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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:16,182 --> 00:00:18,207 Once I had a pretty little girl 2 00:00:19,786 --> 00:00:22,550 I lose my baby,ain't that sad? 3 00:00:27,861 --> 00:00:31,126 Once I had a pretty little girl 4 00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:35,994 I lose my baby, ain't that sad? 5 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:43,636 You know you can't spend What you ain't got 6 00:00:45,912 --> 00:00:48,608 You can't lose What you ain't never had 7 00:00:54,187 --> 00:00:57,350 Well you know you can't spend What you ain't got 8 00:00:59,325 --> 00:01:01,987 You can't lose What you ain't never had 9 00:01:22,582 --> 00:01:25,949 Won't somebody tell me 10 00:01:26,019 --> 00:01:29,511 Tell me What is the soul of a man? 11 00:01:29,589 --> 00:01:32,752 I'm going to ask the question 12 00:01:33,193 --> 00:01:36,720 Please, answer if you can 13 00:01:37,230 --> 00:01:40,028 I want somebody to tell me 14 00:01:40,733 --> 00:01:43,395 Tell me What is the soul of a man 15 00:01:43,470 --> 00:01:47,338 I want somebody to tell me 16 00:01:47,574 --> 00:01:50,509 Please, answer if you can 17 00:01:50,877 --> 00:01:54,574 I want somebody to tell me 18 00:02:48,334 --> 00:02:50,996 In the summer of 1977... 19 00:02:51,304 --> 00:02:55,707 NASA sent a very special vessel into space. 20 00:02:56,075 --> 00:02:57,042 Voyager. 21 00:02:57,410 --> 00:03:01,107 It was to explore the outer planets of our Solar System... 22 00:03:01,214 --> 00:03:06,049 and then continue its journey into deep space... 23 00:03:08,154 --> 00:03:10,145 never to return. 24 00:03:18,998 --> 00:03:23,435 Voyager has been on its way now for a quarter of a century. 25 00:03:23,770 --> 00:03:28,104 And in case it would ever be intercepted by other inhabitants of the universe... 26 00:03:28,341 --> 00:03:31,110 the spacecraft is carrying on board... 27 00:03:31,110 --> 00:03:34,807 a record with pictures and sounds from Earth. 28 00:03:35,181 --> 00:03:38,014 And messages in 50 languages. 29 00:03:43,556 --> 00:03:46,684 "This is a present from a small distant world... 30 00:03:46,893 --> 00:03:49,555 a token of our sounds and our science..." 31 00:03:59,973 --> 00:04:02,464 Among all these sounds from our planet... 32 00:04:02,675 --> 00:04:08,807 there's also music, traveling through space on the Voyager... 33 00:04:09,015 --> 00:04:13,319 representing human spirit from different cultures and time periods... 34 00:04:13,319 --> 00:04:15,685 and believe it or not... 35 00:04:16,055 --> 00:04:18,853 my voice is out there... 36 00:04:19,392 --> 00:04:20,723 in space. 37 00:04:20,827 --> 00:04:24,160 Yeah! One of my songs was chosen... 38 00:04:24,364 --> 00:04:28,300 to represent American music in the 20th Century. 39 00:04:28,534 --> 00:04:31,594 It's a record I cut for Columbia in 1927... 40 00:04:31,738 --> 00:04:34,764 called "Dark Was the Night". 41 00:04:34,941 --> 00:04:37,068 And I'm Blind Willie Johnson. 42 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,231 By the year of 2003... 43 00:05:43,476 --> 00:05:47,139 Voyager has gotten to the edge of our Solar System. 44 00:05:47,347 --> 00:05:51,215 For my voice to reach you, it needs to travel for more than a half a day... 45 00:05:51,451 --> 00:05:53,544 at the speed of light that is. 46 00:05:53,786 --> 00:05:55,811 Time is relative and... 47 00:05:56,022 --> 00:05:59,549 distance changes your perspective. I can tell you. 48 00:07:34,554 --> 00:07:38,513 I was born in Marlin, Texas around 1900. 49 00:07:38,758 --> 00:07:40,749 Not rightly sure when. 50 00:07:47,099 --> 00:07:50,091 I sang on street corners and at church gatherings... 51 00:07:50,303 --> 00:07:53,704 continued to do so after my successful recordings. 52 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,201 I didn't care none about a career. 53 00:07:56,409 --> 00:08:00,038 I only cared about God and spiritual matters. 54 00:08:00,179 --> 00:08:02,204 Taught myself to play the guitar... 55 00:08:02,281 --> 00:08:05,079 and tuned it to open D to suit my next life style. 56 00:08:06,886 --> 00:08:10,549 Oh, trouble will soon be over 57 00:08:10,790 --> 00:08:14,692 Sorrow will have an end 58 00:08:14,927 --> 00:08:17,760 Oh, trouble will soon be over 59 00:08:17,830 --> 00:08:21,061 Sorrow will have an end 60 00:08:21,300 --> 00:08:24,827 Well, Christ is my burden bearer 61 00:08:25,538 --> 00:08:28,405 He's my only friend 62 00:08:29,342 --> 00:08:32,436 Tell me the end of my sorrow 63 00:08:32,512 --> 00:08:35,970 And tell me to lean on him 64 00:08:36,182 --> 00:08:42,849 Oh, trouble will soon be over Sorrow will have an end 65 00:08:43,055 --> 00:08:49,051 Oh, trouble will soon be over Sorrow will have an end 66 00:08:49,562 --> 00:08:52,861 God is my strong protection 67 00:08:53,432 --> 00:08:56,401 He's my bosom friend 68 00:08:57,303 --> 00:09:00,397 It trouble rose all around me 69 00:09:00,540 --> 00:09:03,873 I know who'll take me in 70 00:09:04,076 --> 00:09:06,601 Oh, trouble will soon be over 71 00:09:06,879 --> 00:09:10,474 Sorrow will have an end 72 00:09:10,750 --> 00:09:12,980 Oh, trouble will soon be over 73 00:09:13,185 --> 00:09:16,746 Sorrow will have an end 74 00:09:32,638 --> 00:09:35,198 Oh, trouble will soon be over 75 00:09:35,508 --> 00:09:38,875 Sorrow will have an end 76 00:09:39,445 --> 00:09:41,777 Oh, trouble will soon be over 77 00:09:42,014 --> 00:09:45,347 Sorrow will have an end 78 00:10:01,267 --> 00:10:04,065 Oh, trouble will soon be over 79 00:10:04,303 --> 00:10:07,704 Sorrow will have an end 80 00:10:08,007 --> 00:10:10,373 Oh, trouble will soon be over 81 00:10:10,643 --> 00:10:14,306 Sorrow will have an end 82 00:10:17,216 --> 00:10:21,585 I was blinded when I was a child. About 7 years old. 83 00:10:22,154 --> 00:10:24,554 My stepmother threw lye into my face... 84 00:10:24,757 --> 00:10:27,851 to avenge a beating my father had given her. 85 00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:29,891 Yeah. Tough luck. 86 00:10:31,063 --> 00:10:36,194 But why talk so much about myself? It was hard times for everybody. 87 00:10:36,869 --> 00:10:39,235 And I looked to the Bible for answers. 88 00:11:02,828 --> 00:11:04,352 What's John writing? 