[For Beginners] A Collection of Famous and Popular Delta Blues Songs

Cross Road BluesRobert Johnson

Robert Johnson – Robert Johnson’s Cross Road Blues (Official Video)

Robert Johnson, the legendary blues musician famed for his otherworldly guitar technique, was said to have gained his skills by selling his soul to the devil at a crossroads.

This piece embodies that very legend and shakes the listener to the core.

It portrays the protagonist’s anxiety and loneliness, left behind at a sunset intersection, through soul-wrenching vocals and a wailing slide guitar in call-and-response.

The track was released as a single in May 1937 and later became famous for Cream’s cover.

Its influence is immeasurable—Toyota even used it in an advertisement in 2000.

A song that lets you touch the very essence of the blues.

Parchman Farm BluesBukka White

Parchman Farm Blues

A giant whose name is etched into the history of Delta blues, Bukka White.

Influenced by the legendary bluesman Charley Patton and known for guiding B.

B.

King, he recorded a song in 1940 that stands as a masterpiece representing Delta blues, laying bare his own harrowing experiences.

Based on his time in a notorious prison, the soul’s cry of a man deprived of freedom comes searingly through in his raspy vocals and fierce slide guitar.

The recordings including this track were later compiled into the album “Parchman Farm.” It’s the perfect song for anyone seeking genuine blues infused with the struggles of life.

Down The Dirt Road BluesCharley Patton

Down The Dirt Road Blues (2010 Remastered)

One of the most important figures in the story of Delta blues is Charley Patton, often called the “Father of the Delta Blues,” who profoundly influenced countless blues legends.

This track is a classic that showcases his appeal: a gravelly voice said to carry for 500 yards and a powerful, earth-stomping guitar.

Through the image of a protagonist trudging along a muddy road, it seems to portray the struggles of the people of the time—their uncertainty about the future and the painful realization that they had no choice but to keep living.

Although this song was recorded in June 1929, the box set that includes it later won three Grammy Awards.

If you want to experience the roots of the blues, be sure to give it a listen.

Dust My BroomElmore James

Dust My Broom

Elmore James rose to fame as a guitarist who played electric guitar in the bottleneck slide style.

Armed with advanced guitar technique influenced by Robert Johnson, he electrified Delta blues.

He scored a very late-blooming hit in 1951, but passed away from illness about a decade later, in 1963.

This piece is known as one of his signature songs, leaving a powerful impact despite his short career.

The protagonist’s feelings as he breaks away to head for a new place are conveyed through vocals that verge on a scream and slide-guitar licks fired off like a machine gun.

It’s also famous for having been covered by artists like Fleetwood Mac.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience the moment when the history of the blues changed.

Last Kind WordsGeeshie Wiley

Geeshie Wiley – Last Kind Words

Geeshie Wiley, the legendary blues singer known for leaving behind only a very small number of recordings and then vanishing, worked around 1930 with her partner Elvie Thomas.

Among the masterpieces she left us is a song that depicts the harrowing last words of a father heading off to war.

He tells them to let the birds feed on his remains, while the mother urges their daughter to stay strong.

A family in which despair and deep love are intertwined is woven through her shaded, haunting vocals and the plaintive strains of the guitar.

Originally released in July 1930, the track was later used in the documentary film “Crumb,” which led to its reevaluation.

It’s a must-hear for anyone who wants to experience the profound depth of the blues, a piece that seems to distill the joys and sorrows of life.

Boogie ChillenJohn Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker Boogie Chillen original 1948 version

John Lee Hooker, a blues musician from Mississippi who achieved international popularity with his distinctive boogie style.

With a career spanning more than 50 years, he was affectionately known as the “King of Boogie” for his style and presence.

His debut release in 1948, which brought his name to worldwide attention, has been passed down as a historic masterpiece.

Its hypnotic groove—created with just a single guitar and foot-stomping—and his conversational vocal delivery are its charm.

The lyrics, capturing the exhilaration of a young person heading out into the streets of Detroit, set listeners’ hearts dancing.

The song topped the R&B chart in 1949 and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Highly recommended for those who want to experience the fundamental joy that the blues holds.

Shake ‘Em on DownMississippi Fred McDowell

Mississippi Fred McDowell – Shake ‘Em On Down

Mississippi Fred McDowell, known as a defining artist of North Mississippi hill country blues, was a late-blooming bluesman who kept making music while farming and drew attention with field recordings in 1959.

This piece is one of his most acclaimed songs, showcasing a hypnotic, repeating guitar riff and a moaning slide style.

It has a powerful charm that pulls listeners into a trance-like groove.

Originally a classic by Bukka White, in McDowell’s hands it transforms into a more earthy, kinetic dance number.

The most famous version opens his masterpiece Live in New York, compiled as his final album in the spring of 1972, just before his death.

It’s perfect for anyone who wants to feel not only the depth of the blues but also the primal impulse that leads into rock.