The Rolling Stones recorded 'Love in Vain' for their 1969 album, Let It Bleed. A remastered version of the alternate take is also included on King of the Delta Blues: The Complete Recordings (1996). The original single version was finally reissued (along with the alternate) by Columbia on the box set The Complete Recordings (1990). II (1970), which included an alternate take of 'Love in Vain'. Columbia Records responded by issuing King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. This was the first appearance of the song since its original release. After the release of Johnson's first compilation album, King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961), bootleg albums containing more of Johnson's 1930s singles were circulated. It was released after Johnson's death and was the last of his original singles. In 1939, Vocalion Records issued 'Love in Vain Blues', backed by 'Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)', on a ten-inch 78 rpm record.
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Years later, when she heard 'Love in Vain' for the first time, she was visibly moved upon hearing her name. ĭuring the final verses, Johnson calls out to his lover, Willie Mae. Never has Johnson's guitar been so subtle, so much in the background – the song's success is from the artist's longing vocal, and as such it's devastatingly bleak. The songs opening verse is worth quoting in full, it's arguably the finest few lines that Johnson ever wrote – 'And I followed her to the station/with a suitcase in my hand/Well I followed her to the station/with a suitcase in my hand/Well it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell/When all your love's in vain'. Lyrics and composition ĪllMusic's Thomas Ward describes the song as 'heartbreakingly potent coming from an artist of Johnson's calibre'. Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded a song with a similar title, 'All My Love in Vain', but different lyrics. Johnson also used some lyrics from 'Flying Crow Blues' (1932) by the Shreveport Home Wreckers (a duo of Oscar 'Buddy' Woods and Ed Schaffer) for the final verse of 'Love in Vain'. Both songs express a yearning and sorrow for the loss of a lover. Johnson later used the melody from Carr's 'When the Sun Goes Down' (1935) as the basis for 'Love in Vain'. One of his influences was Leroy Carr, whose 'How Long–How Long Blues' (1928) was an early favorite. In the late 1920s, Johnson began playing the guitar along with a rack-mounted harmonica. The popularity of their adaptation led to a lawsuit over the copyright, which was eventually resolved in favor of Johnson's estate. In 1969, the Rolling Stones recorded an updated rendition featuring an electric slide guitar solo.
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'Love in Vain' has elements of earlier Delta blues songs and for a while it was believed to be in the public domain. He recorded the song in 1937 during his last recording session and in 1939 it was issued as the last of his original 78 rpm records. Johnson's performance – vocal accompanied by his finger-style acoustic guitar playing – has been described as 'devastatingly bleak'. He sings of unrequited love, using a departing train as a metaphor for his loss. ' Love in Vain' (originally ' Love in Vain Blues') is a blues song written by American musician Robert Johnson. Recorded at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California in January 1965, 'The Last Time' was the band's third UK single to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top in March and early April 1965. 'The Last Time' is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, and the band's first UK single written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones Songs Ranked By BillboardįLAC The Rolling Stones Songbook Invasion Unlimited IU9532-1 Studio recordings 1963 / 1965 01.