89 00:11:04,597 --> 00:11:05,859 Ask the Revelator 90 00:11:06,699 --> 00:11:08,394 The Book of the Seven Seals 91 00:11:08,434 --> 00:11:09,901 "As it turned out from the very beginning... 92 00:11:09,935 --> 00:11:12,233 prohibition led straight to violence. 93 00:11:12,304 --> 00:11:13,532 Rival gangs... 94 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,871 contraband liquor diluted by a nation's tears. 95 00:11:21,447 --> 00:11:25,349 That can be highly compatible combination. 96 00:11:26,419 --> 00:11:28,819 Here's a young man from back in my day. 97 00:11:29,221 --> 00:11:30,984 He made his living as a bootlegger. 98 00:11:31,057 --> 00:11:34,857 Name was Nehemiah James, from Bentonia, Mississippi. 99 00:11:35,628 --> 00:11:37,528 But folks called him Skippy... 100 00:11:37,730 --> 00:11:40,164 'cause he never stayed anywhere for long. 101 00:11:40,332 --> 00:11:41,731 Skip James. 102 00:11:42,868 --> 00:11:47,532 One evening, his friends tried to make Skip take part in a talent contest... 103 00:11:47,707 --> 00:11:51,643 that was being held at a music store in Downtown Jackson. 104 00:11:58,951 --> 00:12:03,183 Mister H.C. Speirs had already discovered many a bluesman. 105 00:12:03,622 --> 00:12:06,591 He had seen them all, and heard them all. 106 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,313 I'd rather be the devil 107 00:12:31,350 --> 00:12:37,152 Than to be that woman's man 108 00:12:41,927 --> 00:12:45,863 I'd rather be the devil 109 00:12:46,398 --> 00:12:50,892 Than to be that woman's man 110 00:12:57,276 --> 00:13:01,076 Skip James won the contest! 111 00:13:01,781 --> 00:13:05,615 That meant a recording contract with Paramount Records... 112 00:13:05,818 --> 00:13:09,811 and a train ticket to Grafton, Wisconsin... 113 00:13:10,022 --> 00:13:12,490 where the recording was going to take place. 114 00:13:18,931 --> 00:13:22,128 John Henry's body Went to the White House 115 00:13:22,368 --> 00:13:24,996 And they buried it in the sand 116 00:13:25,771 --> 00:13:28,399 Every time a locomotive rolled 117 00:13:29,175 --> 00:13:32,508 "Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Lord, Lord 118 00:13:32,745 --> 00:13:35,908 Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Lord, Lord 119 00:13:36,115 --> 00:13:39,243 Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Lord, Lord 120 00:13:39,518 --> 00:13:42,146 Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man" 121 00:13:42,888 --> 00:13:45,618 Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man" 122 00:13:45,858 --> 00:13:47,348 Yonder lays 123 00:14:41,347 --> 00:14:45,750 Skip James was picked up by the producer for Paramount Records... 124 00:14:45,985 --> 00:14:47,452 Mr. Art Laibley. 125 00:14:52,658 --> 00:14:56,424 In those days, furniture companies made gramophones... 126 00:14:56,629 --> 00:14:58,620 and records too. 127 00:14:59,131 --> 00:15:01,964 That's why the recording facility was located... 128 00:15:02,134 --> 00:15:05,035 in the attic of an old chair factory. 129 00:15:14,713 --> 00:15:18,080 Mr. Laibley was not impressed with Skip's cheap guitar. 130 00:15:18,284 --> 00:15:23,153 So he gave him a company instrument, a "Stella". 131 00:15:23,489 --> 00:15:27,323 Now, Skip had never held anything that pretty in his hands before. 132 00:15:27,893 --> 00:15:30,418 Boy, was he ready to play. 133 00:19:25,130 --> 00:19:29,328 Hard times here Everywhere you go 134 00:19:29,568 --> 00:19:33,629 Times are harder Than ever been before 135 00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:54,425 You know people are drifting From door to door 136 00:19:54,593 --> 00:19:59,223 They can't find no heaven I don't care where they go 137 00:20:25,691 --> 00:20:30,526 People, if I ever get off This killing floor 138 00:20:30,829 --> 00:20:35,232 I'll never get down This low no more 139 00:21:14,473 --> 00:21:16,907 You go to Banglin 140 00:21:17,142 --> 00:21:18,939 Tell all my boys 141 00:21:24,816 --> 00:21:26,807 In Illinois 142 00:21:27,586 --> 00:21:29,611 In Illinois 143 00:21:30,088 --> 00:21:32,181 Illinois 144 00:21:32,457 --> 00:21:34,118 In Illinois 145 00:22:22,441 --> 00:22:27,037 You go to Banglin Tell all my boys 146 00:22:27,312 --> 00:22:31,578 You go to Banglin Tell all my boys 147 00:22:31,750 --> 00:22:36,153 The time I had in Illinois 148 00:22:36,388 --> 00:22:38,379 Illinois 149 00:22:38,623 --> 00:22:40,557 Illinois 150 00:22:40,759 --> 00:22:44,286 The time I had in Illinois 151 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:49,196 You get there Before I do 152 00:22:49,368 --> 00:22:53,168 You get there Before I do 153 00:22:53,538 --> 00:22:57,565 Tell all my boys I'm coming through 154 00:22:57,976 --> 00:23:01,969 Coming through Coming through 155 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,977 Tell all my boys I'm coming through 156 00:23:06,685 --> 00:23:10,781 Tell me baby Still at night 157 00:23:11,022 --> 00:23:14,287 Tell me baby Still at night 158 00:23:14,993 --> 00:23:19,157 Hope morning Summer bright 159 00:23:19,398 --> 00:23:23,425 Summer bright Summer bright 160 00:23:23,602 --> 00:23:27,800 Hope morning Summer bright 161 00:23:45,157 --> 00:23:49,184 Hope morning Summer bright 162 00:23:50,228 --> 00:23:54,255 Alright, Skip, wherever you are this one's for you. 163 00:24:07,312 --> 00:24:11,612 You know I'd rather be the devil 164 00:24:14,085 --> 00:24:18,021 You know I'd rather be the devil 165 00:24:19,291 --> 00:24:22,692 Than the woman to that man 166 00:24:27,732 --> 00:24:32,362 You know I'd rather be the devil 167 00:24:32,938 --> 00:24:36,032 Than be a woman to that man 168 00:24:44,516 --> 00:24:48,680 You know I'm so sorry 169 00:24:51,323 --> 00:24:55,419 You know I'm so sorry 170 00:24:56,394 --> 00:25:00,626 That I ever fell in love With you 171 00:25:08,373 --> 00:25:13,037 Because you know You don't treat me 172 00:25:13,912 --> 00:25:17,814 Baby Like the way you used to do 173 00:25:25,657 --> 00:25:29,093 I'd rather be the devil 174 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:35,326 Than to be that woman's man 175 00:25:39,671 --> 00:25:43,607 I'd rather be the devil 176 00:25:43,975 --> 00:25:49,106 Than to be that woman's man 177 00:26:14,806 --> 00:26:17,741 I'm a fucked up soul 178 00:26:26,885 --> 00:26:29,376 I'd rather be the devil 179 00:26:30,822 --> 00:26:33,382 Than be that woman's man 180 