We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Bedside Blues

by Nick Swan

supported by
Linda Bryant
Linda Bryant thumbnail
Linda Bryant I love when Nick plays the blues. I love all of these. I find I listen to How Long. I think we all have one of these in our life that we remember....If we got lucky. Favorite track: When I Lay My Burden Down.
Gary Crow
Gary Crow thumbnail
nycdawn
nycdawn thumbnail
Hengest
Hengest thumbnail
justin patterson
justin patterson thumbnail
coinneach_mor
coinneach_mor thumbnail
tjonz_98
tjonz_98 thumbnail
David Miller
David Miller thumbnail
danalgray
danalgray thumbnail
sheriann
sheriann thumbnail
/
1.
Pallet on Your Floor 03:02
info
buy track
2.
Kind Hearted Woman 03:00
info
buy track
3.
Mean Bedbug Blues 03:05
info
buy track
4.
Sleepy 02:32
info
buy track
5.
Falling Down Blues 02:30
info
buy track
6.
How Long 03:05
info
buy track
7.
Take Me Back 03:53
info
buy track
8.
Darn That Dream 02:10
info
buy track
9.
James Alley Blues 02:34
info
buy track
10.
Dark Night Blues 02:44
info
buy track
11.
Love in Vain 04:04
info
buy track
12.
Po' Boy 02:51
info
buy track
13.
Hellhound on my Trail 03:22
info
buy track
14.
When I Lay My Burden Down 02:31
info
buy track

about

The inspiration for this collection of songs came from a group of CD's I keep at my bedside and listen to most every night. I've always loved the blues and in recent years I've had a desire to get deeper into the early masters of the genre. Son House, Charley Patton, Lonnie Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson (and McTell), Mississippi John Hurt (and Fred McDowell!), Furry Lewis, Bukka White and so many more. In our digital age, this is the kinda stuff that holds up nearly 100 years later. It's also the kind of stuff that you're gonna want to own in a physical form. So while I've accumulated all these CD's, I found the best place to listen to them was in bed, at night. The music is compelling enough to listen to intensely without getting bored, yet open and quiet enough to fall asleep to if desired. I try to put myself back in the country, where much (though not all) of this music was played and where unamplified music could still be heard for miles because there were no other sounds at night. Instead of looking at a phone or watching TV, I listened to the old blues. Usually one man, one guitar. The sense of space within the music makes you feel some place else. Maybe some of it has seeped into my mind and soul a little deeper in my dreams. One used to be able to dial in this sort of stuff on a radio late at night, from hundreds of miles away. Some of it was nearly lost forever before being granted a second life during the Folk revival of the 50s and 60s. The spirit of those records is what I've tried to put forth here. It's just me and a guitar, all live, save for one small overdub on "Darn that Dream," the sole "non-blues" song on this album. Occasionally I would branch out and put on some jazz, particularly Dexter Gordon's "Ballads" album. There's also one original, a tune I wrote in high school called "Sleepy." I tried to put a Lightnin Hopkins spin on it here. There's also plenty of Robert Johnson, who I've probably listened to more than any other early blues artist. And keeping with the theme, I've tried to keep this set pretty mellow, though there is plenty of early blues by my bedside that "rocks." Maybe that's for another time...

p.s. A note on the album cover. This was taken at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, MS. Originally a hospital, it is was the spot where Bessie Smith died. There's a room in tribute to her there. It was later converted to a hotel and many legends have stayed there, including Muddy Waters and Sam Cooke. This particular room was where Howlin Wolf stayed, and he reportedly slept on this same bed. I've always felt a kinship to the Wolf so I hope he didn't mind the company...

credits

released January 14, 2019

Nick Swan - guitar and vocals

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Nick Swan image

Nick Swan Knoxville, Tennessee

Tennessee Troubadour. Playing a mix of America's best roots music, from blues & folk to classic rock & 90s grunge.

contact / help

Contact Nick Swan

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

Nick Swan recommends:

If you like Nick Swan, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now