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Broadcast 2025-04-14
As you can probably work out from the lyrics, this song is about the Book of Revelation, its author John of Patmos and the breaking of the Seven Seals, bringing on the apocalypse.
It emerged in a recording by Blind Willie Johnson in 1930, so this is going way back.
It’s a classic “call and response” blues,
[call] Well who's that writin'?
[response] John the Revelator
Mad Dog calls it an “easy one chord song,” and here I am behind the mic thinking, easy for you maybe!
The actual music might be easy, but often these songs were used for work songs where the tempo sets the work rhythm and pace.
Artistic musical flourishes become less of an issue compared to holding the tempo.
The call and response keeps everyone’s attention on that tempo.
This performance has that crisp and measured tempo, right on the money.
It’s a live recording, no messing around, and this is how it would have sounded and been used.
One chord might be easy, one steady tempo, not so easy.
A great performance.
Seems a little quiet over here
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