00:26:36,194 --> 00:26:39,891 I'd rather be the devil 181 00:26:40,999 --> 00:26:44,457 Than be that woman's man 182 00:26:52,577 --> 00:26:53,601 No 183 00:26:57,415 --> 00:27:00,578 I say nothing but the devil 184 00:27:01,286 --> 00:27:03,880 Would change my babe's mind 185 00:27:06,091 --> 00:27:10,528 No No, nothing but the devil 186 00:27:11,329 --> 00:27:16,096 Would change my babe's mind 187 00:27:17,736 --> 00:27:22,935 Nothing, nothing, nothing 188 00:27:23,408 --> 00:27:27,868 Nothing but the devil 189 00:27:31,216 --> 00:27:33,980 Nothing but the devil 190 00:27:34,352 --> 00:27:37,788 I said nothing but the devil 191 00:27:39,391 --> 00:27:43,122 Would change my babe's mind 192 00:27:47,165 --> 00:27:49,258 Nothing but the devil 193 00:28:00,178 --> 00:28:06,515 I love Cherry Ball Better than I love myself 194 00:28:33,712 --> 00:28:36,010 I'm so glad 195 00:28:36,247 --> 00:28:40,479 And I'm glad I'm glad 196 00:28:41,019 --> 00:28:43,544 I don't know what to do 197 00:28:43,755 --> 00:28:48,658 I don't know what to do I don't know what to do 198 00:29:10,682 --> 00:29:14,584 I'm so glad I'm glad 199 00:29:14,819 --> 00:29:16,912 I am glad I am glad 200 00:29:18,022 --> 00:29:22,391 I don't know what to do Don't know what to do 201 00:29:22,594 --> 00:29:26,360 Don't know what to do 202 00:29:59,697 --> 00:30:03,189 And I'm so glad I'm glad 203 00:30:03,468 --> 00:30:06,130 I am glad I am glad 204 00:30:06,471 --> 00:30:10,202 I'm tired of weeping Tired of moaning 205 00:30:10,441 --> 00:30:13,069 Tired of groaning for you 206 00:30:13,311 --> 00:30:17,179 And I'm so glad I'm glad 207 00:30:17,415 --> 00:30:19,679 I am glad I'm glad 208 00:30:26,991 --> 00:30:29,050 I'm so tired of moaning 209 00:30:29,394 --> 00:30:32,557 The session went on late into the night. 210 00:30:33,064 --> 00:30:35,726 Skip recorded 18 tracks... 211 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,769 on that day in February 1931. 212 00:30:39,304 --> 00:30:43,468 Some traditional, but most, he wrote himself. 213 00:30:43,675 --> 00:30:46,109 They were some powerful songs. 214 00:30:46,177 --> 00:30:49,271 And the session was to become legendary. 215 00:31:07,065 --> 00:31:11,729 I wonder what went through Skip's head that night. 216 00:31:12,003 --> 00:31:16,736 This had been a dream come true, the greatest day of his life. 217 00:31:18,142 --> 00:31:19,541 I wonder. 218 00:31:19,744 --> 00:31:24,340 Did he know he'd marked his place in the history of the blues? 219 00:31:26,618 --> 00:31:28,882 If I send for my baby 220 00:31:30,521 --> 00:31:32,614 And she don't come 221 00:31:36,928 --> 00:31:39,396 If I send for my baby 222 00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:42,829 And she don't come 223 00:31:45,603 --> 00:31:48,197 All the doctors in Wisconsin 224 00:31:49,140 --> 00:31:51,734 They won't help her none 225 00:31:54,779 --> 00:31:57,247 You're talking' about your.44-40 226 00:31:57,482 --> 00:31:59,609 Buddy, it'll do very well 227 00:32:02,553 --> 00:32:04,953 You're talking' about your.44-40 228 00:32:05,857 --> 00:32:07,825 Buddy, it'll do very well 229 00:32:11,129 --> 00:32:13,461 But my.22-20 230 00:32:13,698 --> 00:32:16,064 Lord, it's a burning' hell 231 00:32:18,136 --> 00:32:20,570 If she gets unruly 232 00:32:20,638 --> 00:32:22,629 Thinks she don't wanna do 233 00:32:24,509 --> 00:32:26,477 If she gets unruly 234 00:32:26,711 --> 00:32:28,406 She don't wanna do 235 00:32:31,449 --> 00:32:33,713 I take my.22-20 236 00:32:34,719 --> 00:32:36,209 I cut her half in two 237 00:32:46,464 --> 00:32:49,900 On that second day in February 1931... 238 00:32:50,301 --> 00:32:53,327 they recorded another 8 tracks on piano. 239 00:32:54,439 --> 00:32:58,500 Skip could play both instruments, better than most could play one. 240 00:32:58,576 --> 00:33:00,806 I, I, I 241 00:33:01,312 --> 00:33:03,439 And I can't take my rest 242 00:33:05,149 --> 00:33:06,980 I, I, I 243 00:33:07,385 --> 00:33:09,319 I can't take my rest 244 00:33:11,356 --> 00:33:13,221 And my.44 245 00:33:13,558 --> 00:33:15,788 Laying' up and down my breast 246 00:33:19,497 --> 00:33:22,193 When the recordings finally came to an end... 247 00:33:22,300 --> 00:33:25,758 there was just one issue left... 248 00:33:41,119 --> 00:33:46,022 Skippy left Grafton with just 40 dollars of expense money in his pockets... 249 00:33:46,657 --> 00:33:49,125 but he sure felt like a rich man. 250 00:35:13,744 --> 00:35:17,976 Skip James never saw a red cent from his percentage. 251 00:35:18,249 --> 00:35:21,776 He never even heard any of his own recordings. 252 00:35:23,588 --> 00:35:26,284 Record sales dropped in the early thirties. 253 00:35:26,390 --> 00:35:28,654 The Great Depression was on. 254 00:35:28,860 --> 00:35:31,954 And on radio you could hear music for free. 255 00:35:32,130 --> 00:35:36,191 Paramount released some of Skip's songs in limited numbers... 256 00:35:36,367 --> 00:35:37,629 then they went bankrupt. 257 00:35:39,137 --> 00:35:42,334 Me too, I didn't cut records no more. 258 00:35:42,707 --> 00:35:44,766 Not that it mattered to me much. 259 00:35:44,909 --> 00:35:47,434 I was never after fortune and fame no way... 260 00:35:48,479 --> 00:35:52,108 but I guess the way his records went nowhere... 261 00:35:52,350 --> 00:35:55,012 hit Skip James real hard. 262 00:35:55,586 --> 00:35:59,545 It dawned on him that he had come to a crossroads. 263 00:36:12,170 --> 00:36:15,367 I would rather be dead and 264 00:36:15,606 --> 00:36:18,268 Six feet in my grave 265 00:36:40,898 --> 00:36:46,359 When your knee bone's aching' And your body's cold 266 00:37:27,812 --> 00:37:32,806 Let Jesus lead you 267 00:37:33,484 --> 00:37:38,217 Let Jesus lead you All the way 268 00:37:38,489 --> 00:37:43,153 All the way From Earth to Heaven 269 00:37:43,327 --> 00:37:47,229 Let Jesus lead you All the way 270 00:37:55,206 --> 00:37:57,265 All the way 271 00:38:06,250 --> 00:38:10,778 Let Jesus lead you Let Jesus lead you 272 00:38:11,022 --> 00:38:14,856 Let Jesus lead you All the way 273 00:38:15,126 --> 00:38:19,153 All the way From Earth to Heaven 274 00:38:19,397 --> 00:38:23,128 Let Jesus lead you All the way 275 00:38:29,407 --> 00:38:33,366 Skippy walked away from the blues and his music career. 276 00:38:33,744 --> 00:38:36,975 He "skipped" one life to start another. 