Best Slow Blues Songs

Subject: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,Pappadow
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 01:02 PM

I'm lookin for as many Slow Blues songs as I can get ahold of. I really like - Clapton and BB King's - 3 o'clock blues. I'm looking for similar style songs.
Any Ideas?
Thanks.
Tony

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Steve-o
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 03:56 PM

Years ago Taj Mahal did a version of the Walkin' Blues (with Ry Cooder on mandolin) that is so slow that it's hard to keep time with him....you keep trying to hurry him up. Great, but sloooooowww.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: fat B****rd
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 04:29 PM

Ray Charles "I Wonder"

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: DonMeixner
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 04:36 PM

Hi Tony

Look for "Sportin' Life" as done by The Lovin' Spoonful on the Do You Believe In Magic album. None better and Sebastian's harmonica is just inspired.

Don

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 04:44 PM

Little Walter's version of Key To The Highway< johnny Winter's Goin Down Slow.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: mooman
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 06:13 PM

How about...

Motherless Child

Best regards

moo

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Tony Burns
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 06:42 PM

What a coincidence! I haven't been to the 'Cat in ages and I came here looking for some lyrics because I'm listening to "The Two Sides of Dave van Ronk".

I love slow blues and want to learn as many as I can.

My party piece at the moment is "Come Back Baby". I was fortunate enough to have Rick Fielding teach me the Dave van Ronk version and it's hard to play it too slow. I love it.

On "The Two Sides of Dave van Ronk" there is a great version of "God Bless the Child". Does that fit your definition of blues?

In some ways I think it's just a matter of taking a blues you love and making it your own. Slow may just work. Feel it slow and play it.

I'd also like to work on a collection of blues in minor keys. The Stevie Ray Vaughn version of "Tin Pan Alley" would be great if I could make it work acoustically.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Merritt
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 06:45 PM

Your idea of slow may vary from mine...also a couple these aren't in standard 12-bar blues or standard minor blues form.

~ "St. James Infirmary Blues"
~ Woody Guthrie's "Vigilante Man" really chugs along pretty nicely when slightly reconfigured as a minor blues
~ "See See Rider" done the way Mike Dowling does it is a nice slow country blues
~ Otis Rush's "Double Trouble"
~ "You Rascal You" (1931; Sam Theard) sounds good slow
~ Randy Newman's "Guilty"
~ "I Put A Spell On You"
~ Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" done as a kind of funk-shuffle in Dropped D variant
~ "Ain't No Sunshine" – Bill Withers

- Merritt

Subject: Lyr Add: FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS (Muddy Waters
From: Tweed
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 07:13 PM

Muddy's, "Forty Days and Forty Nights", a favorite of mine at least.

"Forty days and forty nights
Since my baby left this town
Sun shining all day long
But the rain keep coming down
She's my life I need her soul
Why she left I just don't know

Forty days and forty nights
Since I sat right down and cried
Keep rainin' all the time
But the river is runnin' dry
Lord, help me it just ain right
I loved that girl will all my might

Forty days and forty nights
Since my baby broke my heart
Searchin' for her everywhere
Like a blind man in the dark
Love can a poor man rich
Or break his heart, I don't know which.

Forty days and forty nights
Like a ship out on the sea
Prayin' for her each night
That she would come back home to me
Life is love, and love is life
I hope she come back home tonight"

When he sings "Searchin' for her everywhere...like a blind man in the dark" he means it. Damn that's a good line...

Yerz,
Tweed

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 07:33 PM

Actually, Tony, every morning I wake up, grab a cup of coffee and head for the couch where I pick up my guitar and start banging away. This morning I was playin' this slow blues stuff and then it broke into the old Coaster's song "Searchin" which I didn't know the words to but started a thread askin' for 'em and Sorcha posted them. You can paly it real slow and nice in G tuning and a slide and it works real, real good as a slow blues song.

Someone mentioned "Walkin' Blues" and I agree. You can do it in A tuning like Robert Johnson or G put if ya finger pick just right it is sweet.

Bobert

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 08:01 PM

There's a song called 'The Children's Blues' written by Bonnie Koloc and shows up on a Nancy Griffith album , I believe. It's got great chord changes and is the best example of the reality of emotional deprivation in childhood I've ever heard. Still brings me to tears. 'Luka' was observational. This one has the voice of experience and is a little raw...but brilliant.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: JennyO
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 12:27 AM

I like "Gin House Blues"

Jenny

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 03:48 AM

"Trouble in mind" -done by just about everyone.
I prefer Brownie's version of "Sportin' Life"
Bessie's "Empty Bed Blues"
Big Bill's "Black White & Brown"
Fred McD's "Baby Please don't go"

etc

RtS

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 03:08 PM

Goin' down slow -- Johnny Winter
Need your love so bad -- Fleetwood Mac
River of tears -- Eric Clapton

and, if you want something slow and sexy ...

