History week, whenever i are operating on the Mississippi Lake towards the a newspaper project, I’d an interested knowledge of Rosedale, Mississippi. As i try food lunch inside the an area named Leo’s Field, a waitress said that Rosedale is the place where the epic bluesman Robert Johnson marketed their heart on demon inturn to own sounds wizard (an event alluded in order to within the – one of other areas – the newest Cohen brothers’ flick Oh Brother, In which Art Thou).

As if to show it, the brand new waitress passed me personally a wrinkled, typewritten transcription regarding an excellent “vision” about Johnson’s fateful minute which had appeared to bluesman Henry Goodman when he is actually traveling the road of Rosedale in order to Anguila. For the sake of posterity (and since We have never seen it somewhere else), I’m publishing Goodman’s “vision” completely less than, including a postscript by the Rosedale’s Crossroads Blues Neighborhood.

Amazingly, there are many more contenders regarding the myth off Robert Johnson’s demon-ordered spirit – plus the crossroads of us 61 and you can United states 44 when you look at the Clarksdale is the place extremely organization visitors spend their respects (the latest Romantics record album is called “” for this reason). However – like with old Roman travelers burning to obtain “sites” from Greek mythology – the spot of Johnson’s crossroads is not just a thing that can become shown. He had been born inside Hazelhurst, along with his going grave is within Quito (close Itta Bena) – but Rosedale performed shape in the words for one off Johnson’s most well-known musical, “Traveling Riverside Organization”.

Robert Johnson sold his heart into devil for the Rosedale, Mississippi

“Travel Riverside Blues” got a big effect on material-n-move, and you may is remade due to the fact “Crossroads” because of the Eric Clapton – which states Rosedale with the same terms Johnson spends. It actually was and covered by Led Zeppelin (whose a great deal more well-recognized “Orange Track” famously steals good lyric away from one to same Johnson tune: “You might fit my orange ’til the juice runs off my personal leg”).

Not one of proves much on Robert Johnson’s crossroads, naturally, however, I for one such as the notion it happened during the Rosedale. The words of one’s “vision” uses…

Interviewing the fresh new Devil on Crossroads

Robert Johnson become to play off in Yazoo Town and over during the Beulah applying for back up so you can Helena, ride left your from a course beside the levee, taking walks up the path, drums within his hands propped abreast of their shoulder. Oct chill night, full-moon filling the fresh ebony air, Robert Johnson contemplating Young man Family preaching so you’re able to him, “Lay that keyboards down, boy, your drivin’ somebody nuts.” Robert Johnson looking my Vorkuta bride for as ever a female and several whiskey. Big woods all-around, black and flying solo road, a beneficial crazed, poisoned puppy howling and you will moaning when you look at the an excellent abandon alongside the highway delivering electrified chills down and up Robert Johnson’s lower back, springing up with the a great crossroads only southern area away from Rosedale. Robert Johnson, impression bad and you will flying solo, knows some body up the highway from inside the Gunnison. Could possibly get a drink off whiskey and a lot more right up here. People seated out to along side it of one’s roadway to your an excellent record from the crossroads says, “You are late, Robert Johnson.” Robert Johnson falls in order to their knee joints and claims, “Perhaps not.”

The person gets up, extreme, barrel-chested, and you may black colored due to the fact forever-closed sight off Robert Johnson’s stillborn little one, and strolls out over the midst of the brand new crossroads where Robert Johnson kneels. He says, “Operate, Robert Johnson. We should place you to definitely electric guitar more there where forget with this shaved canine and you will carry on back-up to Robinsonville and play the harp with Willie Brownish and you can Child, since you merely another guitarist like all the remainder, or if you want to enjoy you to electric guitar such as for example not one person actually played they before? Create a sound no-one have you ever heard ahead of? You want to function as the Queen of your Delta Blues and you can have all new whiskey and you may feminine you prefer?”