277 00:38:37,548 --> 00:38:41,575 His father was a Baptist minister, and he followed in his footsteps. 278 00:38:42,153 --> 00:38:45,247 Skip James started a new life, with the Lord. 279 00:38:45,323 --> 00:38:49,851 You better run Better run, better run 280 00:38:50,094 --> 00:38:53,928 - You better run - Better run, better run 281 00:38:54,165 --> 00:38:58,431 You better run To the City of Refuge 282 00:38:58,869 --> 00:39:00,962 You better run 283 00:39:16,220 --> 00:39:20,213 - You better - Run, run, run 284 00:39:20,458 --> 00:39:22,790 You better run 285 00:39:39,076 --> 00:39:41,044 Skip just disappeared. 286 00:39:41,779 --> 00:39:46,682 The few recordings that were released became precious collectors' items. 287 00:39:47,218 --> 00:39:52,178 The name "Skip James", a legend among blues fans. 288 00:39:52,923 --> 00:39:57,292 Only the man himself had no idea. 289 00:40:03,734 --> 00:40:05,201 But let me tell you about another fella. 290 00:40:12,977 --> 00:40:15,445 In the nineteen-sixties, English kids picked up the blues... 291 00:40:15,713 --> 00:40:18,682 electrified and amplified it, and reached a whole new audience. 292 00:41:35,993 --> 00:41:38,985 John Mayall's tune "THE DEATH OF JB LENOIR"... 293 00:41:39,330 --> 00:41:42,959 impressed a young film student in Germany so much... 294 00:41:43,167 --> 00:41:46,534 that he started to wonder who this JB Lenoir was... 295 00:41:46,770 --> 00:41:49,204 and dug out everything about the man... 296 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,068 who became his all-time blues idol. 297 00:41:52,176 --> 00:41:54,576 Our film student became a director... 298 00:41:54,879 --> 00:41:58,975 who over the years met lots of other folks who loved JB. 299 00:42:00,618 --> 00:42:03,815 They could find no filmed record of their hero. 300 00:42:04,088 --> 00:42:08,991 Until one day, unseen footage of JB Lenoir turned up... 301 00:42:09,159 --> 00:42:12,390 shot in the early Sixties by two art students... 302 00:42:12,530 --> 00:42:14,896 one American and one Swedish. 303 00:42:15,666 --> 00:42:19,432 This is how we met JB Lenoir. 304 00:42:19,770 --> 00:42:25,174 We went to Bob Koester's record store... 305 00:42:25,376 --> 00:42:27,844 on Grand Avenue in Chicago... 306 00:42:28,145 --> 00:42:31,478 and said "Where are the blues going on?" 307 00:42:31,882 --> 00:42:36,046 Once he said Roosevelt Sykes, the pianist... 308 00:42:36,253 --> 00:42:40,155 is having a rent paying party on the South Side. 309 00:42:40,758 --> 00:42:46,526 And at this party was this man who appeared in a zebra stripped tuxedo. 310 00:42:47,398 --> 00:42:48,865 And that was JB. 311 00:42:49,233 --> 00:42:54,000 And we thought he was terrific and we became friends almost immediately. 312 00:42:54,538 --> 00:42:59,566 And the next day he called us up and we talked on and off for very... 313 00:42:59,843 --> 00:43:05,145 and we said please tell us about every place you're going to play in Chicago... 314 00:43:05,282 --> 00:43:06,442 which he did. 315 00:43:06,684 --> 00:43:09,744 And it started with television. We saw this... 316 00:43:11,622 --> 00:43:17,492 show on TV that JB called us up and said: "I'm going to be on TV". 317 00:43:17,628 --> 00:43:21,462 We didn't have a TV but we managed to see it, and... 318 00:43:22,399 --> 00:43:26,130 we thought my God it has to be done different. 319 00:43:26,337 --> 00:43:29,738 Well, the show is interesting. It was a religious show called... 320 00:43:30,074 --> 00:43:32,634 "The Jubilee Hour" or something, and... 321 00:43:33,043 --> 00:43:35,705 both JB and Willie Dixon were in it... 322 00:43:35,946 --> 00:43:39,939 accompanying the gospel singers but their names were never mentioned. 323 00:43:40,150 --> 00:43:41,344 And they just played... 324 00:43:41,418 --> 00:43:44,285 and you were never told who they were, and we thought... 325 00:43:44,855 --> 00:43:47,119 we got to do better than that. 326 00:43:47,324 --> 00:43:49,451 So we were going to Sweden... 327 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:52,593 and we thought that we would make a short movie... 328 00:43:52,763 --> 00:43:57,700 and take it Swedish television and show them... 329 00:43:58,402 --> 00:44:00,597 something that we wouldn't have to explain. 330 00:44:30,734 --> 00:44:35,569 Well, I feel so good I feel like playing my box 331 00:45:15,112 --> 00:45:18,479 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 332 00:45:18,782 --> 00:45:21,910 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 333 00:45:22,453 --> 00:45:26,219 I'm so glad, glad, glad Glad, glad 334 00:45:26,290 --> 00:45:29,521 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 335 00:45:34,231 --> 00:45:39,965 I feel so good I don't know what to do 336 00:45:40,871 --> 00:45:46,070 I feel so good I don't know what to do 337 00:45:46,510 --> 00:45:53,348 I feel so good I feel I want to play with you 338 00:45:53,550 --> 00:45:59,011 I feel so good I feel like playing my box 339 00:45:59,423 --> 00:46:04,622 I feel so good I feel like playing my box 340 00:46:05,562 --> 00:46:12,798 Give me one more shot I believe my name through the top 341 00:46:25,249 --> 00:46:30,881 I feel so good 342 00:46:31,188 --> 00:46:34,351 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 343 00:46:34,525 --> 00:46:37,392 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 344 00:46:37,594 --> 00:46:40,222 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 345 00:46:40,497 --> 00:46:43,466 I'm so glad I know What's on your mind 346 00:46:43,700 --> 00:46:46,726 I'm so glad I know Glad, glad, glad, glad 347 00:46:47,070 --> 00:46:50,733 Glad I know what's on your mind 348 00:47:01,919 --> 00:47:03,978 I feel 349 00:47:04,188 --> 00:47:08,284 I feel so glad 350 00:47:55,005 --> 00:47:59,704 and each one was in a tuxedo form and a tail coat. 351 00:47:59,910 --> 00:48:02,708 And I asked him, you know, where did you get them from... 352 00:48:02,913 --> 00:48:04,540 and he had them made. 353 00:48:04,715 --> 00:48:08,207 Nobody else had anything like that. He was the first in town. 354 00:48:08,385 --> 00:48:12,378 There was black, white, chartreuse, zebra stripped. 355 00:48:12,589 --> 00:48:13,647 And gold. 356 00:49:15,585 --> 00:49:19,214 So we took the movie with us to Sweden and... 357 00:49:19,489 --> 00:49:21,582 It wasn't a big success. 