PoohsDay Blues: The Spirit if Not the Form

I may have mentioned previously that I introduced myself to the blues in a sort of accidental way - in my teens, listening to the Black Crowes, and the Stones, and Jimi there was a certain something in the songs that I liked best that I couldn't put my finger on. The first time the 'blues' element occured to me was reading one review or another about Clapton's unplugged and the slowed-down 'bluesy' version of "Layla" was described in those terms. From there I got into Jimi's instrumental version of "Born Under a Bad Sign", and probably listened to it 25 times in a row.

So naturally, when a class on Blues History was offered while I was in college, I jumped at it. Unsurprisingly, I recall much more from that class than from more 'important' subjects like Econ or Political Science.

But I still enjoy music with 'bluesiness' as much as either accoustic or electric blues. So today's ten are drawn from songs which have that certain something without being 'blues' records.

1. "Dust My Broom" - Elmore James. Is it blues? Is it rock? Who cares, it rocks.
   
2. "Gimme Three Steps" - Lynard Skynard. For hillbillies, these guys have a whole lot of soul.
   
3. "In the Midnight Hour" - The Commitments. R.I.P. Wilson Pickett, plus, I wonder what happened to Andrew Strong. How do you have a voice like that and then are never heard from again?
   
4. "Move It On Over" - George Thorougood and the Destroyers. Gives me an excuse to link to Publius's excellent Hank Williams post, (even when he talks about music, he's much better at this "blogging" thing than I am) plus this version absolutely and unabashedly kicks serious ass.
   
5. "Stop Breaking Down" - The White Stripes. I think the reason I don't really dig Radiohead or Coldplay is that when it comes to music, for me, simple is often best. Enter The White Stripes.
   
6. "Ain't That a Shame" - Fats Domino. I think Fats is vastly underrated, but Ray Charles outlived him by about 40 years, I'm an idiot (thanks, 'Pick), so thems the breaks.
   
7. "Runaway" - Bonnie Raitt. She adds a fair bit of balls to the Del Shannon classic.
   
8. "Evil Ways" - Santana. With more than just a touch of latin rhythm.
   
9. "Jail House Rock" - Elvis Pressley. Fat Elvis, not so much. Rock-a-billy Elvis, "Thank you very much."
   
10. "Tutti Frutti" - Little Richard. If Pat Boone is going to hell, it's for trying to do covers of this kind of stuff.