John Lee Hooker | ||
| Allmusic Biography : He was beloved worldwide as the king of the endless boogie, a genuine blues superstar whose droning, hypnotic one-chord grooves were at once both ultra-primitive and timeless. But John Lee Hooker recorded in a great many more styles than that over a career that stretched across more than half a century. "The Hook" was a Mississippi native who became the top gent on the Detroit blues circuit in the years following World War II. The seeds for his eerily mournful guitar sound were planted by his stepfather, Will Moore, while Hooker was in his teens. Hooker had been singing spirituals before that, but the blues took hold and simply wouldnt let go. Overnight visitors left their mark on the youth, too: legends like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, and Blind Blake, who all knew Moore. Hooker heard Memphis calling while he was still in his teens, but he couldnt gain much of a foothold there. So he relocated to Cincinnati for a seven-year stretch before making the big move to the Motor City in 1943. Jobs were plentiful, but Hooker drifted away from day gigs in favor of playing his unique free-form brand of blues. A burgeoning club scene along Hastings Street didnt hurt his chances any. In 1948, the aspiring bluesman hooked up with entrepreneur Bernie Besman, who helped him hammer out his solo debut sides, "Sally Mae" and its seminal flip, "Boogie Chillen." This was blues as primitive as anything then on the market; Hookers dark, ruminative vocals were backed only by his own ringing, heavily amplified guitar and insistently pounding foot. Their efforts were quickly rewarded. Los Angeles-based Modern Records issued the sides and "Boogie Chillen" -- a colorful, unique travelogue of Detroits blues scene -- made an improbable jaunt to the very peak of the R&B; charts. Modern released several more major hits by "the Boogie Man" after that: "Hobo Blues" and its raw-as-an-open wound flip, "Hoogie Boogie"; "Crawling King Snake Blues" (all three 1949 smashes); and the unusual 1951 chart-topper "Im in the Mood," where Hooker overdubbed his voice three times in a crude early attempt at multi-tracking. But Hooker never, ever let something as meaningless as a contract stop him for making recordings for other labels. His early catalog is stretched across a road map of diskeries so complex that its nearly impossible to fully comprehend (a vast array of recording aliases dont make things any easier). Along with Modern, Hooker recorded for King (as the geographically challenged Texas Slim), Regent (as Delta John, a far more accurate handle), Savoy (as the wonderfully surreal Birmingham Sam & His Magic Guitar), Danceland (as the downright delicious Little Pork Chops), Staff (as Johnny Williams), Sensation (for whom he scored a national hit in 1950 with "Huckle Up, Baby"), Gotham, Regal, Swing Time, Federal, Gone (as John Lee Booker), Chess, Acorn (as the Boogie Man), Chance, DeLuxe (as Johnny Lee), JVB, Chart, and Specialty; before finally settling down at Vee-Jay in 1955 under his own name. Hooker became the point man for the growing Detroit blues scene during this incredibly prolific period, recruiting guitarist Eddie Kirkland as his frequent duet partner while still recording for Modern. Once tied in with Vee-Jay, the rough-and-tumble sound of Hookers solo and duet waxings was adapted to a band format. Hooker had recorded with various combos along the way before, but never with sidemen as versatile and sympathetic as guitarist Eddie Taylor and harpist Jimmy Reed, who backed him at his initial Vee-Jay date that produced "Time Is Marching" and the superfluous sequel "Mambo Chillun." Taylor stuck around for a 1956 session that elicited two genuine Hooker classics, "Baby Lee" and "Dimples," and he was still deftly anchoring the rhythm section (Hookers sense of timing was his and his alone, demanding big-eared sidemen) when the Boogie Man finally made it back to the R&B; charts in 1958 with "I Love You Honey." Vee-Jay presented Hooker in quite an array of settings during the early 60s. His grinding, tough blues "No Shoes" proved a surprisingly sizable hit in 1960, while the storming "Boom Boom," his top seller for the firm in 1962 (it even cracked the pop airwaves), was an infectious R&B; dance number benefiting from the reported presence of some of Motowns house musicians. But there were also acoustic outings aimed squarely at the blossoming folk-blues crowd, as well as some attempts at up-to-date R&B; that featured highly intrusive female background vocals (allegedly by the Vandellas) and utterly unyielding structures that hemmed Hooker in unmercifully. British blues bands such as the Animals and Yardbirds idolized Hooker during the early 60s; Eric Burdons boys cut a credible 1964 cover of "Boom Boom" that outsold Hookers original on the American pop charts. Hooker visited Europe in 1962 under the auspices of the first American Folk Blues Festival, leaving behind the popular waxings "Lets Make It" and "Shake It Baby" for foreign consumption. Back home, Hooker cranked out gems for Vee-Jay through 1964 ("Big Legs, Tight Skirt," one of his last offerings on the logo, was also one of his best), before undergoing another extended round of label-hopping (except this time, he was waxing whole LPs instead of scattered 78s). Verve-Folkways, Impulse!, Chess, and BluesWay all enticed him into recording for them in 1965-1966 alone! His reputation among hip rock cognoscenti in the States and abroad was growing exponentially, especially after he teamed up with blues-rockers Canned Heat for the massively selling album Hooker n Heat in 1970. Eventually, though, the endless boogie formula grew incredibly stagnant. Much of Hookers 1970s output found him laying back while plodding rock-rooted rhythm sections assumed much of the work load. A cameo in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers was welcome, if far too short. But Hooker wasnt through; not by a long shot. With the expert help of slide guitarist extraordinaire/producer Roy Rogers, the Hook waxed The Healer, an