358 00:49:21,792 --> 00:49:25,990 Well, they said it wasn't very good technically, but we knew that. 359 00:49:26,396 --> 00:49:30,230 They said to us that we should do something in black and white... 360 00:49:30,434 --> 00:49:34,097 because Sweden's TV didn't have color at that time. 361 00:49:34,271 --> 00:49:38,605 So we said fine. We went back to Chicago and... 362 00:49:38,875 --> 00:49:42,436 the next summer we were going to go to Sweden again... 363 00:49:42,646 --> 00:49:47,948 and right before we left we made another movie in black and white... 364 00:49:48,118 --> 00:49:52,851 not much longer. We rented a camera for two days and... 365 00:49:53,156 --> 00:49:54,783 this is it. 366 00:49:57,060 --> 00:49:58,652 Where were you born JB? 367 00:49:58,862 --> 00:50:00,420 I was born in Mississippi. 368 00:50:00,497 --> 00:50:04,297 In a little town, by the name, we called it Tilden, Mississippi. 369 00:50:04,601 --> 00:50:08,867 And I started to play down there I was awful young. I used to plow... 370 00:50:09,339 --> 00:50:11,398 and I'd go out and play my box at night... 371 00:50:11,475 --> 00:50:14,069 learn all the different types of songs and create 'em... 372 00:50:14,277 --> 00:50:17,576 - Where were you born at, Steve? - Well, I was born in Evanston, JB. 373 00:50:17,748 --> 00:50:20,308 Where did you learn how to play a box like this? 374 00:50:20,517 --> 00:50:24,453 Well, I learned from a man who was in vaudeville. He used to play the banjo. 375 00:50:24,588 --> 00:50:26,249 He taught me how to play the banjo... 376 00:50:26,323 --> 00:50:29,019 and then I switched to the guitar when I was in high school. 377 00:50:29,259 --> 00:50:31,625 I see, I see. 378 00:50:31,962 --> 00:50:34,522 Why don't you and I try get together and do a little thing here? 379 00:50:34,731 --> 00:50:36,824 Wait. Maybe I should tell in Swedish what we've been saying. 380 00:50:36,933 --> 00:50:39,424 Well, tell them in Sweden. 381 00:52:18,101 --> 00:52:22,401 I played the guitar a couple of times, which was his idea, by the way. 382 00:52:22,572 --> 00:52:26,565 He said we all ought to do something in this so we all did. 383 00:52:26,743 --> 00:52:28,643 It was really collaborative. 384 00:52:28,879 --> 00:52:33,816 The interaction was really his idea, not ours. 385 00:52:34,184 --> 00:52:37,779 - What's your wife's name, JB? - Ella-Louise. 386 00:52:38,121 --> 00:52:39,588 You've got kids too? 387 00:52:39,756 --> 00:52:44,750 Yeah, I've got 4 kids. My son is named Jerry Lenoir... 388 00:52:45,028 --> 00:52:48,964 and I have a daughter named Roberta. And my baby... 389 00:52:49,166 --> 00:52:51,327 she's a little girl. Her name is Emily Tina. 390 00:52:51,501 --> 00:52:54,368 And my oldest daughter is named Barbara Anne. 391 00:53:06,216 --> 00:53:09,674 By the way, Barbara Anne, she can do whole lot of brand new dancing. 392 00:53:09,753 --> 00:53:10,685 That's why... 393 00:53:10,854 --> 00:53:14,346 I created this song here about her, Steve, about the brand new dance. 394 00:54:21,725 --> 00:54:25,661 I got an elevator man 395 00:54:25,895 --> 00:54:28,796 Deep in the heart of town 396 00:54:29,799 --> 00:54:33,257 And when he's feeling right 397 00:54:34,838 --> 00:54:38,535 He'll carry me round and round 398 00:54:38,675 --> 00:54:42,611 Round and round Up and down 399 00:54:42,846 --> 00:54:46,009 Round and round Up and down 400 00:55:00,030 --> 00:55:03,966 Well, don't be jealous 401 00:55:04,167 --> 00:55:06,897 When I come to town 402 00:55:08,038 --> 00:55:12,031 Then I'm just a country girl 403 00:55:13,109 --> 00:55:17,045 Everybody tries to push me around 404 00:55:17,247 --> 00:55:20,011 Round and round Up and down 405 00:55:20,850 --> 00:55:24,411 Round and round Up and down 406 00:55:24,821 --> 00:55:28,780 Round and round Up and down 407 00:55:29,059 --> 00:55:32,859 Round and round Up and down 408 00:55:50,046 --> 00:55:52,537 And of course they did not want that movie either... 409 00:55:52,615 --> 00:55:55,083 because of technical shortcomings... 410 00:55:55,218 --> 00:55:59,780 and we were rather annoyed with their lack of imagination. 411 00:56:00,590 --> 00:56:03,388 When they were doing the Voodoo there was... 412 00:56:03,593 --> 00:56:06,061 a terrific thunder that was natural outside. 413 00:56:39,162 --> 00:56:42,598 Voodoo music got The whole world on the go 414 00:56:46,202 --> 00:56:49,729 Voodoo music all over the world 415 00:56:49,973 --> 00:56:53,340 Look what it's done To the beautiful girls 416 00:56:53,543 --> 00:56:56,603 Got them shake And act real crazy 417 00:56:56,913 --> 00:57:01,475 Voodoo music gonna knock you crazy Voodoo 418 00:57:03,586 --> 00:57:04,553 Voodoo 419 00:57:07,590 --> 00:57:12,084 Voodoo music got The whole world on the go 420 00:57:14,664 --> 00:57:17,963 Voodoo music got hold of the boys 421 00:57:18,334 --> 00:57:21,770 Make them sing And laugh with joy 422 00:57:22,005 --> 00:57:24,735 Makes them feel Like they own the world 423 00:57:25,341 --> 00:57:29,243 Makes them think They can choose the girls, voodoo 424 00:57:32,048 --> 00:57:33,174 Voodoo 425 00:57:36,085 --> 00:57:39,919 Voodoo music got The whole world on the go 426 00:57:40,256 --> 00:57:43,714 I think J. B. Later songs... 427 00:57:44,127 --> 00:57:47,824 by the more mature artist and person... 428 00:57:48,097 --> 00:57:53,865 tended to be more spiritual. They were more political. 429 00:57:54,070 --> 00:57:58,268 But also some kind of profound introspection... 430 00:57:58,475 --> 00:58:03,572 and looking at life as a spiritual event. 431 00:58:04,080 --> 00:58:09,484 See there is this tradition that the people who sing gospel... 432 00:58:09,652 --> 00:58:14,419 don't sing the blues, and the blues singers are not gospel artists. 433 00:58:14,624 --> 00:58:19,288 Well that's very artificial. I remember JB had called us up one day... 434 00:58:19,462 --> 00:58:22,795 and he said that he had so much fun all day, he had been playing... 435 00:58:22,999 --> 00:58:25,695 at church with his friends all day long. 436 00:58:26,069 --> 00:58:28,629 And of course his friends were not... 437 00:58:28,705 --> 00:58:31,674 strictly gospel musicians and singers, but they were... 438 00:58:31,774 --> 00:58:37,371 professional musicians who were just doing the best they could... 