I wrote this song to pay homage to the legend of Robert Johnson. He'd written a song "Cross Road Blues" that spoke of an African American in an unfamiliar area feeling frightened. That song combined with Robert Johnson's untimely death, the little that is known about his life, and the fact that he was a massive influence on a generation of musicians from Eric Clapton to Keith Richards to Bob Dylan and more, a mythology about his life was created. A myth that he went down to the crossroads, had the devil tune his guitar, and that he'd sold his sole in exchange for becoming the worlds greatest guitarist. It's a great story, but it's not the story told in his song "Cross Roads Blues". So, I decided to re-imagine that story into my own song, Crossroads of Old. I decided to try something a bit different in the way I recorded it. If you think I'm loosing my mind a little, then the song accomplished my goal :) I might have overdone it on screaming in a few places. It's not something I typically do. At any rate, hope you like it.
Lyrics:I was looking for my fortune to find
In the dark of night I was damn near blind
When I tripped and doped my guitar to the ground,
Couldn't find it as I looked all around
Then I'd heard an old man tune my guitar
He said take this you will go far
Then he played a lick like I'd never heard
He gave it back and I matched him not for word
But before I could thank him he was gone
And the dark of night was taken by the son
As I looked where I stood I knew,
That all the stories I heard were true,
I was standing on the crossroads of old,
And then three times I heard the rooster crow,
Then everything I saw was turning read,
And I prayed to God with scripture in my head
Don't let me fall like others before
But the whole time I made fire with my guitar
I was looking for my fortune to find
In the dark of night I was damn near blind
And standing on the crossroads of old
I fear that I just sold away my soul
As I looked where I stood I knew
That all the stories I'd heard were true
Gear used:
Vocals: Rotary phone receiver - Triton Audio Fethead Germanium - Zoom H6
Guitar: Stereo output cigarbox guitar
Neck and middle pickups in parallel - Modified Orange Terror Stamp - Orange PPC108 Cabinet - SM57 - Triton Audio Fethead Germanium - Zoom H6
K&K Pure Mini piezo element - Triton Audio BigAmp piezo - Zoom H6
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