album that marked the first of his guest star-loaded albums (Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, and Robert Cray were among the luminaries to cameo on the disc, which picked up a Grammy). Major labels were just beginning to take notice of the growing demand for blues records, and Pointblank snapped Hooker up, releasing Mr. Lucky (this time teaming Hooker with everyone from Albert Collins and John Hammond to Van Morrison and Keith Richards). Once again, Hooker was resting on his laurels by allowing his guests to wrest much of the spotlight away from him on his own album, but by then, hed earned it. Another Pointblank set, Boom Boom, soon followed. Happily, Hooker enjoyed the good life throughout the 90s. He spent much of his time in semi-retirement, splitting his relaxation time between several houses acquired up and down the California coast. When the right offer came along, though, he took it, including an amusing TV commercial for Pepsi. He also kept recording, releasing such star-studded efforts as 1995s Chill Out and 1997s Dont Look Back. All this helped him retain his status as a living legend, and he remained an American musical icon; and his stature wasnt diminished upon his death from natural causes on June 21, 2001. In 2017, to celebrate the centennial of Hookers birth, his estate cooperated with Craft Records to create the commemorative box set King of the Boogie, which featured a career-spanning collection of his recordings spread over three discs, as well as a fourth disc devoted to live recordings and a fifth featuring duets with other performers. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 44 Title: Everybodys Blues Released: Tracks: 20 Duration: 57:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Do My Baby Think of Me (02:53) 2 Three Long Years Today (03:05) 3 Strike Blues (02:39) 4 Grinder Man (03:11) 5 Walkin This Highway (02:18) 6 Four Women in My Life (03:13) 7 I Need Lovin (02:56) 8 Find Me A Woman (02:40) 9 Im Mad (02:47) 10 I Been Done So Wrong (02:44) 11 Boogie Rambler (02:39) 12 I Keep The Blues (02:33) 13 No More Doggin aka No More Foolin (02:28) 14 Everybodys Blues (02:50) 15 Anybodys Blues (I Love You Baby) (02:21) 16 Locked Up In Jail aka Prison Blues (02:51) 17 Nothin But Trouble (Dont Take Your Wifes Family In) (03:24) 18 I Need Love So Bad (03:10) 19 Dont Trust Nobody (03:46) 20 Odds Against Me aka Backbiters And Syndicators (03:05) |
| Everybody's Blues : Allmusic album Review : John Lee Hooker reissues abound, as might be expected of a singer and guitarist whos recorded hundreds of songs for countless labels since the late 40s. What makes the 20 tracks on Everybodys Blues different from the mountain of other Hooker material available is the fact that seven of them are newly issued, and most were done in the studio with Hooker wailing and accompanying himself on guitar minus any backing chorus or production armada. Even the cuts with a supporting combo are animated and loose, with the vocal trademarks that are now established Hooker cliches sounding fresh and genuine. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 44 Title: Hobo Blues Released: Tracks: 15 Duration: 42:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hobo Blues (03:00) 2 War Is Over (Goodbye California) (02:45) 3 Crawling’ King Snake (02:58) 4 Boogie Chillen (03:06) 5 Bumblee Bee Blues (02:48) 6 Hoogie Boogie (02:54) 7 Sally Mae (03:05) 8 Drifting From Door to Door (02:57) 9 Miss Sadie Mae (02:45) 10 Hastings Street Boogie (02:17) 11 Burnin’ Hell (02:40) 12 Sailing Blues (02:46) 13 Momma Poppa Boogie (02:55) 14 Henry’s Swing Club (03:08) 15 Weeping Willow Boogie (02:46) |
 | Album: 3 of 44 Title: Highway of Blues Released: 1959 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Whiskey, Women and Loaded Dice (02:43) 2 Sad, Bad, Glad (03:00) 3 Head Happy With Wine (02:30) 4 Dealin’ From the Bottom (02:44) 5 Get Your Mind Out of the Gutter (02:47) 6 Jungle Juice (02:26) 7 Nightmare Blues (02:59) 8 Moaning Blues (03:05) 9 Don’t Go Baby (03:18) 10 Thinking Blues (03:03) 11 Late Last Night (03:03) 12 Devil’s Jump (03:52) |
 | Album: 4 of 44 Title: The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker Released: 1959 Tracks: 12 Duration: 39:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Black Snake (03:35) 2 Wobblin’ Baby (02:52) 3 She’s Long, She’s Tall, She Weeps Like a Willow Tree (02:49) 4 Pea Vine Special (03:12) 5 Tupelo Blues (03:17) 6 I’m Prison Bound (04:00) 7 I Rowed a Little Boat (03:29) 8 Water Boy (03:02) 9 Church Bell Tone (03:35) 10 Bundle Up and Go (02:00) 11 Good Mornin’ Lil’ School Girl (03:41) 12 Behind the Plow (04:22) |
| The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker : Allmusic album Review : John Lee Hooker was still churning out R&B-influenced; electric blues with a rhythm section for Vee Jay when he recorded The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker, his first album packaged for the folk/traditional blues market. He plays nothing but acoustic guitar, and seems to have selected a repertoire with old-school country-blues in mind. Its unimpressive only within the context of Hookers body of work; in comparison with other solo outings, the guitar sounds thin, and the approach restrained. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 44 Title: I’m John Lee Hooker Released: 1959 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dimples (02:14) 2 Hobo Blues (02:48) 3 I’m So Excited (02:54) 4 I Love You Honey (02:34) 5 Boogie Chillun (02:36) 6 Little Wheel (02:35) 7 I’m in the Mood (02:44) 8 Maudie (02:20) 9 Crawlin’ King Snake (02:43) 10 Every Night (02:59) 11 Time Is Marching (03:02) 12 Baby Lee (02:49) |
