Sleepy John Estes – Working Man Blues, 1929-1952

• Recognisable by his plaintive, crying, singing style and “broken” voice, SLEEPY JOHN ESTES was one of the great Country Blues pioneers.
• Estes recorded a memorable body of work, much of it during the 1930s, which earned him a mighty reputation, always retaining a traditional, down-home sound despite recording variously in Memphis, Chicago and New York.
• His songs, lyrically, were sharply observed vignettes, often dealing with social commentary
• And although he was little more than an adequate rhythmic guitarist himself, he recorded extensively with men like guitarist/mandolin player Yank Rachell, and harmonica player Hammie Nixon.
• This 2-CD set ranges from his first session in 1929, to an unreleased session at Sun Records in 1952.
• Estes has been namechecked as an important early influence by Bob Dylan and Led Zepp’s Robert Plant.

Track Listing

Disc 1
1. THE GIRL I LOVE, SHE GOT LONG CURLY HAIR
2. BROKEN-HEARTED, RAGGED AND DIRTY TOO
3. DIVIN' DUCK BLUES
4. BLACK MATTIE BLUES
5. MILK COW BLUES
6. STREET CAR BLUES
7. WHATCHA DOIN'?
8. POOR JOHN BLUES
9. STACK O' DOLLARS
10. MY BLACK GAL BLUES
11. DOWN SOUTH BLUES
12. STOP THAT THING
13. SOMEDAY BABY BLUES
14. WHO'S BEEN TELLING YOU BUDDY BROWN BLUES
15. MARRIED WOMAN BLUES
16. DROP DOWN MAMA
17. GOVERNMENT MONEY
18. I WANNA TEAR IT ALL THE TIME
19. VERNITA BLUES
20. I AIN'T GONNA BE WORRIED NO MORE
21. FLOATING BRIDGE
22. NEED MORE BLUES
23. JACK AND JILL BLUES
24. POOR MAN'S FRIEND (T Model)
25. HOBO JUNGLE BLUES

Disc 2
1. AIRPLANE BLUES
2. EVERYBODY OUGHTA MAKE A CHANGE
3. LIQUOR STORE BLUES
4. EASIN' BACK TO TENNESSEE
5. FIRE DEPARTMENT BLUES (Martha Hardin)
6. CLEAN UP AT HOME
7. NEW SOMEDAY BABY
8. BROWNSVILLE BLUES
9. SPECIAL AGENT (Railroad Police Blues)
10. MAILMAN BLUES
11. TIME IS DRAWING NEAR
12. MARY COME ON HOME
13. JAILHOUSE BLUES
14. TELL ME HOW ABOUT IT (Mr. Tom's Blues)
15. DROP DOWN (I Don't Feel Welcome Here)
16. DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW
17. YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT
18. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN
19. LAWYER CLARK BLUES
20. LITTLE LAURA BLUES
21. WORKING MAN BLUES
22. HARLEM BOUND
23. STONE BLIND
24. REGISTRATION DAY BLUES
25. POLICY MAN
26. RATS IN MY KITCHEN
27. RUNNIN' AROUND