Cross Road (Crossroad) Blues (Crossroads) (Robert Johnson)

similar to "Down The Dirt Road Blues" (Charley Patton)

Tom Johnston and Rory Block also own the copyright on the title "Crossroad Blues" [GEMA]

Sources:

Gissing, Werner: Mississippi Delta Blues: Formen und Texte von Robert Johnson (1911-1938). (Beiträge zur Jazzforschung. Studies in Jazz Research). Graz, 1986.

Wikipedia

Sheet Music:

King of Spades Music

Recordings:

1937 - Robert Johnson - San Antonio, Texas - Nov. 27, 1936 - ARC 7-05-81 Vocalion 03519 (2 takes, take 2 first released on Columbia CL1654) - Robert Johnson (v,g) - guitar part similar to "Terraplane Blues", "Stones in my Passway", "Milkcow's Calf Blues"

1964 - Big Joe Williams - July 29/Sept. 26, 1964 - Chicago IL - Milestone 3001, on: Classic Delta Blues (released 1964) - Big Joe Williams (v,g)

1968 - Cream - Polydor, on: Wheels of Fire - Cream (Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker), Felix Pappalardi

1970 - The Doors - on: Live in Boston

1976 - Lynyrd Skynyrd

1979 - Molly Hatchet - on: Flirtin' With Desaster

1981 - Rory Block - on: High Heeled Blues

1986 - Eric Clapton - July 10, 1986 - Montreux Switzerland - ITM, on: The Professor Blues Review: Live in Montreux, featuring Otis Rush

1986 - Ry Cooder - on: Crossroads

1994 - Derek and the Dominos - on: Live At the Filmore

1996 - Eric Clapton - on: Crossroads "Crossroads"

1998 - D.C. & Co - on: Somethin's Happenin'

1998 - Jeff Berlin - on: Crossroads

1999 - Geoff Bartley - Waterbug, on: Hear That Wind Howl

1999 - Frankie Lee - on: Here I Go Again

2000 - Peter Green Splinter Group - on: Hot Foot Powder

2000 - Chris Brubeck, Joel Brown & Peter Madcat Ruth - on: Triple Play

2000 - Bryan Jacobs - Orchard, on: Remington Steel

2000 - Don Latarski - on: Deep Play

2001 - P.f. Labarbera - on: Handful of Blues

2001 - Reggie McBride, Taj Mahal & Tony Braunagel - Feb. 7, 2000 - Santa Monica CA - Telarc 83521, on: Hellhound on My Trail: Songs of Robert Johnson - Taj Mahal (v,g), Reggie McBride (b), Tony Braunagel (d)

2003 - John Floridis - on: In This Place

2003 - Blue Messengers - on: Blues to Grey

2005 - Blue Touch - on: Bump

2005 - Montana - on: At the Crossroads

2004 - Blues At Midnight - on: Blues Tribute to Eric Clapton

2004 - Yann Armellino - on: Cross-Rocks

2006 - Donna Lynn Kay - on: Electric Blue

2006 - Fabrizio Poggi & Francesco Garolfi - on: The Breath of Soul

2006 - Homesick James - The Incredible Electric Blues Guitar Album

2006 - Rory Block - Rykodisc, on: The Lady and Mr. Johnson

2007 - Blue Mozart - Bones Don't Float Records, on: Undercover of the Blues

2007 - Colored Wolf - on: Blue.Sing

2007 - The Hit Crew - on: The Roots of Rock 'n Roll

2007 - Pete Romano & The Riverside Blues Band - on: Cross Road Blues

2007 - Steve Hill - on: The Steve Hill Blues Band

2007 - The Fried Okra Band - This is Your Chance, France Baby!

2008 - D. Johnson - on: Doney Blues

2008 - Fabrizio Poggi & C Mambo - on: Mercy

2008 - Ray Vanderby - on: 5th Dimension Blues

2008 - The Breakers - on: Milan

2009 - Gwyn Ashton - on: Two-Man Army

2009 - Roots Connection - on: Roots Connection

2009 - Spirit - on: California Blues Redux

2010 - Cyndi Lauper - Mercer Street, on: Memphis Blues - Cyndi Lauper, Jonny Lang...

Version take 1:

I went to the crossroad,
Fell down on my knee.
I went to the crossroad,
Fell down on my knee.
Ask the lord above for mercy now,
Save poor Bob if you plea'.

Yeeooo, standin' at the crossroad,
Try to flag a ride.
Ooo ooo eee,
I try to flag a ride.
Did nobody seem to know me, babe,
Everybody pass me by.

Standin' at the crossroad baby,
Risin sun goin down.
Standin' at the crossroad baby,
Eee eee eee, risin sun goin down.
I believe to my soul now,
Poor Bob is sinkin down.

You can run, you can run,
Tell my friend Willie Brown,
You can run, you can run,
Tell my friend Willie Brown,
An' I go t' the croosroad blues this mornin Lord,
Baby, I'm sinkin down.

And I went to the crossroad momma,
I looked east and west.
I went to the crossroad baby,
I looked east and west.
Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman,
Ooh-well babe, in my distress.

Version take 2:

I went to the crossroad,
Fell down on my knee.
I went to the crossroad,
Fell down on my knee.
Ask the lord above for mercy now,
Save poor Bob if you plea'.

Mm, standin' at the crossroad,
Try to flag a ride.
Standin' at the crossroad,,
I try to flag a ride.
Did nobody seem to know me, babe,
Everybody pass me by.

Mm, the sun goin down, boy,
Dark goin' catch me here.
Eeh-,
Well dark goin' catch me here.
I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman,
That loves and feel my care.

You can run, you can run,
Tell my frien', boy Willie Brown,
You can run,
Tell my frien', boy Willie Brown,
Lord, that I'm standin' at the crossroad, babe,
I believe I'm sinkin down.