| I’m John Lee Hooker : Allmusic album Review : Winding through the literally hundreds of titles in John Lee Hookers catalog is a daunting task for even the most seasoned and learned blues connoisseur. This is especially true when considering Hooker recorded under more than a dozen aliases for as many labels during the late 40s, 50s, and early 60s. Im John Lee Hooker was first issued in 1959 during his tenure with Vee Jay and is "the Hook" in his element as well as prime. Although many of these titles were initially cut for Los Angeles-based Modern Records in the early 50s, the recordings heard here are said to best reflect Hookers often-emulated straight-ahead primitive Detroit and Chicago blues styles. The sessions here comprise Im John Lee Hooker, with its 12 tracks taken from six sessions spread over the course of four years (1955-1959). Hooker works both solo -- accompanied only by his own percussive guitar and the solid backbeat of his foot rhythmically pulsating against plywood -- as well as in several different small-combo settings. Unlike the diluted, pop-oriented blues that first came to prominence in the wake of the British Invasion of the early to mid-60s, the music on this album is infinitely more authentic in presentation. As the track list indicates, Im John Lee Hooker includes many of his best-known and best-loved works. Right out of the gate comes the guttural rumble-tumble of "Dimples" in its best-known form; indeed, it can be directly traced to -- and is likewise acknowledged by -- notable purveyors of Brit rock such as Eric Burdon, who incorporated it into the earliest incarnation of the Animals, the Spencer Davis Group, and the decidedly more roots-influenced Duane Allman. Another of Hookers widely covered signature tunes featured on this volume is "Boogie Chillun." This rendering is arguably the most recognizable in the plethora of versions that have seemingly appeared on every Hooker-related compilation available. Additionally, this version was prominently featured in The Blues Brothers movie as well as countless other films and adverts. Likewise, a seminal solo "Crawlin King Snake" is included here. The tune became not only a staple of Hookers, it was also prominently included on the Doors L.A. Woman and covered by notable bluesmen Albert King, B.B. King, and Big Joe Williams, whose version pre-dates this one by several decades. Im John Lee Hooker is one of the great blues collections of the post-World War II era. Time has, if anything, only reinforced the significance of the album. It belongs in every blues enthusiasts collection without reservation. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 44 Title: House of the Blues Released: 1959 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:12:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Louise (03:05) 2 High Priced Woman (02:44) 3 Union Station Blues (02:57) 4 Ground Hog Blues (02:58) 5 Leave My Wife Alone (02:48) 6 Ramblin’ by Myself (03:20) 7 Walkin’ the Boogie (02:44) 8 Sugar Mama (03:15) 9 Love Blues (03:01) 10 Down at the Landing (02:56) 11 It’s My Own Fault Darling (03:00) 12 Women and Money (02:57) 13 Stella Mae (02:58) 14 Peace Lovin’ Man (03:36) 15 Let’s Go Out Tonight (06:51) 16 I Put My Trust in You (05:19) 17 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (03:00) 18 You Know, I Know (03:49) 19 I’ll Never Trust Your Love Again (03:20) 20 In the Mood (02:43) 21 The Waterfront (05:09) |
| House of the Blues : Allmusic album Review : This 1959 Chess album collects 1951-1954 efforts by John Lee Hooker. Some important titles here are the ominous "Leave My Wife Alone," the stark "Sugar Mama," "Ramblin by Myself," and with Eddie Kirkland on second guitar, "Louise" and "High Priced Woman." | ||
 | Album: 7 of 44 Title: That’s My Story (Sings the Blues) Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Need Some Money (02:27) 2 Come On and See About Me (03:09) 3 I’m Wanderin’ (05:18) 4 Democrat Man (03:28) 5 I Want to Talk About You (03:04) 6 Gonna Use My Rod (04:22) 7 Wednesday Evening Blues (03:34) 8 No More Doggin’ (02:48) 9 One of These Days (04:10) 10 I Believe I’ll Go Back Home (03:43) 11 You’re Leavin’ Me Baby (03:55) 12 That’s My Story (04:35) |
 | Album: 8 of 44 Title: Travelin’ Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 30:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 No Shoes (02:25) 2 I Wanna Walk (02:14) 3 Canal Street Blues (02:54) 4 Run On (02:11) 5 I’m a Stranger (02:41) 6 Whiskey and Wimmen (02:58) 7 Solid Sender (02:34) 8 Sunny Land (02:29) 9 Goin’ to California (02:23) 10 I Can’t Believe (02:50) 11 I’ll Know Tonight (02:41) 12 Dusty Road (02:09) |
 | Album: 9 of 44 Title: John Lee Hooker Sings Blues Released: 1960 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wandering Blues (03:17) 2 I’m Gonna Kill That Woman (03:03) 3 Heart Trouble Blues (02:57) 4 Don’t You Remember Me? (02:44) 5 Slim’s Stomp (02:58) 6 The Numbers (03:07) 7 Nightmare Blues (02:57) 8 Moanin’ Blues (03:01) 9 Don’t Go Baby (03:12) 10 Thinking Blues (03:03) 11 Late Last Night (02:58) 12 Devil’s Jump (02:53) |
| John Lee Hooker Sings Blues : Allmusic album Review : "Wandering Blues," the driving opener throughout which Hooker keeps time loudly with his foot, should give listeners a sense of what to expect from SINGS THE BLUES. These spare, raw recordings, originally made for the King label (the subtitle reads "16 selections-every one a pearl"!), are Hooker at his finest. Hookers primitive gutbucket electric guitar is the main ingredient here, and it is his hard-edged boogie playing that fuels the fire. Though somewhat less of a growl than on later recordings, Hookers voice is no less soulful or urgent. It seethes with dark energy on such cuts as "Heart Trouble Blues" and the pulsing "Nightmare Blues." This work is vintage electric-blues, as cuts like "Thinking Blues" and "Blue Guitar Blues" will attest. Taken together, the tracks on SINGS BLUES are excellent examples of the gripping synthesis of folk blues and electric power that marks Hookers early work. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 44 Title: Plays and Sings the Blues Released: 1961 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Journey (03:46) 2 I Don’t Want Your Money (03:04) 3 Hey Baby (03:29) 4 Mad Man Blues (02:45) 5 Bluebird (03:04) 6 Worried Life Blues (03:06) 7 Apologize (03:04) 8 Lonely Boy Boogie (03:01) 9 Please Don’t Go (02:30) 10 Dreamin’ Blues (03:08) 11 Hey Boogie (02:02) 12 Just Me and My Telephone (03:22) |
