"Love in Vain" is a blues song written by American musician Robert Johnson. He sings of unrequited love, using a departing train as a metaphor for his loss. Johnson's performance – vocal accompanied by his finger-style acoustic guitar playing – has been described as "devastatingly bleak". He recorded the song in 1937 during his last recording session and in 1939 it was issued as the last of his original 78 rpm records. "Love in Vain" has elements of earlier Delta blues songs and for a while it was believed to be in the public domain. In 1969, the Rolling Stones recorded an updated rendition featuring an electric slide guitar solo. The popularity of their adaptation led to a lawsuit over the copyright, which was eventually resolved in favor of Johnson's estate. Various artists have recorded the song.
Background
In the late 1920s, Johnson began playing the guitar along with a rack-mounted harmonica. One of his influences was Leroy Carr, whose "How Long–How Long Blues" was an early favorite. Johnson later used the melody from Carr's "When the Sun Goes Down" as the basis for "Love in Vain". Both songs express a yearning and sorrow for the loss of a lover. Johnson also used some lyrics from "Flying Crow Blues" by the Shreveport Home Wreckers for the final verse of "Love in Vain". Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded a song with a similar title, "All My Love in Vain", but different lyrics.
Lyrics and composition
's Thomas Ward describes the song as "heartbreakingly potent coming from an artist of Johnson's calibre". He adds: During the final verses, Johnson calls out to his lover, Willie Mae. Years later, when she heard "Love in Vain" for the first time, she was visibly moved upon hearing her name.
Releases
In 1939, Vocalion Records issued "Love in Vain Blues", backed by "Preachin' Blues ", on a ten-inch 78 rpm record. It was released after Johnson's death and was the last of his original singles. After the release of Johnson's first compilation album, King of the Delta Blues Singers, bootleg albums containing more of Johnson's 1930s singles were circulated. This was the first appearance of the song since its original release. Columbia Records responded by issuing King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II, which included an alternate take of "Love in Vain". The original single version was finally reissued by Columbia on the box setThe Complete Recordings. A remastered version of the alternate take is also included on King of the Delta Blues: The Complete Recordings.
recorded "Love in Vain" for their 1969 album, Let It Bleed. Critic Richie Unterberger describes it as "as close to the roots of acoustic down-home blues as the Stones ever got." Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards recalled:
In a 1995 interview with Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone magazine, Mick Jagger commented on the song's arrangement: Live performances of the song appear on Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out and Stripped.
Lawsuit over copyright
"Love in Vain" was the subject of a lawsuit regarding the copyright for the song. In 2000, the court held that the songs were not in the public domain and that legal title belonged to the Estate of Robert Johnson and its successors.
Recognition and influence
Robert Johnson's original "Love in Vain" was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame as part of the 2011 "Robert Johnson Centennial" celebrations. Eric Clapton recorded the song for Me and Mr. Johnson, his album devoted to Johnson's songs. Clapton quotes one of Johnson's verses for the Derek and the Dominos' song "Layla": "Please don't say we'll never find a way, and tell me all my love's in vain". Jazz singerMadeleine Peyroux adapted it for her 2011 album Standing on the Rooftop. An album review in The Guardian noted, "A major highlight is the echoing, gothic account of Johnson's Love in Vain." Walter Trout recorded it for Prisoner of a Dream and Keb' Mo' for Slow Down. Todd Rundgren included the song on his Johnson tribute album, Todd Rundgren's Johnson. Love in Vain: A Vision of Robert Johnson is the title of a 2012 screenplay by Alan Greenberg. In it, he explores both the known facts and the myth surrounding Johnson. Keith Richards commented, "Finally someone has captured the central feel of this master musician and his times, and that man is Alan Greenberg. Take my word for it." Bob Dylan added, "It's about time."
