Give Me Some Blues - Curated Playlists
If you are saying to me, “Give Me Some Blues” I’m going to look for songs that really show what blues music is all about. Songs that (I think) are the epitome of the genre.
Well I gotta tell ya…that’s a lot of songs!!!
So here are some playlists from songs that are grouped together. I’ll include songs by great blues artists, songs that were covered by rock artists, slow blues or just some badass blues music.
I hope this is as much fun for you to listen to as it was for me to compile!
Be sure to check back in with this page every now and then for any updates.
When Lightnin' Strikes
I’m going to start my Give Me Some Blues playlists with the legend from Texas. Mr Sam John “Lightnin’” Hopkins.
Hopkins was as cool as it gets. The only other bluesman with the temperature that low was John Lee Hooker.
His soul-filled, gravelly voice was channelling straight from his heart and the listener feels every word he sings.
His playing was unique too. The sound he coaxes from his trusty acoustic guitar, equipped with an electric guitar pickup, picks you up and carries you away. It carries you away with a smile to somewhere beautiful.
For the playlist click here ====> Lightnin’ Hopkins Songs
Who's The Baddest Of Them All
Blues music can be slow and brooding or uptempo and fun. There are blues artists out there to suit any mood you’re feeling.
There are so many genres to choose from too. You can add the word ‘blues’ to any of the following genres: Jazz, Country, Folk and Rock.
But I want to add another made-up genre. This one could cover any of the genres above and even any geographical location. The only criteria is that it must be a badass blues song.
For the playlist click here ====> Baddass Blues Songs
Rocky Pathway to The Blues
Music is like a family tree. You know where you are now and who you see in front of you but sometimes you want to find out where you come from.
My particular pathway to the blues was through AC/DC. This is probably not typical but there was a direct correlation between Angus Young’s playing and Chuck Berry. Chuck is probably remembered as one of the inventors of rock and roll, however it truly was just sped-up blues.
Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, The Black Keys and even The White Stripes have all been heavily influenced by blues artists. It comes through in their playing and they have all directly covered blues songs.
So let’s look at the songs that some of them played and the impact that had on the popularity of Blues Music at various stages in history.
For the playlist click here ====> An Example of Blues Songs That Majorly Influenced Rock Bands
A Blues Storm in The Windy City
There is no doubt that an explosion born out of blues influenced music occurred in Britain in the 1960s. The gelignite and fuse ,however, were all assembled and shipped from Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s.
There is the famous story of Mick meeting Keith at a train station with Muddy Waters records under their arms. Then there is the story of Eric Clapton learning Big Bill Broonzy songs note for note. Plus the countless renditions of blues songs by popular bands such as The Animals, Them and The Yardbirds.
These artists weren’t just playing music by Chicago Blues Artists either. They were covering songs by artists from all over the USA such as Texas and Tenessee. When they started to collaborate with artists from Chicago, however, it reignited the careers for Chicago-based artists like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters.
For the playlist click here ====> Greatest Blues Songs of All Time Out of Chicago
It's Not About Speed
Let’s chill things out a bit here.
We’ve been to the tough blues trenches of Texas and visited the chugging blues of Chicago. Now it’s time to look at those songs that bend the notes slowly. The ones that wring out every last bit of feeling an artist can muster.
There are some folks that think Blues is a slow brand of music. I would argue, however, that it started out with a lot more pep in the step. After a hard working day in hard living conditions, I doubt that anyone wanted to cry in their beer. They wanted to dance.
But for a change of pace during the night, an artist would have to pour their heart out and leave nothing on the stage.
Let’s look at the songs that do just that.
For the playlist click here ====> Slow Blues Artists
Mr McDowell Never Dissapoints
Nothing will answer the call to, “Give Me Some Blues” like throwing some Mississippi Fred McDowell songs your way.
One of the non-Chicago based bluesmen to have a huge impact on young British rock bands of the 1960s, McDowell made a big splash across the Atlantic.
When the Stones covered his song, You Got To Move, it meant Fred was back in business. He mentions in a live concert at The Gaslight in New York that everyone wants him to play that song now. He doesn’t sound like he’s all that thrilled but will play it anyway coz the people want to hear it.
It’s a great song for sure. But if that’s as far as you travel in your Mississippi Fred McDowell journey, you are missing out on the musical trip of a lifetime.
For the playlist click here ====> Mississippi Fred McDowell Songs
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