| Plays and Sings the Blues : Allmusic album Review : A 1961 Chess album restored to digital print by MCA thats filled with 1951-1952 gems from the Hooks heyday. Chess originally bought "Mad Man Blues" and "Hey Boogie" from the Gone label; the rest first came out on Chess during Hookers frenzied early days of recording, when his platters turned up on nearly every R&B; indie label existant at the time. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 44 Title: The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker Released: 1961 Tracks: 16 Duration: 49:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tupelo (03:24) 2 I’m Mad Again (02:41) 3 I’m Going Upstairs (02:55) 4 Want Ad Blues (02:16) 5 Five Long Years (03:39) 6 I Like to See You Walk (02:54) 7 The Hobo (03:08) 8 Hard Headed Woman (02:32) 9 Wednesday Evening (03:59) 10 Take Me as I Am (03:01) 11 My First Wife Left Me (03:35) 12 You’re Looking Good Tonight (02:56) 13 Maudie (At Newport) (02:49) 14 You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone (03:03) 15 Dirty Ground Hog (03:33) 16 Moanin’ Blues (03:16) |
| The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker : Allmusic album Review : From the vaults of Vee Jay Records comes an abundance of classic John Lee Hooker reissues, featuring original art work, running orders, and budget prices courtesy of the Collectables label. With the amount of Hooker material available on the market, some of it is of dubious quality, but you cant go wrong with these reissues. The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker was released in 1961, combining 12 tracks of both acoustic and electric tunes like "Tupelo" and "The Hobo" (recorded at the Newport Folk Festival in 1960), "Im Mad Again," "Im Going Upstairs," and "Hard-Headed Woman." All of the Hooker Vee Jay reissues are recommended. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 44 Title: Burnin’ Released: 1962 Tracks: 11 Duration: 31:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Boom Boom (02:31) 2 Process (03:49) 3 I Lost a Good Girl (02:51) 4 A New Leaf (02:30) 5 Blues Before Sunrise (03:50) 6 Let’s Make It (02:24) 7 I Got a Letter This Morning (02:44) 8 Thelma (03:31) 9 Drug Store Woman (02:45) 10 Keep Your Hands to Yourself (02:10) 11 What Do You Say (02:30) |
| Burnin’ : Allmusic album Review : From the vaults of Vee Jay Records comes an abundance of classic John Lee Hooker reissues, featuring original art work, running orders, and budget prices from the Collectables label. With the amount of Hooker material available on the market, some of it is of dubious quality, but you cant go wrong with these reissues. Burnin was released in 1962 and combines 12 tracks of electric material performed by Hooker backed by a band on ""Boom Boom," "Blues Before Sunrise," "Drug Store Woman," and "What Do You Say." All of the Hooker Vee Jay reissues are recommended. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 44 Title: John Lee Hooker Released: 1962 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Might As Well Say Were Through (02:45) 2 Risin Sun (Louisiana Voo-Doo) (02:54) 3 Lost My Job (03:01) 4 Left My Wife And My Baby (02:59) 5 Travelin Day And Night (02:56) 6 Deep Down In My Heart (02:57) 7 Shake It Up And Go (02:31) 8 Fire At Natchez (03:08) 9 The Sweetest Girl I Know (02:59) 10 Mad With You Baby (02:58) 11 My Mother-In-Law Moved In (03:09) 12 Ballad To Abraham Lincoln (03:04) |
 | Album: 14 of 44 Title: The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker Released: 1963 Tracks: 11 Duration: 26:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 San Francisco (02:48) 2 Take a Look at Yourself (02:49) 3 Send Me Your Pillow (02:29) 4 She Shot Me Down (02:52) 5 I Love Her (02:15) 6 Old Time Shimmy (02:19) 7 You Know I Love You (01:57) 8 Big Soul (02:10) 9 Good Rockin’ Mama (02:29) 10 Onions (02:12) 11 No One Told Me (02:08) |
| The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker : Allmusic album Review : There may not be much running time to this LP -- not even 30 minutes -- but John Lee Hooker gives us value for every second there is, and in a totally unexpected setting. Jumping into the R&B; and soul explosions of the early 60s -- or at least dipping his toe into them -- hes backed here by the Vandellas, no less, on all but one of the 11 songs here. And coupled with an uncredited band that includes organ accompaniment, among other attributes that one doesnt usually associate with Hooker, he pulls it off. Indeed, he manages to straddle blues and soul far better than, say, Muddy Waters did during this same period; hes still a little too intense for the more pop side of the field, but hes also stretching the appeal of the blues with every nuance on this record, and there are a few cuts here, such as "Send Me Your Pillow" that would have fit on any of Hookers far more traditional-sounding blues releases; and others, such as "She Shot Me Down" (a rewrite of "Boom Boom"), that are so close to his well-known standard repertory that they slip right into his output without explanation. And the whole album is short enough so that even if he would have gone wrong -- which he didnt -- there was only so far he could have gone wrong. As it is, this is near-essential listening as some of Hookers most interesting work of the 60s. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 44 Title: On Campus Released: 1963 Tracks: 12 Duration: 35:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’m Leaving (02:15) 2 Love Is a Burning Thing (02:44) 3 Birmingham Blues (02:58) 4 I Want to Shout (02:27) 5 Don’t Look Back (03:00) 6 I Want to Hug You (02:44) 7 Poor Me (03:15) 8 I Want to Ramble (02:30) 9 Half a Stranger (04:25) 10 My Grinding Mill (03:13) 11 Bottle Up and Go (02:27) 12 One Way Ticket (03:30) |
