Search - Various Artists :: Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: Warming By The Devil's Fire

Warmed by this soundtrack

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 02/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This soundtrack was an education in the blues for Warming By The Devil's Fire, a movie where a 12-year old sent down to Mississippi to be baptized by one uncle, is instead picked up by his fun-loving Uncle Buddy, who educates him in the blues and takes him around, showing him what he is supposed to be saved from. The majority of songs here carry through the theme in the movie that gospel and blues were separate, one being more divine, the other seen as the devil's music. That changed when artists like Ray Charles and Sam Cooke made soul music as a combination of the two. Highlights:Among the earliest tracks on here is "See See Rider" from the Mother of the Blues herself, Ma Rainey, the power in her voice apparent despite the scratching on this early recording. Louis Armstrong's on trumpet here.Son House's rough guitar style is in evidence in "Death Letter" about a man receiving news of his love's death and seeing her on the cooling floor and lowered into the earth.A small snatch of Billie Holiday's "I'm A Fool To Want You" was used in the movie, this being taken from her final album Lady In Satin. The lush string arrangements make this number a bit of an anomaly amidst the country and electric blues predominating this compilation.Mississippi John Hurt's soft voice and wandering folky guitar make "Big Leg Blues" one of the standout cuts here. The Memphis Jug Band's harmony vocals in "K.C. Moan" is yet another flavour of blues due to the instrumentation, which includes a kazoo.And then the potent voice of the Empress of the Blues. Bessie Smith's "Muddy Water" was the song Junior, the 12-year old in the movie, is dancing with a grown woman, while his Uncle Buddy has another sweet thing slow-dancing with him. A prime example of city blues, with its piano, wind, and brass. That's Fletcher Henderson on piano and Coleman Hawkins on clarinet."Cross My Heart" by Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) tells the message that if you cross your heart to someone, you're not supposed to tell a lie. Willie Dixon's on bass and Otis Spann on piano.Muddy Waters' "You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had" and his trademark sound is the song that introduced every episode of the Blues series. He gets help from Willie Dixon on bass and pianist Otis Spann.Robert Johnson's represented twice here, "Sweet Home Chicago" while Elmore James does a blistering electric version of "Dust My Broom."A ragtime-like piano runs through W.C. Handy's "Beale Street Blues," which is a tribute to the street that was home to Memphis, TN's blues scenes, sung here in an Irish-like brogue. Despite the assumed separation between gospel and blues, Sister Rosetta Tharpe didn't hesitate to get into a boogie-woogie type of music in "Up Above My Head." This song is also on the Red White & Blues soundtrack, also in the series.Mildred Jones' risque "Mr. Thrill" is made more boisterous by the Pluma Davis band. When she sings "my daddy has a long long cadillac" and "and when he puts it in my garage/rides so easy cause he keeps his battery charged," she's definitely not talking auto mechanics. Very hot song for 1954. So this is what they mean by the devil's fire! Whew!John Lee Hooker's stark and fatalistic "I'll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive" closes the album. Muddy Waters helps out on guitar and Otis Spann on piano.In terms of the soundtrack being consistent with the songs featured in the movie, there must've been a chock full of songs in the movie for at least another full CD. Songs by Mamie Smith, Ida Cox, and the naughty Lucille Bogan, as well as others, are conspicuous by their absence. This focuses more on earlier and original material rather than new renditions specially made, and as such, has a richer flavour than some of the others in the series."