439 00:58:37,547 --> 00:58:40,675 and having as much fun as they could and it was Sunday. 440 00:58:40,884 --> 00:58:42,647 And this was not a question of making money. 441 00:58:42,719 --> 00:58:45,187 It was a question of creating spirit. 442 00:58:46,155 --> 00:58:48,316 Now here is another one I'm going to try to do. 443 00:58:48,391 --> 00:58:50,825 The title of it is: "God's Word". 444 01:00:35,665 --> 01:00:40,295 Why don't you release me Devil 445 01:00:41,504 --> 01:00:46,407 Free me for I can go home 446 01:00:51,214 --> 01:00:55,548 Why don't you release me Devil 447 01:00:56,953 --> 01:01:02,585 Free me for I can go home 448 01:01:06,629 --> 01:01:10,725 If you don't let me go home 449 01:01:12,268 --> 01:01:17,137 My dad will come and make you Leave me alone 450 01:01:22,078 --> 01:01:26,708 If you don't let me come home 451 01:01:27,750 --> 01:01:31,618 My dad will come and make you Leave me alone 452 01:01:37,460 --> 01:01:42,363 If you don't let me come home 453 01:01:42,999 --> 01:01:50,098 My dad will come and make you Leave me alone 454 01:01:53,042 --> 01:01:56,534 Shortly after we had returned to the United States... 455 01:01:56,612 --> 01:02:00,104 we got a call one day from Ella-Louise Lenoir... 456 01:02:00,383 --> 01:02:02,180 that JB was dead. 457 01:02:02,351 --> 01:02:06,913 He was only a year older than Steve. It was absolutely shocking... 458 01:02:07,190 --> 01:02:11,024 and ended his artistic development... 459 01:02:11,194 --> 01:02:13,822 just when he was getting known... 460 01:02:13,896 --> 01:02:17,195 and making deep impressions on people like Mayall... 461 01:02:17,266 --> 01:02:20,099 and known and unknown youths. 462 01:02:20,236 --> 01:02:22,966 The words to his songs, the lyrics of course were... 463 01:02:23,039 --> 01:02:25,633 often quite different from other blues singers... 464 01:02:25,808 --> 01:02:30,438 particularly when he got in to doing things about the Vietnam War and... 465 01:02:31,447 --> 01:02:33,278 things like that. 466 01:02:33,516 --> 01:02:38,544 And he had just begun doing songs about the civil rights movement... 467 01:02:38,721 --> 01:02:42,054 which of course were really important issues at that time... 468 01:02:42,258 --> 01:02:45,557 but often ignored in the popular music. 469 01:02:45,828 --> 01:02:49,821 And he was sensitive to women's position... 470 01:02:50,032 --> 01:02:52,626 which of course came with the '60s too. 471 01:04:10,580 --> 01:04:13,981 People have remarked that he looked like Martin Luther King which... 472 01:04:14,183 --> 01:04:18,882 he did a little bit. Maybe it was just this tremendous... 473 01:04:19,222 --> 01:04:23,716 positive will power and artistic gift. Something. 474 01:04:24,126 --> 01:04:26,390 But they had a lot in common. 475 01:04:26,462 --> 01:04:29,954 Both of them were, of course, family men too... 476 01:04:30,199 --> 01:04:33,760 and both of them had early tragic deaths. 477 01:04:34,003 --> 01:04:38,531 JB was in an auto accident and he wasn't taken care of in the hospital... 478 01:04:38,741 --> 01:04:42,905 in Illinois where he should have been taken better care of. 479 01:04:54,290 --> 01:04:57,726 Slow down, slow down 480 01:04:59,762 --> 01:05:02,253 Let me step on board 481 01:05:02,932 --> 01:05:05,924 I just wanna ride your train 482 01:05:06,636 --> 01:05:09,127 Just before I go 483 01:05:11,974 --> 01:05:15,876 You're about the sweetest little girl 484 01:05:17,480 --> 01:05:19,948 I believe I've ever seen 485 01:05:20,783 --> 01:05:23,183 And if I had you by my side 486 01:05:23,252 --> 01:05:26,688 You would mean so much to me 487 01:05:29,759 --> 01:05:33,388 I'm a stranger I'm a stranger 488 01:05:47,510 --> 01:05:50,741 Slow down, slow down 489 01:05:52,515 --> 01:05:55,075 Please, let me step on board 490 01:05:55,785 --> 01:05:58,811 Just let me ride your train 491 01:05:59,355 --> 01:06:01,823 Just before I go 492 01:06:06,028 --> 01:06:10,965 Slow down, slow down 493 01:06:11,667 --> 01:06:14,636 Let me step on board 494 01:06:15,137 --> 01:06:18,937 I wanna ride your train 495 01:06:19,175 --> 01:06:21,609 One time before you go 496 01:06:24,413 --> 01:06:28,474 You're about the sweetest The sweetest man 497 01:06:30,152 --> 01:06:33,417 I have ever seen 498 01:06:33,723 --> 01:06:36,715 And if I had you by my side 499 01:06:37,059 --> 01:06:40,859 It'd mean so much to me 500 01:06:43,132 --> 01:06:47,000 I want the whole world to know that I love you too. 501 01:07:14,463 --> 01:07:17,762 I wished we had just bought more reels of film. 502 01:07:17,967 --> 01:07:19,764 They weren't that expensive. 503 01:07:19,835 --> 01:07:23,703 I don't know what, we thought they were very expensive. 504 01:07:24,874 --> 01:07:29,208 We thought there was enough, see. We thought there was enough to show... 505 01:07:29,412 --> 01:07:32,813 because our purpose was just to introduce people to him. 506 01:07:33,015 --> 01:07:37,679 We didn't think we were making a documentary in any way. 507 01:07:38,487 --> 01:07:42,981 We just thought that when people saw this they would book him... 508 01:07:43,225 --> 01:07:45,887 - for tours. - Right. They would immediately... 509 01:07:46,062 --> 01:07:48,587 immediately say: "My God, who is that? 510 01:07:48,697 --> 01:07:50,927 We got to have him on our stage". 511 01:07:51,367 --> 01:07:52,664 Lights going out. 512 01:07:52,735 --> 01:07:56,296 The Seabergs' two films about JB Lenoir... 513 01:07:56,372 --> 01:07:57,771 were never shown anywhere... 514 01:07:58,174 --> 01:08:00,642 not even on Swedish TV. 515 01:08:02,144 --> 01:08:04,806 And JB could find no more gigs in Chicago. 516 01:08:08,017 --> 01:08:09,609 Strange as it seems at the same time... 517 01:08:09,785 --> 01:08:13,277 the blues became popular in Europe... 518 01:08:13,489 --> 01:08:16,219 American bluesmen couldn't make a living at home. 519 01:08:20,096 --> 01:08:22,929 But then that same summer... 520 01:08:23,165 --> 01:08:26,566 when the Seabergs shot their second film with JB... 521 01:08:26,802 --> 01:08:30,533 something extraordinary happened in Mississippi. 522 01:08:33,075 --> 01:08:36,511 Okay. This is Roosevelt Sykes and Big Mama Thornton. 523 01:08:41,584 --> 01:08:43,950 Willie Dixon. 524 01:08:47,022 --> 01:08:51,755 Okay, now these are the two pictures you came to see. 525 01:08:53,129 --> 01:08:57,828 Mississippi John Hurt was rediscovered in 1963... 