Directly from my heart to you -- Frank Zappa with Sugar Cane Harris

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,Slickerbill
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 03:20 PM

Allman Brothers did some great slow blues. Try "Ain't My Cross to Bear". They also did a great version of "Stormy Monday". How bout Hendrix's "red House"? I think what's great about playing these songs is that there's soooooooo much head room for improvisation. You can really stretch out and play fast or slow. Have fun. sb

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Malachy
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 06:10 PM

'Another Night with the Boys'..Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva..it's the b-side of the old 60's hit 'Swinging on a Star'. I doubt many people have heard it though!....Otherwise, 'Since I Fell for You' ..Bonnie Raitts' version

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 08:57 AM

Someone suggested "Motherless Child," which is a good one. I might propose "It's a Mean Old World" by Elmore James or perhaps "Black and Blue" from Louis Armstrong.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Redbeard
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 10:06 PM

Serves You Right To Suffer, I believe original to John Lee Hooker, but I like the J. Geils Band version. A friend of mine also used to play Summertime as a real slow blues song and it was really great.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Max
Date: 25 Jan 03 - 10:11 PM

Tupelo by John Lee Hooker.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 26 Jan 03 - 09:42 AM

"Somebody Loan Me a Dime" by Fenton Robinson (Boz Scaggs also did a great version of this w/ Duane Allman on guitar)
"Fever" by Peggy Lee
"Hobo Blues" JL Hooker
"Early This Morning" Blind Blake (and it's cousin "Black Dog Blues")
"St. Louis Blues" great versions from Bessie Smith to John Fahey
"Two Legged Rat" Buddy Guy
"How Blue Can You Get" BB King ( breathtaking guitar intro)

PS Big Pink Lad, is that the Fleetwood Mac song that starts out "I'm crazy for my baby but my baby don't love me..."? Great song, I've been looking for a recording of it. vl

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 26 Jan 03 - 01:23 PM

Don Robey's (aka D. Malone) "As The Years Go Passing By" !
Great versions by
- Albert King
- Fenton Robinson
- Otis Rush
- Magic Slim
- David Bromberg
- Boz Scaggs
- Al Kooper
and
- The Animals intro:

Ah, the blues.
The ball and chain that is 'round every English musician's leg.
In fact, EVERY musician's leg.
Tryin' to kick it off, baby?
No, no.
You'll just never do it.
And these are the blues of time,
And the blues of a woman,
And a man thinkin' of her
As time goes by.

There is nothin' I can do
If you leave me here to cry ...

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,walker
Date: 26 Jan 03 - 11:44 PM

Here's a few:

Song Titles and Artists I know who did the song:

Reconsider Baby: Lowell Fulsom / Elvis

Texas Flood / Things I Used To Do: SRV

Fool For Your Stockings / Jesus Left Chicago: ZZ Topp

Big Legged Woman: Jerry Lee Lewis

Hoochie Coochie Man / Mannish Boy / She's 19: Muddy Waters

There's a few; they are literally everywhere. But as stated previously, it depends on what you consider slow.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 26 Jan 03 - 11:55 PM

I'm With you Stefan, I love that song. It was probably written by Fenton Robinson when he was part of Don Robey's stable of artist/songwriters.

There is nothing I can do
As you leave me here to cry
There is nothing I can do
As you leave me here to cry
You know my love will follow you
As the years go passing by"

"Give you all that I own
That's one thing you can't deny
Give you all that I own
That's one thing you can't deny
You know my love will follow you
As the years go passing by"

"Gonna leave it up to you
So long, so long, goodbye
Gonna leave it up to you
So long, so long, goodbye
You know my love will follow you
As the years go passing by"

Another great one is Elmore James' "The Sky Is Crying"

The sky is crying,
Look at the tears rolling down the streets.
The sky is crying,
Look at the tears rolling down the streets.
I looked out my window,
The rain was falling down in sheets.

My baby left me this morning,
Lord knows I don't know the reason why.
My baby left me this morning,
I don't know the reason why.
And everytime I think about it,
I hang my head and cry.

