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DEATH LETTER is the blues song as far as I am concerned. This song has the blues from which most other blues songs come from. With death letter, Son House leaves absolutely no doubt that blues music is about sadness and tragedy turned into works of art. There is blues as entertainment and then there is the blues of Son House"
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"Death Letter", also noted as "Death Letter Blues", is the signature song of influential blues musician Son House. It is structured upon House's earlier recording "My Black Mama, part 2" from 1930. House performed the song on a metal-bodied National resonator guitar using a copper slide.
Lyrically, the song is about a man who learns of the death of the woman he loves through a letter delivered to him early in the morning. The narrator later views her body at the morgue, attends her funeral, and returns to his home in a state of depression.
House's lyrics draw from traditional sources. Other blues musicians recorded related songs, including Leadbelly ("Death Letter Blues"), Ishman Bracey ("Trouble Hearted Blues"), Ida Cox ("Death Letter Blues") and Blind Willie McTell ("On The Cooling Board").
"Death Letter" is Son House's most famous song, and was the centerpiece of his live performances during the blues revival of the 1960s. House often altered the tempo and lyrics for different performances of "Death Letter", occasionally playing the song more than once during the same concert. Some renditions exceeded fifteen minutes in length.
Legendary Delta bluesman Robert Johnson was heavily influenced by Son House. Johnson incorporated and reworked "My Black Mama"/"Death Letter" into his own song, "Walking Blues".
"Death Letter" has been recorded by several popular musicians, including John Mellencamp, Chris Thomas King, David Johansen, and The White Stripes. It was also featured in the 2005 horror/suspense film The Skeleton Key, as performed by Johnny Farmer. The song has also been recorded by Diamanda Galás, Cassandra Wilson, and Geoff Muldaur.
I think it's so cool that you did this tribute to Death Letter, because I have felt that way about this song for a long time too. It's always been one of my favorite songs to listen to and to play on the guitar. Thanks for being a friend!
The guy who organised the music thingee was is the same guy who did the Stripes website, album stuff, the Blackpool Lights cover and posters and stuff. Theirs an art show in Manchester called 'Aluminium'. Sounds good.