526 01:08:58,267 --> 01:09:00,326 and brought to Newport. 527 01:09:00,603 --> 01:09:04,095 So now here's an old hand at this rediscovery. 528 01:09:04,373 --> 01:09:08,139 Exactly a year later, Newport '64... 529 01:09:08,377 --> 01:09:10,937 John is wearing his performer. 530 01:09:11,213 --> 01:09:15,206 Skip James has just been found in a hospital. 531 01:09:15,417 --> 01:09:19,513 So they bring him to Newport where they put a badge on him that says... 532 01:09:19,588 --> 01:09:23,422 "Kin". That's what they gave to the wives and the children. 533 01:09:23,492 --> 01:09:25,323 So he is wearing a kin badge. 534 01:09:26,328 --> 01:09:30,264 Now he's rehearsing, he is just tuning a bottleneck guitar... 535 01:09:30,466 --> 01:09:33,594 and he's getting ready to go on stage and play. 536 01:09:33,836 --> 01:09:37,465 So he recorded in 1931... 537 01:09:38,040 --> 01:09:40,634 vanished for 33 years... 538 01:09:40,910 --> 01:09:44,073 and now here he is ready to go on stage, just... 539 01:09:44,146 --> 01:09:47,912 this is seconds before he goes on stage. 540 01:09:49,051 --> 01:09:55,752 Now he gets ready to come on stage and I have some sense of history... 541 01:09:55,958 --> 01:09:58,552 the arc of history being made here. 542 01:09:58,794 --> 01:10:04,289 So I want to get the first note. The first note. The first word. 543 01:10:04,433 --> 01:10:08,767 First verse. First song. Skip James... 544 01:10:08,938 --> 01:10:12,567 plucks the guitar, puts his head back and says "l"... 545 01:10:12,808 --> 01:10:17,074 "I'd rather be the Devil than to be that woman's man". 546 01:10:17,246 --> 01:10:21,478 This is the precise first note of rediscovery. 547 01:10:24,954 --> 01:10:27,616 Still wearing his kin badge. 548 01:11:27,349 --> 01:11:30,807 He just... he stepped out of 1931. 549 01:11:31,754 --> 01:11:36,384 He was riveting, electrifying, charismatic... 550 01:11:36,525 --> 01:11:39,517 just stole the festival! 551 01:11:39,595 --> 01:11:41,085 Stole the festival. 552 01:11:41,363 --> 01:11:46,733 Skip James at Newport '64 was what people left talking about. 553 01:11:46,969 --> 01:11:50,370 That he... you didn't even have to be a blues fan... 554 01:11:50,439 --> 01:11:55,638 to comprehend the story that a man had stepped out of 1931... 555 01:11:55,844 --> 01:12:01,578 and just was amazing. He only did 3 or 4 songs and he brought magic. 556 01:12:01,917 --> 01:12:07,287 You have to realize that at Newport '64, that may have been... 557 01:12:07,489 --> 01:12:12,449 the largest number of people that he was ever going to play to... 558 01:12:12,695 --> 01:12:14,629 at any one point. 559 01:12:14,763 --> 01:12:19,632 Those concerts were full, 18,000... 17-18,000. 560 01:12:19,935 --> 01:12:25,669 But now the people who rediscovered Skip were really incompetent. 561 01:12:25,841 --> 01:12:28,537 They had no idea what they were doing. 562 01:12:28,744 --> 01:12:34,876 So the next year for Skip from Newport '64 to Newport '65... 563 01:12:35,184 --> 01:12:37,243 was a lost opportunity. 564 01:12:37,686 --> 01:12:40,450 He didn't get a recording contract... 565 01:12:40,689 --> 01:12:44,420 and the blues world buzz that was out on him... 566 01:12:44,593 --> 01:12:45,719 was wasted. 567 01:13:46,321 --> 01:13:49,654 Skip's tunings were so odd... 568 01:13:49,892 --> 01:13:53,419 and his vocal style was so strange... 569 01:13:53,629 --> 01:13:56,189 "Cherry Ball" and "I'd Rather Be the Devil"... 570 01:13:56,398 --> 01:14:00,630 no one had really heard him or even heard of him. 571 01:14:01,069 --> 01:14:03,299 Skip didn't sound like anybody. 572 01:14:03,505 --> 01:14:07,202 I was listening to some of his '60s stuff... 573 01:14:07,376 --> 01:14:13,372 and his fingers are really flying. In other words, he has great dexterity. 574 01:14:13,649 --> 01:14:18,279 Just barely brushing the strings. 575 01:14:18,487 --> 01:14:21,320 Picking really fast but very clean. 576 01:14:21,523 --> 01:14:24,583 Picking fast and clean. Considering... 577 01:14:24,960 --> 01:14:31,388 I don't even know if he played from the 30's to the 60's. I don't know. 578 01:14:31,767 --> 01:14:36,466 It's very possible that he didn't own a guitar and didn't play very much... 579 01:14:36,638 --> 01:14:40,768 and when he was found in Tunica, that he was very, very rusty... 580 01:14:40,976 --> 01:14:44,503 and hadn't played very much. That's speculation on my part. 581 01:14:44,713 --> 01:14:49,582 But by the mid 1960's he was playing extraordinarily well. 582 01:14:50,252 --> 01:14:53,688 A lot of bluesmen work to faces. 583 01:14:53,889 --> 01:14:57,586 They work to the front row or they told stories. 584 01:14:57,793 --> 01:15:00,159 Skip dealt in the abstract. 585 01:15:00,462 --> 01:15:05,490 He played his music out over your head into the great beyond. 586 01:16:13,602 --> 01:16:18,232 At this time in his life, Skip James was very ill. 587 01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:21,268 When he was discovered, in Tunica, Mississippi... 588 01:16:21,476 --> 01:16:25,378 he was practically dragged from the hospital to the Newport Festival. 589 01:16:25,581 --> 01:16:29,244 He was battling cancer and needed surgery urgently. 590 01:17:33,048 --> 01:17:35,983 I'm so glad I'm so glad 591 01:17:36,184 --> 01:17:38,243 I'm glad, I'm glad I'm glad 592 01:17:39,821 --> 01:17:45,589 I'm so glad I'm glad, I'm glad 593 01:17:46,595 --> 01:17:52,556 Don't know Don't know what to do 594 01:17:53,335 --> 01:17:56,862 I'm so tired of weeping Tired of moaning 595 01:17:56,938 --> 01:17:59,566 Tired of groaning for you 596 01:17:59,741 --> 01:18:05,202 The success of Cream's cover of I'm So Glad paid for the hospital bills. 597 01:18:05,914 --> 01:18:09,213 The operation gave Skip 3 more years to live. 598 01:18:09,384 --> 01:18:12,410 And a chance to be recorded properly. 599 01:18:12,654 --> 01:18:16,522 He cut two entire albums in those last years of his life... 600 01:18:16,692 --> 01:18:20,492 and re-recorded all the tunes he had once sung in vain. 601 01:18:21,763 --> 01:18:26,166 He didn't have much to add to those inspirational days in 1931... 602 01:18:26,334 --> 01:18:28,199 except for a couple of new songs... 603 01:18:28,270 --> 01:18:30,602 one of them about his time in that hospital. 