There is no doubt that Robert Johnson is a legend in the world of rock. As a founding member of the 27 Club, an influence on great guitarists, and the poster boy of musicians who sold their souls to Satan, Robert Johnson is infamous. There’s a natural mystery to Johnson, despite his status in the Rock music world. Only 3 official photographs exist, no video footage is available of him, and we’re not really sure how he died. His history is largely told through the eyes of others. As a result of this, not only does the mystery of the man continue to deepen, but also the rumors about him that he sold his soul to the devil add to the mystery.
‘The Devil’s Music’
Based on the limited information about him that was available, Robert Johnson was born May 8th, 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. From the very beginning, he stood out from those around him. Despite being expected to work as a sharecropper, all he wanted to do was perform his music. It was highly frowned upon. Those days, Blues was called the devil’s music due to the fact that it was played in juke joints where fights and promiscuity occurred. Obviously, drunken bar patrons and the music would cause reckless behavior, which didn’t sit well with the deeply religious south.
Church sermons condemned the music that led people to commit such acts, and the idea of Blues as “Devil’s music” was born. The music was even blamed for Johnson’s wife and child’s deaths during childbirth. During his travels to perform his music, Johnson left his pregnant wife with her family. Her family had already buried Johnson’s wife and baby when he returned. They blamed him for her and the baby’s death. “Where were you?” they asked. “They are dead, and you were out playing that devil’s music”. At that point in his life, Johnson no longer intended to be a family man. His goal was to be free of the chains society had on him literally and to be his own boss. As a result, he continued to perform on the road.
Johnson’s main influences
Willie Brown and Son House were among Johnson’s musical influences. It was in Robinsonville, Mississippi that he met with Son House and Willie Brown. In order to improve his craft, he wanted to learn from them. Johnson was shunned away because of his poor guitar playing, despite being a decent harmonica player. “Folks they come and say, ‘Why don’t you go out and make that boy put that thing down? He running us crazy,’ ” Son House said about Johnson’s guitar playing. This must have been a humbling experience for Johnson, as he would soon return to Hazlehurst to find his father. It was during this time that he met his most influential mentor, Ike Zimmerman.
Johnson learned everything about guitar from Zimmerman, who was himself a guitarist. Zimmerman was also reputed to have played his guitar at midnight in a cemetery, which is what Robert allegedly did. In order not to disturb sleeping people, the band performed in a cemetery, which led to rumors about Johnson’s dealings with the devil. According to rumors, he played in the cemetery so that the ghosts would know how to teach him how to play. The ghosts of people’s pasts, their hardships or Johnson’s own hardships may have taught him how to perform. Blues is, after all, an emotional genre.
A New Man
About two years later, Robert Johnson returned to the stage and wowed everyone with his improvements. His playing improved from mediocre to outperforming his mentors. He had such a high turn around that people wondered how he could play so well so quickly. Johnson mentioned he had a tutor. Son House, however was a superstitious and religious man. He truly believed the rumors about Johnson’s deal with the devil at the Crossroads. No one could possibly believe that someone got that good at guitar in such a little amount of time. The rumors were more prevalent when Johnson began recording his music in Texas in 1936.
Hoodoo and Hellhounds
Johnson recorded 29 songs in his lifetime. In November 1936, he recorded his songs for the American Record Company. His recordings included “Sweet Home Chicago”, “Love in Vain”, and “Traveling Riverside Blues”. When talking about the myth of Johnson selling his soul to the devil, people gravitate to his other songs such as “Crossroads”, “Hellhound on my Trail”, and “Me and the Devil Blues”. The songs “Crossroads” and “Me and the Devil Blues” spoke of Johnson’s association with Satan. He walked side-by-side with the devil at the crossroads. However, blues music stems from racism African Americans endured. It had not been 100 years since slave emancipation. It was still very fresh in the generations’ minds. The Devil could represent a slave master, systemic racism, or the literal devil.
In comparison to his previous two songs, “Hellhound on my Trail” is a completely different tune. There is a paranoia in the song about Hellhounds catching Johnson. With his woman by his side, he did everything he could to get away from them. There are many ways to interpret this song. He is haunted by Hellhounds after his bargain, trying to stall them from retrieving his soul. As another interpretation, he could be running from the hunting dogs people sent after him. The purpose is to chase them down and lynch them. Is he really being hunted by Hellhounds? Is he being tracked by people’s dogs? It’s unclear.