| On Campus : Allmusic album Review : Vee Jays 1964 album John Lee Hooker on Campus is titled to sound like a live recording but it isnt. As part of the Collectables Vee Jay reissue campaign, these 12 tracks originally tried to capitalize on Hookers emergence on the coffeehouse/college tours he was involved in at the time. This is an electric album that contains excellent material from Hooker, even though the occasional background singers get in the way, attempting to modernize his gritty blues with a smoother soul sound. All of the Vee Jay reissues of John Lee Hooker material are worth having and are budget priced as a bonus. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 44 Title: The Great John Lee Hooker Released: 1963 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Need Love So Bad (?) 2 Sally Mae (?) 3 Key to the Highway (?) 4 How Can You Do It? (?) 5 It Hurts Me So (?) 6 She Left Me (?) 7 I Got Eyes for You (?) 8 Let’s Talk It Over (?) 9 I’m a Howling Wolf (?) 10 Tease You Daddy (?) |
 | Album: 17 of 44 Title: Don’t Turn Me From Your Door Released: 1963-02 Tracks: 16 Duration: 43:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Stuttering Blues (02:18) 2 Pouring Down Rain (02:37) 3 You Lost a Good Man (02:52) 4 Love My Baby (02:38) 5 Misbelieving Baby (02:32) 6 Drifting Blues (03:33) 7 Wobbling Baby (02:39) 8 Goin’ South (03:09) 9 Don’t Turn Me From Your Door (02:44) 10 My Baby Don’t Love Me (03:02) 11 I Ain’t Got Nobody (02:30) 12 Real Real Gone (02:26) 13 Guitar Lovin’ Man (02:43) 14 Talk About Your Baby (02:35) 15 Blue Monday (02:32) 16 My Baby Put Me Down (02:33) |
 | Album: 18 of 44 Title: Burning Hell Released: 1964 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:05:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Burning Hell (03:13) 2 Graveyard Blues (03:34) 3 Baby, Please Dont Go (04:48) 4 Jackson, Tennessee (03:17) 5 You Live Your Life and Ill Live Mine (03:20) 6 Smokestack Lightnin (03:19) 7 How Can You Do It? (02:55) 8 I Dont Want No Woman If Her Hair Aint No Longer Than Mine (short-Haired Woman) (03:14) 9 I Rolled and Turned and Cried the Whole Night Long (03:45) 10 Blues for My Baby (03:34) 11 Key to the Highway (03:08) 12 Natchez Fire (Burnin) (03:00) 13 Hobo Blues (02:46) 14 Crawlin Kingsnake (02:42) 15 I Cant Believe (02:46) 16 Worried Life Blues (03:03) 17 Five Long Years (03:35) 18 I Dont Want Your Money (03:01) 19 Take Me as I Am (02:58) 20 Tupelo (live) (03:22) |
| Burning Hell : Allmusic album Review : A 1959 recording that was inexplicably not issued in the United States until 1992, Burning Hell ranks among John Lee Hookers most edgy and focused performances. A companion piece to The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker, it finds Hooker singing country-blues, accompanied only by his own acoustic guitar -- something he rarely did after traveling north from the Mississippi Delta. Tackling several originals as well as tunes associated with Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Lightnin Hopkins, and Big Bill Broonzy, Hooker shows himself to be an excellent interpreter who could have held his own with Delta bluesmen of any era. Although his guitar playing is pretty raw even by blues standards, Hooker more than compensates with his powerful, resonant voice. Several tracks, including "Burnin Hell" and "You Live Your Life and Ill Live Mine," are downright frightening in their intensity. Although Robert Jr. Lockwood is often identified as Robert Johnsons successor, this album would seem to indicate that John Lee Hooker is the most likely candidate to have a hellhound on his trail. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 44 Title: The Real Folk Blues Released: 1966 Tracks: 9 Duration: 37:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Let’s Go Out Tonight (06:55) 2 Peace Lovin’ Man (03:48) 3 Stella Mae (02:59) 4 I Put My Trust in You (05:17) 5 I’m in the Mood (02:41) 6 You Know, I Know (03:46) 7 I’ll Never Trust Your Love Again (03:20) 8 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (03:01) 9 The Waterfront (05:22) |
| The Real Folk Blues : Allmusic album Review : Listeners wanting to find a comprehensive collection of Hookers work may not find it here, but they certainly wont be disappointed once the needle hits the grooves on this solid 1966 Chess release by the blues master. Featuring nine Hooker originals, the set is a fetching mix of raucously fun up-tempo cuts ("Lets Go Out Tonight") and starkly slow classics ("Stella Mae"). And in between, one can sample classics like "Im in the Mood" and the incredible ballad closer, "The Waterfront." | ||
 | Album: 20 of 44 Title: …and Seven Nights Released: 1966 Tracks: 11 Duration: 40:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Dont Want Nobody Else (02:27) 2 Storming on the Deep Blue Sea (03:18) 3 Im Losing You (03:56) 4 Little Girl Go Back to School (03:41) 5 Dont Be Messing With My Bread (03:20) 6 Mary Lee (03:19) 7 I Cover the Waterfront (04:04) 8 Crazy Mixed-Up World (04:24) 9 Seven Days (03:47) 10 Little Dreamer (04:20) 11 Lost Everything (03:54) |
 | Album: 21 of 44 Title: It Serve You Right to Suffer Released: 1966-06 Tracks: 8 Duration: 32:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shake It Baby (04:23) 2 Country Boy (05:40) 3 Bottle Up and Go (02:28) 4 You’re Wrong (04:21) 5 Sugar Mama (03:15) 6 Decoration Day (05:09) 7 Money (That’s What I Want) (02:26) 8 It Serves You Right to Suffer (05:08) |
| It Serve You Right to Suffer : Allmusic album Review : Given Hookers unpredictable timing and piss-poor track record recording with bands, this 1965 one-off session for the jazz label Impulse! would be a recipe for disaster. But with Panama Francis on drums, Milt Hinton on bass, and Barry Galbraith on second guitar, the result is some of the best John Lee Hooker material with a band that youre likely to come across. The other musicians stay in the pocket, never overplaying or trying to get Hooker to make chord changes he has no intention of making. This record should be played for every artist who records with Hooker nowadays, as its a textbook example of how exactly to back the old master. The most surreal moment occurs when William Wells blows some totally cool trombone on Hookers version of Berry Gordys "Money." If you run across this one in a pile of 500 other John Lee Hooker CDs, grab it; its one of the good ones. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 44 Title: Urban Blues Released: 1968 Tracks: 12 Duration: 30:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cry Before I Go (02:38) 2 Boom Boom Boom (02:44) 3 Back Biters and Syndicators (02:51) 4 Mr. Lucky (02:54) 5 My Own Blues (02:35) 6 I Can’t Stand to Leave You (02:34) 7 Think Twice Before You Go (02:04) 8 I’m Standing in Line (02:24) 9 Hot Spring Water, Part 1 (02:33) 10 Hot Spring Water, Part 2 (02:02) 11 The Motor City Is Burning (02:52) 12 Want Ad Blues (02:22) |
