Digger & The Pussycats - Stop Breaking Down (Robert Johnson Cover) - Video
PUBLISHED:  May 14, 2013
DESCRIPTION:
From '' Young, Tight & Alright ''
Label: Spooky Records ‎-- Spooky 012
Format: CD, Album
Country: Australia
Released: 2005

Tracklist
01. Motorbike
02. Stop Breaking Down (Written-By -- Robert Johnson)
03. 10-Car Pile-Up
04. Baby's Got A Point
05. -
06. 100 Degrees
07. Cars And Guns
08. I Went Out Looking
09. Young, Tight And Allright
10. History Of Adultry
11. Save Yourself (Written-By -- The Make-Up)
12. I Got A Lover
13. Stab A Motherfucker (Written-By -- Supercharger)

Performer -- Andy Moore, Sam Agostino
Keyboards -- Gareth Liddiard (tracks: 3, 8)
Backing Vocals -- Gareth Liddiard (tracks: 11, 13), Rui Pereira (tracks: 13)

Recorded By -- Loki Lockwood
Recorded By [Expertly Assisted] -- Gareth Liddiard
Recorded At -- Atlantis Sound

Mastered By -- Loki Lockwood
Mastered At -- Spooky Manor

Mixed By -- Digger & The Pussycats, Loki Lockwood
Other [Special Comments] -- Rui Pereira

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"Stop Breaking Down" or "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" is a folk blues song recorded by Robert Johnson in 1937.
Described as an "upbeat boogie with a strong chorus line", the song became popular largely through later interpretations by other artists.

Original song

Robert Johnson recorded "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" during his last recording session in 1937.
The song is a solo piece with Johnson providing guitar accompaniment to his vocals.
Of his Dallas recordings, it is Johnson's most uptempo song, with "his exhuberant vocal driv[ing] home the story line".
Two takes of the song were recorded, both sounding very similar, although Johnson fluffed the opening verse of the second take.
His record company released both takes on different pressings, with some singles having the first take and others having the second.
Although the song is played in a fretted guitar style, on both takes Johnson added a brief slide coda that comes across "like a little inside joke".

In 1970, the first take of the song was included on Johnson's King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II album, making it available for the first time since its initial release.
Both takes were later included on the 1990 box set The Complete Recordings.

Blues versions

As with most Johnson songs, "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" failed to generate much interest with the blues record buying public when it was released.
However, his work was kept alive by a "small circle of Mississippi peers" with interpretations recorded by other blues artists.

In 1945, Sonny Boy Williamson I recorded his version as an early Chicago blues with Big Maceo (piano), Tampa Red (guitar), and Charles Sanders (drums) (RCA Victor 20-3047).
Titled "Stop Breaking Down", the song featured somewhat different lyrics, including the refrain "I don't believe you really really love me, I think you just like the way my music sounds" in place of Johnson's "The stuff I got it gon' bust your brains out, hoo hoo, it'll make you lose your mind".
Williamson's song inspired the versions sung "by most postwar Chicago blues artists".

In 1954, Baby Boy Warren recorded it as a Chicago-style blues shuffle, but used most of Johnson's lyrics (Drummond 3003).

Forest City Joe recorded the song in 1959, which was released on a compilation album The Blues Roll On (Atlantic SD 1352). In the late 1960s, Junior Wells with Buddy Guy recorded "Stop Breaking Down" for the Coming at You Baby (1968) and Southside Blues Jam (1969) albums.
Their versions are medleys which incorporate lyrics from "Five Long Years" and Sonny Boy Williamson I's "Stop Breaking Down".

Later versions

The Rolling Stones recorded "Stop Breaking Down" for their 1972 Exile on Main St. album.
They interpreted the song somewhat differently than the earlier versions, with prominent slide guitar work by Mick Taylor and Mick Jagger providing the harmonica and guitar.
The Rolling Stones only ever live performance of the song (with Robert Cray on slide guitar and lead vocals) is included on their The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge Live concert DVD.

"Stop Breakin' Down" was also recorded by Lucinda Williams in 1979 for her first professional release, Ramblin', a blues cover album.
Also on the album were two other Robert Johnson songs, "Ramblin' on My Mind" and "Malted Milk Blues".

There is also a version recorded by The Jeff Healey Band for the album Cover to Cover, released in 1995.

The White Stripes recorded a version of "Stop Breaking Down" for their 1999 debut album The White Stripes.
A live version was recorded by the BBC and included with their 2002 "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" single.

Lawsuit over copyright

"Stop Breakin' Down Blues" (along with "Love in Vain") was the subject 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.
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