The sun is shining,
Although it's raining in my heart.
The sun is shining,
Although it's raining in my heart.
I love my baby,
I hate to see us part.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 27 Jan 03 - 03:14 AM

and what about 'Sugar Mama' (the Chester Burnett a.k.a. Howlin' Wolf version: 'Where in the world you get your sugar from')
I Like that song because I was there when Cuby & The Blizzards (anyone heard about them over there? - famous Dutch blues group) did record it 'Live in Duesseldorf')

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 12:41 PM

Thanks for all the replies, I found another one.....Recession Blues, as done by, Vince Converse
All those suggestions will keep me busy for awhile :)

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: ddw
Date: 05 Feb 03 - 09:40 PM

Big Bill's "Southbound Train"

Josh White's "Baby, Baby," "Backwater Blues," "Trouble in Mind," or "Strange Fruit"

John Jackson's "Blood Red River"

Leroy Carr's "Midnight Hour Blues"

Cephas & Wiggans's "Roberta"

This could be an all-night project....

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: forty two
Date: 06 Feb 03 - 05:21 AM

What about "Blue Jean Blues" from ZZ Top. Always loved that band!

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,seth
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 06:04 PM

also try soulshine from the allman brothers band. it is pretty amazing

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,Roger Knowles
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 06:53 PM

Here's a coupla favourites of mine as suggestions:
Bed Bug Blues
Stealin'

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 08:42 AM

Tobacco Road

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: quokka
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 09:00 AM

Bring it on Home to Me - very slow, works great

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 12:19 PM

My all-time favorite album is Buddy Guy's "A Man and The Blues," recorded for Vanguard in about 1967-68 or so, if I'm not mistaken. It is a rare recorded collaboration between Buddy and the great Chicago blues pianist Otis Spann, longtime bandmate of Muddy Waters. I owned, wore out, and eventually lost a vinyl copy in the 60s-70s, and then went through the same experience with a casette tape edition during the 90s. I suppose it's about time for me to buy the CD.

About half the cuts are slow blues, and they're by far the longest cuts, making the album at least 60-70% s-l-o-o-o-w blues, intersersed with a few brief uptempo numbers. Both Buddy and Otis are masters of the slow-blues form, and it is absolutley excruciating to hear them trade licks throughout the long instumental passages between verses of the slow songs. Titles of a couple of the more notable cuts: "Worry, Worry, Worry" and "Thousand Miles from Nowhere":

Sittin' here a thousand miles from nowhere
In my little one room country shack (2x)
My only worrisome companion
Is this here 'leven-foot cotton sack.

(One of the albums quick little uptempo tunes is a favorite of mine, too: Buddy's unique interpretation of "Mary Had a Little Lamb.")

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 12:29 PM

Ooops, that title is "One-Room Country Shack," not "Thousand Miles From Nowhere," and I believe that the eleven-foot cotton sack in question is the singer's only wearisome, not "worrisome," companion.

(just an excuse to REFRESH, really...)

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Joe_F
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 08:17 PM

Make My Love Come Rolling Down, by Eric von Schmidt.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 06:03 PM

"Blues With a Feeling" by Little Walter is my favorite slow blues song... (On my CD, "13 Shades of Blues", BTW...)

"The Thrill is Gone" is also a fine slow one...

I like "Tobacco Road" but when I play it, it drives purdy good so I don't really think of it as a slow blues song but the version I play sounds more like the Spooky Tooth version which rocked out purdy hard...

B~

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 09:58 PM

John Mayer- Gravity

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 11:39 AM

John Mayer - Out of My Mind

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Janice in NJ
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 12:16 PM

The Whinin' Boy
Round 'Bout Midnight
Trouble in Mind
Keys to the Highway
K.C. Moan
Nobody Know You When You're Down and Out
St. Louis Blues
C.C. Rider
Every Night When the Sun Goes Down
Come Back Baby
How Long Blues
Woman Blues (when done slowly)
Dink's Song
One Kind Favor

Subject: Lyr Add: BEANS TASTE FINE (Shel Silverstein)
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 12:29 PM

Here's a little Shel Silverstein ditty I always liked as a slow blues:

The first part, as I recall it, in a talking blues style -

Now a friend of mine, way back in Chicago --
You know, he finally made his pile.
Well he got himself a mansion on Butler and Sheff
An' he was livin' in the latest style;
But I run into him, he was eatin' in a greasy spoon
While parked in front was his big limousine.
I said, "Buddy, you've got so much money
How come you're in here, eatin' beans?"
An' he said --

After you've been havin' steak for a long time,
Beans, beans taste fine.
An' after you've been drinkin' champagne and brandy
You gonna settle for wine.

