This five-disc collection from London's JSP Records brings together 126 sides that Lightnin' Hopkins tracked for the Aladdin, Modern/RPM, and Gold Star labels at the very start of his recording career. Included are the Texas bluesman's first hit, "Katie May" from 1946, "T-Model Blues" from 1949, and arguably the most startling Hopkins composition, the powerful "Tim Moore's Farm," also from 1949. Most of the tracks are Hopkins solo, playing either acoustic or electric guitar, but he takes a turn at the organ for "Organ Boogie," a track that shows the same adventuresome liberties with tempo and time that mark all of his work, whatever the instrument.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
- Lightnin' Hopkins (vocals, guitar);
- Frankie Lee Sims, Joel Hopkins (guitar);
- Thunder Smith (piano).
Recording information:
- Houston, TX (11/04/1946-09/07/1951);
- Los Angeles, CA (11/04/1946-09/07/1951);
- New York, NY (11/04/1946-09/07/1951).
Disc 1:
1. Katie Mae Blues 3:01
2. Feel So Bad (Alternate) 2:10
3. That Mean Old Twister 3:10
4. Rocky Mountain Blues 2:48
5. Short Haired Woman 2:25
6. Big Mama Jump 2:29
7. Down Baby 2:17
8. Let Me Play With Your Poodle 2:33
9. Fast Mail Rambler 2:49
10. Thinkin' And Worryin' 2:54
11. Short Haired Woman 2:47
12. Big Mama Jump 2:34
13. Can't Get That Woman Off My Mind 2:40
14. Woman Woman 2:45
15. Picture On The Wall 2:50
16. Worried Life Blues 2:51
17. Miss Me Blues 2:19
18. Sugar Mama 2:44
19. Nightmare Blues 2:39
20. Someday Baby 2:40
21. Come Back Baby 2:41
22. Lightnin's Boogie 2:20
23. Baby, You're Not Going To Make A Fool Out Of Me 2:32
24. Daddy Will Be Home One Day 2:28
25. Moonrise Blues 2:58
26. Howling Wolf Blues 2:44
Disc 2:
1. Morning Blues 2:48
2. Have To Let You Go 2:40
3. Baby Child 2:45
4. Mistreater Blues 2:41
5. My California 2:34
6. Honey Honey Blues 2:35
7. So Long 2:47
8. See See Rider 2:36
9. Changing Weather Blues 3:00
10. I Just Don't Care 2:48
11. Whiskey Headed Woman 2:54
12. Abilene 2:27
13. Shotgun 2:41
14. Rollin' Blues 2:44
15. Tell It Like It Is 2:40
16. Miss Loretta 2:43
17. Shining Moon 2:47
18. Ida Mae 2:45
19. Mercy 2:34
20. What Can It Be 2:38
21. Lonesome Home 2:44
22. Appetite Blues 2:32
23. Walking Blues 2:49
24. Lightning Blues 2:35
25. No Mail Blues 2:46
Disc 3:
1. Ain't It A Shame 2:53
2. Tim Moore's Farm 2:40
3. You Don't Know 2:42
4. Treat Me Kind 2:38
5. Somebody's Got To Go 2:43
6. Baby Please Don't Go 2:52
7. Death Bells 2:40
8. Mad With You 2:29
9. Airplane Blues 2:39
10. Unsuccessfull Blues 2:21
11. Rollin' Woman Blues 2:47
12. Jail House Blues 2:41
13. "T" Model Blues 2:36
14. Traveler's Blues 3:03
15. Lightnin's Boogie 2:50
16. Unkind Blues 3:00
17. Trying To Find A Friend 3:07
18. Fast Life 2:46
19. European Blues 2:39
20. Automobile 2:48
21. Zologo 2:47
22. Organ Boogie 2:58
23. Automobile Blues 3:03
24. Old Woman Blues 3:03
25. Untrue Blues 3:06
Disc 4:
1. Henny Penny Blues 2:09
2. Loretta Blues 2:44
3. Jackstropper Blues 2:48
4. Grievance Blues 2:59
5. Grosebeck Blues (Take 2) 2:25
6. Whiskey Blues 2:42
7. Racetrack Blues 2:34
8. Good-Bye Blues 2:45
9. Bluebird Blues 3:14
10. Seems Funny Baby 3:03
11. Coolin' Board Blues 2:43
12. Gooin' Back And Talk To Mama 2:56
13. All I Got Is One 3:02
14. Beggin' You To Stay 2:38
15. Bad Luck And Trouble 2:38
16. Black Cat Bone 2:57
17. Disagreeable 3:23
18. Dark And Cloudy 2:55
19. Coffee Blues 2:45
20. Praying Ground Blues 2:59
21. Gotta Move 2:42
22. Give Me Central 209 3:00
23. Long Way From Texas 3:04
24. Tell Me Boogie 3:12
25. New Short Haired Womam 3:00
Disc 5:
1. New York Boogie 2:49
2. You Caused My Heart To Weep 2:34
3. I Wonder Why 2:32
4. Papa Bones Boogie 2:35
5. No Good Woman 2:51
6. Lightnin's Gone Again 2:47
7. Dirty House 3:02
8. Bald Headed Woman 2:56
9. Everything Happens To Me 2:42
10. Freight Train Blues 2:50
11. I've Been A Bad Man 3:10
12. New Worried Life Blues 2:43
13. One Kind Of favor 3:01
14. Broken Hearted Blues 3:48
15. Worried Blues 1:53
16. Don't Think I'm Crazy 2:50
17. Down To The River 2:57
18. Contrary Mary 2:42
19. I'm Begging You 2:38
20. Why Did You Get Mad At Me 2:52
21. Everybody's Down On Me 3:01
22. Sad News From Korea 3:10
23. Let Me Fly Your Kite 3:45
24. Gone With The Wind 2:38
25. She's Almost Dead 3:38
