I’ve been in a Lemony mood… not really listening to him so much as thinking about him. What a giant of a singer - sure, he played great guitar. No argument from me, there. It’s all secondary to that voice. It’s powerful, sensitive, expressive - all the things a blues voice should be. Maybe even could be. For crying out loud, he’s so good that it’s almost senseless to try and point to a specific example - just about any of the songs he recorded make his greatness clear, even if other aspects of the song aren’t quite up to snuff. That being said, his Prison Cell Blues has got to be a masterpiece by just about any standard - it’s perfectly rendered, a familiar 8-bar blues, yet with a twist. The melody is simple and moving, and his performance is utterly flawless.

So why, why would I try to sing a song so totally perfect? Why would I hold myself up to such a ridiculously high standard? Let’s face it - I just don’t stand a chance! It’s like Mickey Mouse playing at being a sorcerer - danger, buddy… all that stuff just looks easy. The truth is, I couldn’t not play it. I couldn’t not sing it. I was singing it in the car, in the shower, on line at the grocery store, in the hall at work…

This is just an exorcism - and an excuse to play the 12-string. Yes, I probably should have sung it in a higher register. If I get real ambitious (don’t hold your breath), maybe I’ll work it out in another key so I can still use the 12.

prison-cell-blues.mp3

The lyrics to Lemon’s original are included below:

(more…)