edge to the music is slightly lacking. Comparing it to Clapton's solo work it is a marvellous record, but if, say, you were to compare it to Pete Green's set of Johnson covers, or even the original recordings by the great man himself, this record is just a little lacking in emotional punch and intensity. I'm still going to give it 5 stars though, as depending on what sort of mood you are in would determine which versions you go for, and this record is a classic if you are in the mood for something a little more polished.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Clapton brings new life to Johnsons work!
Right from 'When you got a good friend' I new this album was going to be somthing special. This is clapton at his best, there is so much soul to all the tracks, it's like Clapton... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Phill JH
Don't get this - get this
Rather than chasing this one down, get 'Sessions for Robert J' by Clapton. Much better all round, and the DVD that makes up the Sessions collection is excellent - a real feel for... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Bob
Me And Mr Johnson by Eric Clapton must have in your collection
This is one off the best albums I,ve heard from Eric claptn playing Robert Johnson songs from the delta blues master
Published 20 months ago by blue Ant
Bless Eric
Really really good, bought for my Eric crazy other half and he loves it.
Brings Robert Johnson back to life.
Brings Robert Johnson back to life.
Published on 9 Jan 2010 by peapod74
Me & Mr Johnson? - I think I prefer Mr Johnson by himself
I was a bit disappointed in this CD as I had hoped that it would be just Eric and an acoustic guitar. Read more
Published on 13 July 2009 by Dr. Tom Carnduff
Homage to the King of the Delta Blues ? I don't think so
Me and Mr. Johnson
Eric Clapton, along with Andy Fairweather Lowe and Billy Preston interpret rather than recreate the music of Robert Johnson. Read more
Eric Clapton, along with Andy Fairweather Lowe and Billy Preston interpret rather than recreate the music of Robert Johnson. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by Peter R. Turner
Me and Mr Johnson
'Me and Mr Johnson' has some solid playing from EC and his love and mastery of Robert Johnson's musics is pretty evident on this album. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2008 by Spider Monkey
"god" plays the devil's tunes quite well.
This is another one of those albums that to me just begs a review, if only because of the wide gulf that exists between some of the criticism attached to it on these very pages and... Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2008 by Mr. C. J. Davidson
Don't play it outside of a shopping mall.
I heard this music playing in a shopping mall. And thought, "how horrible, someone has recorded a tepid, bland, muzak version of some great blues songs. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2008 by Splenda
Johnson's a tough act to follow!
This recording doesn't do it for me, seems like The Blues has been filleted here. If you're familiar with Robert Johnson's recordings ('King of The Delta Blues Singers' is a great... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2007 by Jack Oliver
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