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Sweet Home Chicago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Sweet Home Chicago" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Song by Robert Johnson | ||
| Released | 1936[1] | |
| Recorded | November 23, 1936, San Antonio, Texas[1] | |
| Genre | Delta blues | |
| Length | 2:57[1] | |
| Writer(s) | Robert Johnson | |
"Sweet Home Chicago" is a popular blues standard in the twelve bar form. It is believed to have been written by Robert Johnson.[2]
Johnson, having himself apparently never been to Chicago, is believed to have written the song in description of an ideal place, far from the racism inherent to the Mississippi Delta of 1936.[2] The lyrics make mention to the "land of California"; whether this was a geographical mistake on Johnson's part or a metaphorical description of paradise is unknown.
Johnson's original lyrics, aside from the lyrical improvisation common to live blues, are often altered in cover versions. Specifically, the line "Back to the land of California" is changed to "Back to the same old place". This dates back to a version by pianist Roosevelt Sykes.[2]
The authorship of the song is a matter of some dispute. The musical atmosphere of the 1930s Delta lent itself to borrowing of music. Reportedly, songs recorded by bluesmen Scrapper Blackwell and Kokomo Arnold bear striking similarity to "Sweet Home Chicago", having been recorded years before.[2] Leroy Carr's "Baby Don't You Love Me No More" (Scrapper on Piano) shares the rhythmic approach and the feel of the initial two verses. [3]
As of 2002, the copyright to the song was owned by businessman Stephen LaVere, who in 1973 convinced Johnson's half-sister Carrie Thompson to sign a contract splitting the royalties with LaVere. [2]
The list of artists who have covered the song is immense, including Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, Freddie King, Foghat, Status Quo, and The Blues Brothers. LaVere once remarked "It's like 'When the Saints Go Marching In' to the blues crowd."[2]