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Rolling Stones unreleased: 32-20 Blues

In June 1972, deep in Dallas at the Sumet-Burnet Studio, the Rolling Stones slipped back to the source. Stripping things down to muscle and instinct, they tore into Robert Johnson’s 32-20 Blues, channeling the spirit of the Delta through amplifiers and attitude. The result was raw, loose, and unapologetically gritty—a snapshot of the band reconnecting with the music that shaped their DNA. Never officially released, this take survives as a tantalizing glimpse of the Stones at their most elemental, where reverence for the blues meets swaggering rock ’n’ roll. It’s not about polish or perfection; it’s about feel, history, and the timeless pull of a song that refuses to stay buried.

Written by: Robert Johnson
Recorded: Sumet-Burnet Recording Studio, Dallas, TX, June 23 1972

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More about 32-20 Blues by Robert Johnson

This was Johnson’s second single. Both tracks were featured in Samuel B. Charters’ 1959 book The Country Blues and later included in Columbia’s 1961 compilation album King of the Delta Blues Singers. 32-20 Blues is clearly inspired by Skip James’ 22-20 Blues and is essentially a direct cover. Johnson adapted the original piano blues to his guitar and altered the caliber in the title—likely because there is no standard handgun or pistol with a 22-20 caliber. (Skip James originally mentions a .32 pistol in his song and later refers to a .44 caliber, similar to Roosevelt Sykes’ 44 Blues)

In fact Robert Johnson made only slight adjustments to the lyrics, humorously moving the location of the ineffective doctors from Wisconsin, where James had recorded, to Hot Springs, a well-known health resort. At the end, he alludes to the traditional song In the Pines with the line “where did you stay last night.” Despite retaining the original’s violent lyrics—such as “If she gets unruly, thinks she don’t wanna do / Take my 32-20 now and cut her half in two”—Johnson’s version is an exhilarating performance, delivered with a versatile vocal style and a steady rhythm played on the guitar’s bass strings.

Robert Johnson and the birth of 32-20 Blues

32-20 Blues was recorded on Thursday, November 26, 1936, during one of the most extraordinary weeks in blues history. The very next day, Robert Johnson returned to the studio to record Last Fair Deal Gone Down, along with six other songs. In the span of just a few sessions, Johnson captured nearly half of his entire recorded legacy, laying down performances that would echo for generations. While some listeners may find his music repetitive or demanding at first glance, a closer listen reveals something else entirely. Beneath the surface, Johnson’s guitar work is packed with subtle variations, rhythmic shifts, and inventive ideas that continually reshape the same patterns, proving his mastery and boundless creativity within a seemingly simple framework.

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