IFLTS: 'Milkcow's Calf Blues,' Robert Palmer

Posted on Sep 29th 2008 4:00PM by David Chiu
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'Milkcow's Calf Blues,' Robert Palmer
From 2001's 'Hellhound on My Trail: Songs of Robert Johnson'

Robert Palmer may never shake off his reputation as the sophisticated '80s rocker who was surrounded by supermodels in the 'Addicted to Love' and 'Simply Irresistible' videos. It's really a shame because that's just only one aspect of this Englishman's career. If you look at Palmer's overall body of work, you will find he explored almost every musical genre: pop, hard rock, reggae, New Wave, R&B, funk and standards. In addition to writing his own songs, Palmer has covered material by Allen Toussaint, Little Feat's Lowell George, Marvin Gaye and many others.

Palmer, who sadly died of a heart attack five years ago on Sept. 26 at age 54, also delved into blues music. In 2001, he contributed his rendition of 'Milkcow's Calf Blues' to a Robert Johnson tribute album. On the song, Palmer displays his versatility as a vocalist with a performance that channels the spirit of the legendary bluesman. With excellent musical accompaniment by guitarist Carl Carlton and drummer Mauro Spina, this version of the Johnson song is pure soulful blues.

If you like Palmer's take on the genre from this track, you should also try to find 'Drive,' his final studio album released in 2003. It's a blues- and soul-oriented work that includes songs penned by J.B. Lenoir, Leiber and Stoller, and ZZ Top. He describes it in the album's liner notes as "the first record I've made which I play for my own pleasure." 'Drive' and 'Milkcow's Calf Blues,' together, make a fitting coda to a satisfying career.

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