Blind Boy Fuller - Get Your Yas Yas Out

Acoustic rags and riches from the 30s and 40s

There were plenty of singerguitarists working in the Piedmont style, of which North Carolina’s Blind Boy Fuller is a perfect exponent. He only recorded for six years, but somehow found time to do a bit of everything. This compilation offers a treasure trove of rags, blues and gospel leanings that fans of Blind Willie McTell and Blind Gary Davis will lap up. Like them, Fuller had a fine voice and knew his way around complicated ragtime rolls. Davis actually shows up to back Fuller, with harpist Sonny Terry, on the religious tune Precious Lord. Elsewhere there are fun, bawdy songs about you-knowwhat, such as I Want Some Of Your Pie, and Sweet Honey Hole. Other songs showcase Fuller’s charming scat stylings, which appear unexpectedly and always raise a smile.

The only caveats are that the liner notes could have provided a few more details of recording dates and the various backing musicians, plus the sleeve is quite ugly. However, that doesn’t make the music any less enjoyable. It’s worth noting that the title song provided the Stones with a title for their 1969 live album. If that’s not a good recommendation, then what is?

Complete Blues | SBLUECD 039

Reviewed by Mat Croft
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