| Urban Blues : Allmusic album Review : This is the Boogie Mans 1967 ABC-BluesWay album in its entirety. Hookers Chicago sidemen (including Eddie Taylor, Wayne Bennett, and Louis Myers) deftly handle Hookers eccentricities on "Mr. Lucky," and the harrowing "The Motor City Is Burning," as well as a sprightly remake of "Boom Boom." | ||
 | Album: 23 of 44 Title: If You Miss ’Im… I Got ’Im Released: 1969 Tracks: 9 Duration: 46:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 The Hookers (If You Miss ’Im… I Got ’Im) (04:44) 2 Baby, I Love You (04:11) 3 Lonesome Mood (05:15) 4 Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang (04:46) 5 If You Take Care of Me, I’ll Take Care of You (03:38) 6 Baby, Be Strong (05:07) 7 I Wanna Be Your Puppy, Baby (08:14) 8 I Don’t Care When You Go (02:39) 9 Have Mercy on My Soul! (07:55) |
 | Album: 24 of 44 Title: Thats Where Its At! Released: 1969 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Teachin’ the Blues (03:27) 2 Goin’ to Louisiana (04:40) 3 I Need You (03:00) 4 My Love Comes Down for You (03:30) 5 Please Don’t Go (02:51) 6 I Just Don’t Know (03:49) 7 Slow and Easy (03:11) 8 Two White Horses (03:58) 9 Feel So Bad (07:49) 10 Grinder Man (03:55) |
 | Album: 25 of 44 Title: Simply the Truth Released: 1969 Tracks: 8 Duration: 37:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Don’t Wanna Go to Vietnam (05:36) 2 Mini Skirts (03:28) 3 Mean Mean Woman (05:44) 4 I Wanna Bugaloo (04:15) 5 Tantalizing With the Blues (05:05) 6 (Twist Ain’t Nothin’) But the Old Time Shimmy (03:19) 7 One Room Country Shack (04:27) 8 I’m Just a Drifter (06:04) |
| Simply the Truth : Allmusic album Review : Overseen by noted jazz producer Bob Thiele, this session had Hooker backed by some of his fullest arrangements to date, with noted session drummer Pretty Purdie and keyboards in addition to supplementary guitar and bass. The slightly modernized sound was ultimately neither here nor there, the center remaining Hookers voice and lyrics. His words nodded toward contemporary concerns with "I Dont Wanna Go to Vietnam" and "Mini Skirts," but the songs were mostly consistent with his usual approaches. Another of his many characteristically solid efforts, although its not one of his more interesting albums. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 44 Title: Any Where / Any Time / Any Place Released: 1971 Tracks: 14 Duration: 41:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Come Back Baby (02:56) 2 Forgive Me (03:15) 3 Street Is Filled With Women (03:14) 4 Moon Is Rising (02:50) 5 Whistle Done Blown (03:09) 6 Turnin’ Gray Blues (02:46) 7 She Was in Chicago (02:56) 8 Lord Taketh My Baby Away (03:00) 9 Just Like a Woman (03:00) 10 Throw This Old Dog a Bone (03:01) 11 Johnny Lee’s Mood (03:02) 12 Miss Eloise, Miss Eloise (02:40) 13 Crying All Night (02:41) 14 Welfare Blues (02:54) |
 | Album: 27 of 44 Title: I Feel Good! Released: 1971 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 I Feel Good (04:13) 2 Baby Baby (04:30) 3 Dazie Mae (04:28) 4 Stand By (06:27) 5 Going Home (03:09) 6 Looking Back Over My Day (04:38) 7 Roll & Tumble (05:07) 8 Baby Don’t Do Me Wrong (05:03) 9 Come On Baby (05:14) |
 | Album: 28 of 44 Title: Hooker ’n Heat Released: 1971-01 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:26:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Messin’ With the Hook (03:19) 2 The Feelin’ Is Gone (04:30) 3 Send Me Your Pillow (04:46) 4 Sittin’ Here Thinkin’ (04:07) 5 Meet Me in the Bottom (03:33) 6 Alimonia Blues (04:31) 7 Drifter (04:56) 8 You Talk Too Much (03:15) 9 Burning Hell (05:25) 10 Bottle Up and Go (02:28) 1 The World Today (07:44) 2 I Got My Eyes on You (04:25) 3 Whiskey and Wimmen’ (04:34) 4 Just You and Me (07:39) 5 Let’s Make It (04:04) 6 Peavine (05:04) 7 Boogie Chillen No. 2 (11:33) |
 | Album: 29 of 44 Title: Never Get Out of These Blues Alive Released: 1972 Tracks: 7 Duration: 39:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bumblebee, Bumblebee (04:12) 2 Hit the Road (02:57) 3 Country Boy (06:59) 4 Boogie With the Hook (06:32) 5 T.B. Sheets (04:58) 6 Letter to My Baby (03:57) 7 Never Get Out of These Blues Alive (10:15) |
| Never Get Out of These Blues Alive : Allmusic album Review : Following the legendary bluesmans popular collaboration with Canned Heat, this album continues his work with mostly younger musicians and predates similar projects The Healer and Mr. Lucky by about 20 years. Van Morrison spans the gap by appearing on this 1972 release and Mr. Lucky. Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, and even Steve Miller contribute here. Jazz violinist Michael White helps "Boogie With the Hook" take off and adds a mournful touch to the harrowing "T.B. Sheets," which is much more restrained here than on the earlier debut release by Morrison. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 44 Title: Free Beer and Chicken Released: 1974 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Make It Funky (03:23) 2 Five Long Years (06:02) 3 713 Blues (05:57) 4 714 Blues (01:39) 5 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (03:33) 6 Homework (04:27) 7 Bluebird (05:25) 8 Settin’ On Top of the World (03:24) 9 (You’ll Never Amount to Anything If You Don’t Go to) Collage (05:55) |
