Listen to It: Robert Johnson Singing "Hellhound on My Trail."

Robert Johnson and "Hellhound on My Trail
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You may remember in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou" when George Clooney picked up a black hitch hiker carrying a guitar. Where did he get left off? It was at a crossroads. This scene was inspired by the legend of blues guitarist Robert Johnson who claims to have visited the crossroads to sell his soul to the devil. Why? To play the guitar.

Robert Johnson was a blues guitarist who recorded in the 1920s. Historians cite him as one of the most important early influences on the development of the blues. He has a high pitched nasal voice. When listening to the song and following the lyrics note a few things. These are

1. The use of similes and natural images. For instance, Johnson sings "The blues are falling down like hail. Blues are falling down, not up. Up is where heaven is, and the blues are often times more about feeling down, not up, not sunny, not ecstatically hopeful.

2. The theme of travel shows up. . . "I've got to keep movin'.

In other words when things do not work out in one place, sometimes the best thing to do is pick up and move to somewhere else and start over.

3. The song is about Johnson not being able to be with his "sweet rider." Something has gone wrong between them because she has sprinkled hot foot power (there is such a thing in the South) around the door. This reinforces the idea of moving away.

4. There is a hellhound(1) on his trail, which once again reinforces the idea that Johnson has to keep moving to stay ahead of whatever (maybe the blues) is chasing him.

5. The last several lines refer to natural events, such as the "leaves tremblin' on the trees." This connotes the idea of fall or winter coming. Maybe a storm is on the way. In any event, life might be getting worse.

6. Note it is performed in the traditional early blues style: single male vocalist accompanying himself on guitar.

Listen to "Hellhound on my Trail"

Now listen to the recording of "Hellhound on My Trail" and follow along with the lyrics below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UVgH9JqSnQ&feature=kp Links to an external site.

I got to keep movin', I've got to keep movin'
Blues fallin' down like hail, blues fallin' down like hail

Umm mmm mmm mmm
Blues fallin' down like hail, blues fallin' down like hail

And the days keeps on worryin' me,
there's a hellhound¹ on my trail,
hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail

If today was Christmas eve
If today was Christmas eve,
and tomorrow was Christmas day

If today was Christmas eve,
and tomorrow was Christmas day
(spoken: Aow, wouldn't we have a time, baby?)
All I would need my little sweet rider Links to an external site. just,
to pass the time away, huh huh, to pass the time away

You sprinkled hot foot powder Links to an external site., mmm
mmm, around my door, all around my door
You sprinkled hot foot powder, mmm,
all around your daddy's door, hmm hmm hmm
It keep me with ramblin' Links to an external site. mind, rider
Every old place I go, every old place I go

I can tell, the wind is risin',
the leaves tremblin' on the tree,
tremblin' on the tree
I can tell, the wind is risin',
leaves tremblin' on the tree
hmm hmm mmm mmm
All I need's my little sweet woman,
and to keep my company, hmmm hmm, hey hey
My company

NOTE: According to the Webster online dictionary a hellhound is a "dog of hell, named Cerberus in Greek and Roman mythology, the three-headed dog guarding the gate of Hades". It will probably stay a secret for all times what Robert exactly meant by the hellhound, but the image of the hounds of hell, coming to seize sinners, was often used in southern churches.

Also take a look at the above hyperlink next to Johnson's reference to hot foot powder. There is such a thing in the South and people still use it today.