Ramblin' On My Mind (Take 1)

Cut on the exact same Monday as his debut track, this recording captures a different side of Johnson's arsenal. While his earlier sides that day showcased fingerpicking, this track documents Johnson's first recorded use of slide guitar. He plays it in an open E tuning, employing a heavy, driving rhythm that echoed the sound of trains. The blues connection is purely structural, it's a masterclass in the walking basslines that he reportedly learned from watching boogie-woogie piano players and translating their left-hand patterns to the guitar neck.