| Free Beer and Chicken : Allmusic album Review : In some ways this is a typical John Lee Hooker album; in other ways it is totally unlike any other he did. Being interesting can be a curse, however, as the music itself just isnt that inspired. Of course, if these tracks were released by an unknown that might be another story, but this is John Lee Hooker. Yes, this is Hooker, fiddling around under the thumb of an ABC contract and seemingly in the hands of producer Ed Michel, whose credits and track record of good albums is not to be sneezed at. Free Beer and Chicken has the sound of a collection of tracks that were salvaged from some ambitious but never finished project involving dozens of guests. Thats one thing that is typical, or at least would become typical in the last, most high-profile decade of Hookers career. His albums from the 90s became limousine rides in which faces from People magazine would wind up sitting atop the listeners speaker box, at least symbolically. Michel predicts this trend by inviting Joe Cocker as well as several other stars whose identities were lost when the label cheaped out on including the insert after the first pressing of the album sold out. Michel also invited some of the artists he was producing for ABCs sister company, Impulse!, creating some unusual partners for Hooker, such as Sam Rivers on flute and Michael White on violin. This album is thus useful to connect vast portions of the avant-garde jazz, blues, and rock scenes in degrees of separation games, but in the case of Rivers his appearance is no big deal musically. White does crank out some good violin solos, while the burbles and mutterings of strange funk guitarists such as Wa Wa Watsou and Mel Brown are diverting, if not moving. Still, Free Beer and Chicken gets a low rating due to the presence of all the talent mentioned, as well as the genius of Hooker: With all that going for it, this should have been a much better album. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 44 Title: In Person Released: 1974 Tracks: 10 Duration: 28:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You’re Gonna Need Another Favor (04:54) 2 New Sally Mae (03:36) 3 Your Baby Aint Sweet Like Mine (?) 4 She’s Long, She’s Tall (02:28) 5 You’re Mellow (04:09) 6 Will the Circle Be Unbroken (?) 7 Flowers on the Hour (02:38) 8 It Serves Me Right to Suffer (03:32) 9 Ain’t No Big Thing Baby (04:10) 10 You Can Run Baby (02:59) |
 | Album: 32 of 44 Title: Jealous Released: 1986 Tracks: 12 Duration: 49:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jealous (03:29) 2 Ninety Days (03:26) 3 Early One Morning (04:04) 4 When My First Wife Left Me (04:32) 5 Boogie Woman (04:28) 6 Well Well (04:48) 7 I Didn’t Know (03:02) 8 We’ll Meet Again (03:59) 9 Worried Life Blues (02:28) 10 Ninety Days (reprise) (03:21) 11 Lonely Man (06:26) 12 Decoration Day (05:11) |
| Jealous : Allmusic album Review : While Jealous is propelled by the scarily spare stomp of Hooks guitar, it has few standout moments. Instead, it is a consistent record, with few highs or lows -- its a standard contemporary blues album, without many peaks or valleys. Jealous may be a grittier record than its successor, The Healer, but it tends to fade into the background, making it one of his more undistinguished albums. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 44 Title: Detroit Blues Released: 1987 Tracks: 16 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 House Rent Boogie (?) 2 Wandering Blues (?) 3 Making a Fool Out of Me (?) 4 Questionnaire Blues (?) 5 Real Gone Gal (?) 6 Squeeze Me Baby (?) 7 Feed Her All Night (?) 8 Gangster Blues (?) 9 Where Did You Stay Last Night (?) 10 My Daddy Was a Jockey (?) 11 Little Boy Blue (?) 12 How Long Must I Be Your Slave (?) 13 Grieving Blues (?) 14 Ground Hog (?) 15 Mean Old Train (?) 16 Catfish Blues (?) |
| Detroit Blues : Allmusic album Review : Interesting collection of old 78s that Hooker recorded under various pseudonyms (Johnny Williams, John Lee) in 1950. Along with the original version of "House Rent Boogie" and five others that ended up on the Philadelphia Gotham label, we have the bonus of a half dozen tracks by Hooker sideman Eddie Burns and Detroit bluesman Baby Boy Warrens first single. The sound is rough in the extreme, but the musics great. | ||
 | Album: 34 of 44 Title: The Healer Released: 1989 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Healer (05:40) 2 I’m in the Mood (04:31) 3 Baby Lee (03:45) 4 Cuttin’ Out (04:36) 5 Think Twice Before You Go (03:00) 6 Sally Mae (03:18) 7 That’s Alright (04:24) 8 Rockin’ Chair (04:09) 9 My Dream (04:07) 10 No Substitute (04:07) |
| The Healer : Allmusic album Review : The Healer was a major comeback for John Lee Hooker. Featuring a wide array of guest stars, including Bonnie Raitt, Johnnie Johnson, and Los Lobos, The Healer captured widespread media attention because of all the superstar musicians involved in its production. Unfortunately, that long guest list is what makes the album a fairly unengaging listen. Certainly there are moments were it clicks, but thats usually when the music doesnt greatly expand on his stripped-down boogie. The other moments are professional, but not exciting. Its a pleasant listen, but never quite an engaging one. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 44 Title: The Boogie Chillen Man Released: 1990 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:12:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Boogie Chillen (02:34) 2 Hobo Blues (02:49) 3 Dimples (02:14) 4 I’m in the Mood (02:44) 5 I Love You Honey (02:35) 6 No Shoes (02:27) 7 Boom Boom (02:31) 8 Crawling King Snake Blues (02:47) 9 Blues Before Sunrise (03:52) 10 Maudie (02:24) 11 Love Blues (03:01) 12 Walkin’ the Boogie (02:44) 13 Leave My Wife Alone (02:48) 14 Ramblin’ by Myself (03:20) 15 Sugar Mama (03:15) 16 Down at the Landing (02:56) 17 Ground Hog Blues (02:58) 18 High Priced Woman (02:44) 19 I’m So Excited (02:48) 20 Time Is Marching (03:02) 21 Every Night (02:55) 22 My First Wife Left Me (03:34) 23 Little Wheel (02:36) 24 Wednesday Evening Blues (03:59) 25 Dusty Road (02:16) |
 | Album: 36 of 44 Title: I’ll Play the Blues for You Released: 1990 Tracks: 9 Duration: 49:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Born Under a Bad Sign (05:29) 2 The Very Thought of You (04:32) 3 I Worked Hard (06:26) 4 When You’re Down (06:30) 5 Feel Good (09:03) 6 Boom Boom (04:13) 7 Serves Me Right (04:21) 8 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (04:08) 9 King Snake (04:36) |
