Looking for 'Keys to the Highway'

Subject: "Keys To The Highway"
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 07:50 AM

Could someone recommend a high energy version (a la the psychedelic bands of the 60's or later) of Little Walter's (?) "Keys To The Highway?"

Thanks in advance,

Neil

Subject: RE: Looking for
From:
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 08:05 AM

Hey Neil!

Why are you looking for the keys to the highway? Are you booked out and bound to go?

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Bill Cameron
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 10:40 AM

Is that the same as "Key To the Highway", which was recorded by Derek & the Dominoes, probably on Layla.

If that's the song, that's the version you want all right. (Pre-mellow Clapton and Duane Allman, died 1971, sharing lead guitar parts.)

Bill

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 11:51 AM

Bill,

Thanks! That's the one that jogged my failing (foggy) memory. I remember that version. I'll give a new listen with older ears. As popular a song as it was (is), I'm sure there must've been other pop artists that did a cover of it, though, and I'd be interested in hearing about them as well. And in response to the patron wondering if I were "booked out and bound to go," - well, it never hurts to keep all options open, if you know what I mean (hehe).

Seriously, though, I seem to remember it had a twist (sort of) on the traditional 12 bar blues form, a change-up, if you will, that freshened it up. In my mind's ear I hear it as "Sittin' On Top Of The World", with different words. But I need that listen, hence this thread.

By the by, am I right about Little Walter being the author? It was a toss up between he and Willie Dixon. Should I now try my luck at the lottery?

Thanks-

Neil

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Earl
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 12:34 PM

I've seen it attributed to Big Bill Broonzy.

Subject: RE: Looking for
From:
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 08:12 PM

I think it is a pretty old song. Mance Lipscombe does a version too. He explains that the keys to the highway are your feet.

I suspect Broonzy could have introduced it to the Chicago urban blues scene.

Murray

Subject: Lyr Add: KEYS TO THE HIGHWAY
From: Zorro
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 12:46 AM

From a 1959 Folkways album titled "The Blues", songs and interviews with Big Bill Broonzy, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Together they sang a version of Keys To The Highway. No indication of the author.

I've got the key, key to the highway;
Yes Bill's not got far to go;
I'm gonna leave, leave here rfunning,
Because walkin's most too slow.

I'm going down to the river,
Yes, I'm gonna take my rocking chair;
I'm gonna have blues and troubles,
I'm gonna rock on away from there.

I'm going down to the border,
Yes, baby where I'm better know,
Cause you haven't done nothin' here little girl,
But drive a good man from his home.

Now give me one, old kiss baby,
Yes, just before I go;
Cause when I leave this time, my little girl,
I declare, Bill won't be back no more.

Now when the moon peeps over the mountain,
Now you know I'll be on my way;
I'm gonna walk, walk this old highway,
Babe, until the break of day.

So long, good bye,
Yes I hate to say good-bye,
I'm gonna walk, walk this old highway,
Babe, until the day I die.

Enjoy,

Zorro

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 03:02 AM

As far as I'm aware, the first recorded version of the song was made by Bill 'Jazz' Gillum (Chicago, May 9th 1940 - Bluebird B8529) and featured Broonzy on guitar.Broonzy recorded the song himself in Chicago on May 2nd 1941 (Okeh 06242). I've seen both of these credited with writing the song.

Brian

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: neil lowe
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 09:40 AM

Thanks to all for the info concerning the author of "Key To The Highway." It leaves me wondering, however, where I got the notion that either Little Walter or Willie Dixon wrote the song. Maybe I'm confused because one or the other of these cats did a cover of it...no matter. Thanks again...I appreciate all the time and effort you put forth to enlighten me. Have a great day all.

Regards,

Neil

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Jon W.
Date: 16 Dec 98 - 10:31 AM

Neil,

The twist you are talking about is that this is an eight bar blues, not twelve bar. Although somewhat rarer than twelve bar blues, the eight bar variety is just as traditional and venerable.

The only version of "Key to the Highway" I've actually heard is Muddy Waters, but I understand it is a cover of Big Bill Broonzy's version.

Subject: RE: Looking for
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 17 Dec 98 - 08:26 AM

Jon,

Thanks for the info. If I can remember, the next time I listen to a blues song I'll try to discern the difference. Most of the time, however, if the song is really good I get so caught up in the power and emotion of the moment that it could be one of those long Indian ragas and I wouldn't realize it. Such is the power of the blues.

Regards,

Neil

Subject: RE: Looking for "Keys to the Highway"
From: GUEST,Jim Clendenin
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 10:10 PM

Back to the question of a high energy version of Key to the Highway,
I suggest the David Bromberg cover from his You Should See the Rest of the Band album (Fantasy95909). This is also on CD in combination with My Own House as Fantasy FCD-24752-2. This is a driving beat with horn section type of thing. Hope you like it.

Subject: RE: Looking for "Keys to the Highway"
From: DonMeixner
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 10:19 PM

I have a video of Sonny Terry and Brownie Magee doing it live on Pete Seeger's TV show "Rainbow Quest" Its in convenient Beta Max format.
They are the onliest people I have ever heard do it.


Don

Subject: RE: Looking for "Keys to the Highway"
From: PoppaGator
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 12:49 PM

This is probably unnecessary, since most of us undoubtedly know this. The question was asked about five years ago, and no one ever posted an answer, so here goes:

The difference between 12-bar and 8-bar blues is that in the 12-bar form there are 3 lines per stanza (each consisting of of 4 bars, or measures) -- normally an opening line of lyric repeated twice followed by one additional "payoff" line. In the 8-bar form, there are just the two lines per stanza, with no repetition.

The chord-change patterns are different, of course, and each of the two forms has a fairly standard set of changes from which very little variation is "possible." If the change from tonic (I) to dominant (V) occurs right away, at the second bar, you're pretty sure to be in the 8-bar format.

Gotta go -- I'm booked!

Subject: RE: Looking for 'Keys to the Highway'
From: Mark Clark
Date: 23 Jul 03 - 01:16 PM

In Zoro's lyrics above and in the DT, one verse is stated as:

I'm going down to the border,
Yes, baby where I'm better know[n]…

I have always remembered and sung that line as::

I'm going down on the bottoms,
Yes, baby where I'm better known…

The bottoms is the flood plain area near the river, an area in a community often home to poor neighborhoods, gin joints and brothels.

Does anyone know of any academic support for the use of the word border?

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Looking for 'Keys to the Highway'
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Aug 03 - 04:12 AM

Chords/TAB