He said "The world is funny, and people are strange,
And man is a creature of constant change, and
After you've been havin' steak for a long time
Beans, beans taste fine."

Now, you know I ran into another friend of mine
In a rowdy old Clark Street Bar.
I said, "Friend, is it true what I heard about you?
I heard you married a beautiful 18-year-old shapely movie star,
Yet here you sit, tryin' to make out with some barfly
Who's too old and ugly to be true."
He said, "Shelley, you're still a very young man
So sit down. I'll explain it all to you.

He said --
After you've been havin' steak for a long time
Beans, beans taste fine.
An' after you've been drinkin' champagne and Chivas Regal
You gonna settle for Thunderbird wine.
He said "The world is funny, and people are strange,
And man is a creature of constant change, and
After you've been havin' steak for a long time
Beans, beans taste fine."

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: bald headed step child
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 12:41 PM

Albert Collins-Angel of mercy, and cold cold feeling

Gary Moore- Still got the blues. the prophet(instrumental)actually a Peter Green composition. Midnight Blues

B B King-Pick an album

Otis Rush-Pick an album. I can't quit you baby

Led Zeppelin-I can't quit you baby. Since I've been loving you

I love alot of the Lonnie Johnson stuff from the 60's,(actually I love all his stuff from 1926 on). The stuff from the 60's with just him and guitar is mostly slow blues that will just tear your heart out.

These are just a few gems I didn't see above.

Trying to pick favorites out of all my cds is impossible. You will get a different answer by the day of the week or mood. Ask tomorrow and you'll get a different list.

Definately some good picks by all though.

BHSC

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 03:53 PM

I recently bought the 2-DVD set of Cream's 2005 reunion gig at Royal Albert Hall (using a Christmas gift card).

Eric does a nice job singing and playing the T-Bone Walker slow-blues classic Stormy Monday, but I was also struck by one of the Cream originals from "back in the day" which was not exactly a traditional-format 12-bar blues, but nevertheless both (a) slow, and (b) undeniably The Blues in feeling and approach: Sleepy Time Time.

Terrific vocal by Jack Bruce, wildly creative guitar by Eric Clapton, plus of course the genius rhythmic underpinning provided by Ginger Baker.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 04:34 PM

When I Lost My Baby, I Almost Lost My Mind.

Does a song have to have sad lyrics to be the blues, or does sound-only qualify it? If so, I would add

Old Devil Moon - from Finian's Rainbow
Since I Met You Baby, My Whole Life has Changed
Peace in the Valley - either tune
Summertime - from Porgy & Bess

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Jan 09 - 04:43 PM

While looking for tunes, I came across this fine site, which has guitar tabs and MIDI's for some bluesy tunes.

mildy mysterious site

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: PoppaGator
Date: 10 Jan 09 - 10:39 AM

My first reaction upon seeing "Since I Met You Baby" and "Since I Lost My Baby" both mentioned in the same thread was: "Aren't they two verses to the same song?

I was wrong ~ they are indeed two different, but eerily similar, pieces. A quick search also revealed that both are "credited" to Ivory Joe Hunter. Of course, in the world of internet lyrics and tabs, there is usually a lot of confusion over who the person might be who is named with a song ~ usually the person (or one of several people) who recorded it, very rarely the actual songwriter escept in casesd where the performer was the composer.

I'm really intrigued by that "mildly mysterious" website. It would be nice to know more about who's responsible for it ~ lots of great old songs, with arrangements that look, at first glance, to be worthwhile. I'll have to delve in a little deeper to see it the tabs are really all that helpful.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: TinDor
Date: 15 Jan 09 - 08:48 PM

Jimi Hendrix "Voodoo Chile"

Elmore James "Bleeding Heart" "The Sky Is Crying"

Led Zeppelin "I Can't Quit You Baby"

Alert King   "As The Years Go Passing By"(Live in Montreaux) ( the string bending and vibrato on this are top notch)

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST,J.2.O.
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 04:25 PM

Blues without you-Stoney Curtis Band

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 04:28 PM

Takin' a Dump Blues-Jerry Thatchett, the 1 minute intro is just amazing, really takes my mind away.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: deadfrett
Date: 03 Nov 09 - 11:46 AM

Skip James- Hardtime Killin' Floor Blues

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 03 Nov 09 - 08:25 PM

Death Letter by Son House - he's singing it on BBC4 right now.

Subject: RE: Best Slow Blues Songs
From: quokka
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 08:38 PM

Yeasterday at a session I heard a slow blues version of Billie Jean - it was brilliant. It took a minute to recognise it, but it blew us all away it was so good.