Love in Vain

"Love in Vain" is a 1937 blues song written by Robert Johnson, and can be found on a number of compilation albums of Johnson's work (most notably on the vinyl album King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. 2, that, along with Vol. 1, introduced Johnson to many later musicians); and on its original (and extremely rare) 78rpm single release (Vocalion 04630).

It has since been covered by many other musicians, most famously by The Rolling Stones on their 1969 album, Let It Bleed. (Although, in the album credits on the original vinyl LP label, the song is wrongly listed as written by a mysterious - and probably fictitious - "Woody Payne", not Robert Johnson.)

"For a time we thought the songs that were on that first album were the only recordings (Robert Johnson had) made, and then suddenly around '67 or '68 up comes this second (bootleg) collection that included Love in Vain. Love in Vain was such a beautiful song. Mick and I both loved it, and at the time I was working and playing around with Gram Parsons, and I started searching around for a different way to present it, because if we were going to record it there was no point in trying to copy the Robert Johnson style or ways and styles. We took it a little bit more country, a little bit more formalized, and Mick felt comfortable with that." - Keith Richards, 1990

"We changed the arrangement quite a lot from Robert Johnson's. We put in extra chords that aren't there on the Robert Johnson version. Made it more country. And that's another strange song, because it's very poignant. Robert Johnson was a wonderful lyric writer, and his songs are quite often about love, but they're desolate." - Mick Jagger, 1995

"Sometimes I wonder... myself (about how we developed that arrangement). I don't know! (laughs) We only knew the Robert Johnson version. At the time we were kicking it around, I was into country music - old white country music, '20s and '30s stuff, and white gospel. Somewhere I crossed over into this more classical mode. Sometimes things just happen. We were sitting in the studio, saying, Let's do "Love in Vain" by Robert Johnson. Then I'm trying to figure out some nuances and chords, and I start to play it in a totally different fashion. Everybody joins in and goes, Yeah, and suddenly you've got your own stamp on it. I certainly wasn't going to be able to top Robert Johnson's guitar playing." - Keith Richards, 1995

It has subsequently appeared on the Stones live albums Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! and Stripped. It is also included in the concert movie Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones! (1974).

More recently it was covered by Johnson fan Eric Clapton on his 2004 album, Me and Mr. Johnson, along with several other Robert Johnson classics.

The song is noted for its melancholic lyrics and tone, and extremely sad overall feeling and style, especially on Johnson's version. In the 1992 film "The Search For Robert Johnson", John P. Hammond plays Robert's recording of "Love In Vain" for the elderly Willie Mae Powell, the woman for whom it was supposedly written. Johnson moans "Oh, Willie Mae" in his last verse.

Johnson was an admirer of blues singer/pianist Leroy Carr who, solo and with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, cut some popular and influential recordings. 'Love In Vain' takes its musical structure from Carr's classic 'In the Evenin' When the Sun Goes Down'. Both songs express a yearning and sorrow for the loss of a lover.

Love in Vain

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