Me and Mr. Johnson

Me and Mr. Johnson
Studio album by Eric Clapton
Released	23 March 2004 (Me and Mr. Johnson) 4 December 2004 (Sessions for Robert J.)
Recorded	2003–2004
Genre	Blues
Length	49:31
Label	Reprise
Director	Stephen Schible (Sessions for Robert J)
Producer	Eric Clapton, Simon Climie
Eric Clapton chronology
One More Car, One More Rider (2002) Me and Mr. Johnson (2004) Back Home (2005)
DVD Cover
Sessions for Robert J. DVD cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	(B+)[2]
Jam!	[3]
Uncut	[4]
USA Today	[5]

Me and Mr. Johnson is an album by Eric Clapton released in 2004. The album is a tribute to legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. According to Clapton's autobiography, the recordings weren't intended to become an album. The band had rented the studio, but Clapton didn't have any songs written, so he suggested they record Robert Johnson songs. They recorded enough songs for an album and it was decided to release them as such.

Critical reception

The album was warmly received by several critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that, apart from Riding with the King, that Me and Mr. Johnson was his greatest album since From the Cradle.^[1] Entertainment Weekly's Chris Willman said that Clapton sounded inspired by the songs.^[2] Darryl Sterdan, in his review of Sessions for Robert J for Jam! CANOE, feels that several of the DVD recordings sound better than the songs on Me and Mr. Johnson.^[3] The Uncut magazine reviewer felt that it made sense for Clapton to wait until he was older to make a Robert Johnson tribute album, that his voice sounds more the part of a bluesman on the album than on From the Cradle, and that the album has a good variety of songs.^[4] The USA Today review by Edna Gundersen gave the album a slightly higher rating than Aerosmith's Honkin' on Bobo and commented that Clapton's understanding of Robert Johnson's music made the recordings seem both "greasy" and "graceful".^[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Robert Johnson.

1. "When You Got a Good Friend" – 3:20
2. "Little Queen of Spades" – 4:57
3. "They're Red Hot" – 3:25
4. "Me and the Devil Blues" – 2:56
5. "Travelling Riverside Blues" – 4:31
6. "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" – 2:35
7. "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" – 2:30
8. "Milkcow's Calf Blues" – 3:18
9. "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" – 4:06
10. "Come on in My Kitchen" – 3:35
11. "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day" – 3:27
12. "Love in Vain" – 4:02
13. "32-20 Blues" – 2:58
14. "Hellhound on My Trail" – 3:51

Personnel

• Eric Clapton – guitar, slide guitar, vocals, producer
• Lee Dickson – guitar technician
• Andy Fairweather-Low – guitar
• Doyle Bramhall II – guitar, slide guitar
• Jerry Portnoy – harmonica
• Billy Preston – keyboards
• Nathan East – bass
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Simon Climie – producer
• Pino Palladino – bass on "Traveling Riverside Blues"
• Jim Keltner – drums on "Traveling Riverside Blues"

Sessions for Robert J

In late 2004, a companion project, Sessions for Robert J, was released on CD/DVD. It features Clapton and the band performing additional takes of songs from Me and Mr. Johnson, as well as others not on the album, including "From Four 'Til Late", "Terraplane Blues", "Ramblin' on my Mind", "Sweet Home Chicago", and "Stones in my Passway". Several songs are performed in duet by Clapton on acoustic guitar and Doyle Bramhall II on steel string acoustic and dobro guitars. Between sessions, Clapton discusses Johnson's profound influence on him and other musicians. One notable segment features Clapton performing in the 508 Park Avenue building (http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/01/blues_for_508_park_ave_owners.php) in Dallas, Texas, that served as a make-shift studio in 1937 for Johnson to cut his legendary recordings.

Track listing

All songs by Robert Johnson.

CD

1. "Sweet Home Chicago" – 5:17
2. "Milkcow's Calf Blues" – 3:49
3. "Terraplane Blues" – 3:36
4. "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day" – 3:23
5. "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" – 2:56
6. "Little Queen of Spades" – 5:27
7. "Traveling Riverside Blues" – 4:26
8. "Me and the Devil Blues" – 2:50
9. "From Four Until Late" – 3:01
10. "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" – 5:39
11. "Ramblin' on My Mind" – 2:42

DVD

1. "Kind Hearted Woman Blues"
2. "They're Red Hot"
3. "Hell Hound on My Trail"
4. "Sweet Home Chicago"
5. "When You Got a Good Friend"
6. "Milkcow's Calf Blues"
7. "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day"
8. "Terraplane Blues"
9. "Hell Hound on My Trail"
10. "Me and the Devil Blues"
11. "From Four Until Late"
12. "Love in Vain"
13. "Ramblin' on My Mind"
14. "Stones in My Passway"
15. "Love in Vain"
16. "Little Queen of Spades"
17. "Traveling Riverside Blues"

