Título: Cross Road Blues
Seção: Lyrics and interpretation
Background: "Cross Road Blues" (also known as "Crossroads") is a blues song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. Johnson performed it as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the Delta blues-style. The song has become part of the Robert Johnson mythology as referring to the place where he supposedly sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for his musical talents, although the lyrics do not contain any specific references. Bluesman Elmore James revived the song with recordings in 1954 and 1960-1961.

Conteúdo: A crossroads or an intersection of rural roads is one of the few landmarks in the Mississippi Delta, a flat featureless plain between the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers. It is part of the local iconography and various businesses use the name, such as gas stations, banks, and retail shops. A crossroads is also where cars are more likely to slow down or stop, thus presenting the best opportunity for a hitchiker. In the simplest reading, Johnson describes his grief at being unable to catch a ride at an intersection before the sun sets. However, many see different levels of meaning and some have attached a supernatural significance to the song.  Both versions of the song open with the protagonist kneeling at a crossroads to ask God's mercy, while the second sections tells of his failed attempts to hitch a ride. In the third and fourth sections, he expresses apprehension at being stranded as darkness approaches and asks that his friend Willie Brown be advised that "I'm sinkin' down". The first take of the song, which was used for the single, includes a fifth verse that is not included in the second take. In it he laments not having a "sweet woman" in his distress.  The song has been used to perpetuate the myth of Johnson selling his soul to the Devil for his musical ability. The lyrics do not contain any references to Satan or a Faustian bargain, but they have been interpreted as a description of the singer's fear of losing his soul to the Devil (presumably in exchange for his talen

user: How can the lyrics be interperted?

assistant: Johnson describes his grief at being unable to catch a ride at an intersection before the sun sets.

user: Why would he grieve over that?

assistant: A crossroads is also where cars are more likely to slow down or stop, thus presenting the best opportunity for a hitchiker.

user: Did he at some point want to be picked up?

assistant: he expresses apprehension at being stranded as darkness approaches and asks that his friend Willie Brown be advised that "I'm sinkin' down".

user: How else can the song be interpreted?

assistant: The song has been used to perpetuate the myth of Johnson selling his soul to the Devil for his musical ability.

user: Why is it speculated he sold his soul?

assistant: Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson promoted himself as having made a deal with the Devil

user: Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?

assistant: " His song "Hellhound on My Trail" tells of trying to stay ahead of the demon hound which is pursuing him

user: How can this be interpreted?

assistant: in "Me and the Devil Blues" he sings, "Early this mornin' when you knocked upon my door, and I said 'Hello Satan I believe it's time to go'".