604 01:19:23,658 --> 01:19:25,956 I says I was a good man 605 01:19:27,129 --> 01:19:29,290 And I was a poor man 606 01:19:30,332 --> 01:19:32,732 You can understand 607 01:19:50,819 --> 01:19:52,946 'Cause I'm a good man 608 01:19:54,222 --> 01:19:56,383 I was a poor man 609 01:19:57,425 --> 01:19:59,188 You can understand 610 01:19:59,394 --> 01:20:02,295 Skip sang about his own experiences... 611 01:20:02,497 --> 01:20:06,297 and his own life. He knew there was greatness in his music... 612 01:20:06,535 --> 01:20:08,935 and his songs would survive him. 613 01:20:09,237 --> 01:20:13,367 He was a poor man, for sure, but he was full of pride. 614 01:20:14,042 --> 01:20:17,808 JB was from an altogether new generation of songwriters... 615 01:20:18,013 --> 01:20:19,878 of which he was the forerunner. 616 01:20:20,081 --> 01:20:24,984 He realized his gift wasn't just given to him to talk about himself. 617 01:20:25,287 --> 01:20:27,721 JB sang about the bigger picture. 618 01:20:27,923 --> 01:20:30,323 About how a change was gonna come. 619 01:20:47,609 --> 01:20:50,043 Vietnam, Vietnam 620 01:20:52,848 --> 01:20:56,875 Everybody's crying' about Vietnam 621 01:21:02,490 --> 01:21:04,856 Vietnam, Vietnam 622 01:21:10,165 --> 01:21:15,068 Everybody's crying' about Vietnam 623 01:21:18,673 --> 01:21:23,701 These Ionely days are killing me Down in Mississippi 624 01:21:51,339 --> 01:21:57,175 Oh God, if you can hear my prayer 625 01:21:58,480 --> 01:22:03,941 Please help my brothers Down in Vietnam 626 01:23:31,106 --> 01:23:36,408 You always cry and cry About Peace 627 01:23:37,846 --> 01:23:42,476 But you must clean up Your house before 628 01:25:19,080 --> 01:25:21,878 Down in Mississippi 629 01:26:05,260 --> 01:26:08,923 Down in Mississippi 630 01:26:10,665 --> 01:26:14,226 Down in Mississippi 631 01:26:15,670 --> 01:26:21,267 Down in Mississippi Where I was born 632 01:26:22,010 --> 01:26:27,414 Down in Mississippi Where I come from 633 01:27:38,219 --> 01:27:42,121 I never will love Alabama 634 01:27:43,691 --> 01:27:47,149 Alabama seems To never have loved poor me 635 01:28:02,644 --> 01:28:05,511 From the mighty mountains of New York. 636 01:28:05,747 --> 01:28:09,808 Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! 637 01:28:10,084 --> 01:28:14,180 Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. 638 01:28:14,255 --> 01:28:15,688 Let freedom ring... 639 01:28:33,975 --> 01:28:36,341 From every mountainside... 640 01:28:36,577 --> 01:28:39,239 Let freedom ring. And when that happens... 641 01:28:59,334 --> 01:29:03,031 Protestants and Catholics will be able to join hands... 642 01:29:03,104 --> 01:29:05,732 and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual... 643 01:29:05,907 --> 01:29:08,273 "Free at last! Free at last! 644 01:29:08,476 --> 01:29:11,001 Thank God Almighty, we are free at last". 645 01:30:28,723 --> 01:30:33,251 JB Lenoir died the tragic death of a poor man... 646 01:30:33,428 --> 01:30:38,422 on April 29th, 1967, in Champagne, Illinois. 647 01:30:38,833 --> 01:30:42,564 At the hospital, they didn't take his injuries seriously. 648 01:30:42,737 --> 01:30:46,673 And he died soon afterwards at home, of internal bleeding. 649 01:30:47,241 --> 01:30:51,507 But, man, he was way ahead of his time! 650 01:30:51,746 --> 01:30:55,238 He didn't live to witness the fruits of his labor, though. 651 01:30:55,550 --> 01:30:58,348 His last job was dishwasher... 652 01:32:51,699 --> 01:32:54,031 Nehemiah "Skip"James... 653 01:32:54,268 --> 01:32:57,499 died of cancer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania... 654 01:32:57,705 --> 01:33:03,575 on October 3rd, 1969, just two years after JB. 655 01:33:04,145 --> 01:33:06,978 They both left an incredible legacy. 656 01:33:07,381 --> 01:33:10,509 Their songs went way beyond their lives... 657 01:33:10,751 --> 01:33:12,810 celebrating the spirit of life... 658 01:33:13,054 --> 01:33:15,818 exploring its lowest depths and lifting us... 659 01:33:15,990 --> 01:33:17,958 up to the highest heavens. 660 01:33:18,259 --> 01:33:23,856 That's what the blues does. As you can see with me. 661 01:33:55,563 --> 01:33:57,622 I want somebody 662 01:33:57,865 --> 01:33:59,355 To tell me 663 01:33:59,600 --> 01:34:02,694 Answer if you can 664 01:34:02,937 --> 01:34:06,202 I want somebody to tell me 665 01:34:06,540 --> 01:34:09,907 Just what is the soul of a man? 666 01:34:24,392 --> 01:34:26,292 I want somebody 667 01:34:26,594 --> 01:34:27,993 To tell me 668 01:34:28,262 --> 01:34:31,493 Answer if you can 669 01:34:31,565 --> 01:34:35,092 I want somebody to tell me 670 01:34:35,369 --> 01:34:38,827 Just what is the soul of a man? 671 01:34:54,088 --> 01:34:57,580 Well I want somebody to tell me 672 01:34:58,025 --> 01:35:01,290 Answer if you can 673 01:35:01,529 --> 01:35:05,056 I want somebody to tell me 674 01:35:05,366 --> 01:35:08,665 Just what is the soul of a man? 675 01:36:46,167 --> 01:36:50,035 There's one kind of favor I'll ask you 676 01:36:51,639 --> 01:36:55,234 There's one kind of favor I'll ask you 677 01:37:02,516 --> 01:37:08,512 There's just one kind of favor That I'll ask of you 678 01:37:09,890 --> 01:37:12,882 You can see that my grave Is kept clean 679 01:37:27,842 --> 01:37:31,073 Long line ain't got no end 680 01:37:31,946 --> 01:37:36,349 There's a long line That's got no end 681 01:37:42,923 --> 01:37:46,723 It's a long, long line that 682 01:37:46,961 --> 01:37:49,225 Ain't got no end 683 01:37:50,297 --> 01:37:53,061 Bad wind that never came 684 01:37:54,134 --> 01:37:58,503 It's a bad wind that never came 685 01:38:00,941 --> 01:38:04,001 Two white horses standing in line 686 01:38:04,979 --> 01:38:09,075 There's two white horses Standing in line 687 01:38:23,731 --> 01:38:28,964 There's two white horses Standing in line 688 01:38:29,036 --> 01:38:32,528 And take me to the burying ground 689 01:38:36,176 --> 01:38:38,576 Take me to the burying ground 690 01:38:40,180 --> 01:38:43,672 My heart stopped beating And my hands are cold 691 01:38:45,819 --> 01:38:49,448 My heart stopped beating And my hands are cold 692 01:38:51,191 --> 01:38:57,096 My heart stopped beating And my hands were cold, it was a 693 01:38:57,631 --> 01:39:01,658 Long note, what the good book said What the Bible told 694 01:39:03,904 --> 01:39:05,895 What the Bible told 59065

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