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Australian Top 50 Albums[6]	23
Austrian Top 75 Albums[7]	5
Belgium (Flanders) 100 Albums[8]	12
Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums[9]	16
Canadian Albums Chart[10]	3
Danish Top 40 Albums[11]	9
Finnish Top 50 Albums[12]	11
French Top 100 Albums[13]	11
German Albums Chart[14]	8
Greek Top 50 Albums[15]	9
Hungarian Top 40 Albums[16]	30
Irish Top 75 Albums[17]	33
Italian Top 20 Albums[18]	9
Japanese Top 30 Albums[19]	20
Netherlands Top 100 Albums[20]	12
New Zealand Top 40 Albums[21]	14
Norwegian Top 40 Albums[22]	14
Polish Top 50 Albums[23]	21
Portuguese Albums[24]	27
Swedish Top 60 Albums[25]	7
Swiss Top 100 Albums[26]	7
UK Albums Chart[27]	10
US Billboard 200[10]	6
US Blues Albums[10]	1

Certifications

Country	Provider	Certification (sales thresholds)
Canada[28]	Music Canada	Gold (50,000 units shipped)
Hungary[29]	MAHASZ	Platinum (60,000 units sold)
United Kingdom[30]	BPI	Silver (60,000 units shipped)
United States[31]	RIAA	Gold (500,000 units sold)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Me and Mr. Johnson by Eric Clapton". United States: Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r682466/review. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Willman, Chris (2 April 2004). "Music Review: Me and Mr. Johnson by Eric Clapton". Entertainment Weekly (No. 758). ISSN 1049-0434. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,605218,00.html. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Sterdan, Darryl (7 January 2005). "Album Review: Sessions for Robert J by Eric Clapton". Jam!. Canadian Online Explorer. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/C/Clapton_Eric/AlbumReviews/2005/01/07/823712.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Review: Me and Mr. Johnson by Eric Clapton". Uncut. April 2004. ISSN 1368-0722. http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/eric_clapton/reviews/7269. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Gundersen, Edna (29 March 2004). "Clapton, Aerosmith Dabble in the Blues" (HTM). USA Today. ISSN 0734-7456. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2004-03-29-listen-up_x.htm. Retrieved 13 July 2011. 
6. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Australian Charts. Hung Medien. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
7. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Austrian Charts. Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
8. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
9. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} "Me and Mr. Johnson – Eric Clapton". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/eric-clapton/me-and-mr-johnson/622834. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
11. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Danish Charts. Hung Medien. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
12. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Finnish Charts. Hung Medien. http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
13. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Les Charts. Hung Medien. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
14. ^ "Chartverfolgung / CLAPTON, ERIC / Longplay" (in German). Music Line. Media Control Charts. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/CLAPTON%2C+ERIC/?type=longplay. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
15. ^ "Top 50 Ξένων Άλμπουμ: Εβδομάδα 11/4 -17/4" (in Greek) (HTM). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 14 April 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20040414171528/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm. 
16. ^ "Archivum: Top 40 Album" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. http://mahasz.hu/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=archivum&lista=top40&ev=2004&het=16&submit_=Keresés. Retrieved 31 July 2011. 
17. ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 25 March 2004" (JSP). GfK Chart-Track. http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240002&arch=t&lyr=2004&year=2004&week=13. Retrieved 31 July 2011. 
18. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Italian Charts. Hung Medien. http://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
19. ^ "2004年04月第2週の邦楽アルバムランキング情報 [Ranking the direction of the second week of album information April 2004]" (in Japanese) (PHP). Oricon Style. http://www.oricon.co.jp/search/result.php?kbn=ja&types=rnk&year=2004&month=4&week=2&submit5.x=30&submit5.y=16. Retrieved 31 July 2011. 
20. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Dutch Charts. Hung Medien. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
21. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
22. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
23. ^ "Oficjalna Lista Sprzedaźy: 5 April 2004" (in Polish) (ASP). OLiS. http://olis.onyx.pl/listy/index.asp?idlisty=197&lang=en. Retrieved 31 July 2011. 
24. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Portuguese Charts. Hung Medien. http://portuguesecharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
25. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
26. ^ "Eric Clapton – Me and Mr. Johnson (Album)" (ASP). Schweizer Hitparade. Hung Medien. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Clapton&titel=Me+And+Mr%2E+Johnson&cat=a. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
27. ^ "Chart Archive: Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive – 3rd April 2004". The Official Charts Company. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/3/2004-04-03/. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 
28. ^ "Gold & Platinum Database Search Results" (ASPX). Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=Johnson&ica=False&sa=Clapton&sl=&smt=0&sat=-1&ssb=Artist&ssdir=descending. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
29. ^ "Adatbázis: 2004" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Light Media. http://mahasz.hu/?menu=arany_es_platinalemezek&menu2=adatbazis&ev=2004. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
30. ^ "Certified Awards Search" (ASPX). British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. 
31. ^ "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database" (PHP). Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database.