Nation Sacks and Control
Hellhound on my trail is also an example of Blues music that discusses Hoodoo worship. The majority of African Americans in the south were Christians, but Hoodoo was still practiced by those who wished to remain connected to their homeland. Due to racism and violence, African Americans lacked control, so Hoodoo was seen as having control. Johnson’s collection contains a few songs that mention Hoodoo. Johnson sprinkling Hot Foot Powder around his door is mentioned in Hellhound on my Trail. Using various herbs, Hot Foot Powder prevents unwanted guests from entering someone’s home or life. In the context of the song, this makes sense.
Come in my Kitchen is another song with a Hoodoo reference that’s a bit more subtle. Johnson sang,
“Oh-ah, she’s gone
I know she won’t come back
I’ve taken the last nickel out of her nation sack.”
According to Hoodoo, a nation sack is a little purse or satchel women carry with them to make men fall in love and stay in love with them. If a coin is removed from the purse, the spell would be broken and the man wouldn’t be under the control of a woman. Johnson is saying that he got rid of the woman controlling him by removing a nickel from her nation sack, so he is free to do as he pleases. This could be seen as a metaphor for Johnson being free from the environment that controlled him to pursue his own freedom.
An Entry to the 27 Club
During the year following his recording in Texas, Johnson performed in different clubs. In a tragic turn of events, Robert Johnson’s life was cut short at 27 years old. He died mysteriously in Greenwood, Mississippi, on August 16, 1938. His official cause of death was “Unknown Causes”. A jealous husband of one of the women he flirted with is widely believed to have poisoned him. Johnson’s death remains a mystery to this day. His soul selling rumors were further fueled by this and his ultimate price was believed to have been paid. Johnson’s sudden death at the age of 27 fueled rumors about his supernatural abilities and unintentionally created another myth about himself. He unofficially became one of the first “27 Club” members.
The “27 Club” myth derives from talented musicians who died suddenly at 27 when they were at their peak. Among its members are Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, and Jimi Hendrix. Theories and legends have been fueled about the club because of the shared age of 27 and mysterious circumstances surrounding some of the deaths. Johnson predates the more well-known 27 Club members, but his inclusion reminds us of the tragic losses the music industry has endured.
In the wake of their untimely deaths, there have been numerous discussions about fame, success, and the struggles faced by creative people. The 27 Club and Robert Johnson share the common theme of talented musicians who died prematurely, leaving behind a lasting musical legacy. The mysterious circumstances surrounding some of these deaths and the shared age of 27 have led to theories and legends about the club. Though Robert Johnson predated the more well-known members, his inclusion in discussions about the 27 Club reminds us of music’s tragic losses.
Did Johnson really sell his soul?
The rumors about Johnson’s association with Satan spread like wildfire after his death. While Johnson’s story is certainly not the first to allege that he had sold his soul, he was hardly the first. Faust is a German legend about a man unsatisfied with life. The devil offered him unlimited knowledge for his soul at a crossroads. There is rumor that Italian violinist Niccolo Paganini surrendered his soul to the devil because of his talent. Another guitarist, Tommy Johnson, who was not related to Robert, was also rumored to have sold his soul. It is possible people confused the two, but rumors about Johnson’s supernatural abilities must have been fueled by circumstances surrounding him.
In Conclusion
The supernatural references in Robert Johnson’s music provide a glimpse into life in the early 20th century and his vision of the world. The way Johnson incorporated folklore, mythology, and the supernatural into his lyrics left people curious about both his music and his life. What was real and what was myth? Did he really seal his fate at the crossroads?Although his legend may be surrounded by myths, Robert Johnson’s story still remains fascinating decades later.
So being from south MS, I’m very familiar with the legend. I’ve been to every supposed crossroads.
All I’ll say, is if I wanted to sell me soul to the devil, I know where I’d be at midnight lol
Yes I agree with you. Great legend and story for sure. Thank you for your comment
Quite interesting article. Thank you for posting.