 | Album: 37 of 44 Title: Mr. Lucky Released: 1991 Tracks: 10 Duration: 47:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 I Want to Hug You (02:57) 2 Mr. Lucky (04:41) 3 Backstabbers (05:06) 4 This Is Hip (03:27) 5 I Cover the Waterfront (06:44) 6 Highway 13 (06:38) 7 Stripped Me Naked (04:57) 8 Susie (04:27) 9 Crawlin’ Kingsnake (03:22) 10 Father Was a Jockey (05:01) |
| Mr. Lucky : Allmusic album Review : His latest for Virgins blues division, contains some entertaining material. Its not a classic, but its not half-bad either. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 44 Title: More Real Folks Blues: The Missing Album Released: 1991 Tracks: 9 Duration: 43:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 This Land Is Nobody’s Land (04:33) 2 Deep Blue Sea (03:37) 3 Nobody Knows (04:26) 4 Mustang Sally & GTO (04:40) 5 Lead Me (04:47) 6 Catfish (07:27) 7 I Can’t Quit You Baby (03:28) 8 Want Ad Blues (06:11) 9 House Rent Blues (03:49) |
 | Album: 39 of 44 Title: Get Back Home in the U.S.A. Released: 1992 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:09:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Get Back Home in the USA (03:50) 2 T.B. Is Killing Me (05:05) 3 Cold Chills (04:39) 4 I Had a Dream Last Night (04:38) 5 Love Affair (03:49) 6 Little Rain (04:53) 7 When My First Wife Left Me (05:26) 8 Big Boss Lady (03:44) 9 Back to Your Mother (05:14) 10 Boogie Chillen (02:44) 11 Sittin’ Here Thinkin’ (04:47) 12 I Wanna Ramble (02:40) 13 Hi Heel Sneakers (03:05) 14 I’m So Worried Baby (05:42) 15 I’m Going Upstairs (04:02) 16 Crazy ’Bout You (05:28) |
 | Album: 40 of 44 Title: Blues Brother Released: 1992 Tracks: 24 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Boogie Chillen (?) 2 Rollin Blues (?) 3 I Need Lovin (Aka Tease Me Over Baby (?) 4 Grinder Man (?) 5 Women In My Life (?) 6 My Babys Got Something (?) 7 Momma Poppa Boogie (?) 8 Sailing Blues (?) 9 Graveyard Blues (?) 10 Huckle Up Baby (?) 11 Alberta (?) 12 Boogie Chillen #2 (?) 13 Three Long Years Today (?) 14 Do My Baby Think Of Me? (?) 15 Burnin Hell (?) 16 Goin On Highway 51 (?) 17 Sail On Little Girl, Sail On (?) 18 Alberta - Part 2 (?) 19 21 Boogie (?) 20 Find Me A Woman (Aka Im Gonna Git Me A Woman) (?) 21 Hastings Street Boogie (Instrumental) (?) 22 Canal Street Blues (?) 23 War Is Over (Goodbye California) (?) 24 Henrys Swing Club (?) |
 | Album: 41 of 44 Title: Chill Out Released: 1995-02-20 Tracks: 12 Duration: 54:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Chill Out (Things Gonna Change) (04:47) 2 Deep Blue Sea (04:08) 3 Kiddio (03:11) 4 Medley: Serves Me Right to Suffer / Syndicator (06:27) 5 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (03:26) 6 Tupelo (03:55) 7 Woman On My Mind (05:29) 8 Annie Mae (05:17) 9 Too Young (04:45) 10 Talkin the Blues (03:44) 11 If Youve Never Been in Love (04:49) 12 Well Meet Again (04:00) |
 | Album: 42 of 44 Title: Don’t Look Back Released: 1997-03-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 53:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Dimples (04:00) 2 The Healing Game (05:09) 3 Ain’t No Big Thing (05:19) 4 Don’t Look Back (06:42) 5 Blues Before Sunrise (05:27) 6 Spellbound (03:56) 7 Travellin’ Blues (05:36) 8 I Love You Honey (03:31) 9 Frisco Blues (03:48) 10 Red House (04:04) 11 Rainy Day (05:51) |
| Don’t Look Back : Allmusic album Review : With new John Lee Hooker songs, new versions of old Hooker songs, four duets with and a new song by Van Morrison, Dont Look Back continues the venerable bluesmans string of excellent albums in his 90s renaissance. Produced by Morrison, it also celebrates the 25th anniversary of their first recording together, as Morrison guested on Hookers seminal Never Get Out of These Blues Alive in 1972. Dont Look Back hits the ground running with a rowdy, thumpin remake of "Dimples" with Los Lobos; "Spellbound" pounds out more of Hookers stylistic trademark -- throbbing, raw, hard-driving boogie. The Morrison tracks include the ruminative title cut and his haunting "The Healing Game." Hooker also gives Hendrixs classic blues "Red House" his own rough-hewn, distinctive treatment. | ||
 | Album: 43 of 44 Title: Face to Face Released: 2003 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:09:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Big Road (05:27) 2 Dimples (04:44) 3 Loving People (05:16) 4 Face to Face (05:20) 5 Funky Mabel (03:56) 6 It Serves Me Right to Suffer (05:50) 7 Up and Down (04:48) 8 Mad Man Blues (03:08) 9 Six Page Letter (05:32) 10 Stop Jivin Me (03:26) 11 Mean Mean World (06:14) 12 Turn Over a New Leaf (05:11) 13 Wednesday Evening Blues (04:18) 14 Boogie Chillen (02:44) 15 Rock These Blues Away (03:50) |
| Face to Face : Allmusic album Review : Final Recordings, Vol. 1: Face to Face combines previously released material from John Lee Hooker with unfinished tracks he was working on before he died. Compiled by the estate of Hooker, with his daughter Zakiya at the helm, the unreleased material leans heavily toward soul-blues united with Hookers patented electric Delta boogie. "Loving People," "Funky Mabel," "Six Page Letter" (a ballad with synth strings), and "Rock These Blues Away" are highlights. Zakiya Hooker takes the spotlight on "Mean Mean World," singing lead alongside her father, and the acoustic "Wednesday Evening Blues" features George Thorogood on guitar. Hooker staples "Dimples," "It Serves Me Right to Suffer," "Mad Man Blues," and "Boogie Chillen" also make their perennial appearances. While there are no real surprises here, Face to Face still sounds great and is recommended alongside John Lees last official releases, Chill Out and Dont Look Back, both on Pointblank. | ||
 | Album: 44 of 44 Title: Jack O’ Diamonds: 1949 Recordings Released: 2004-05-18 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:00:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Guitar Blues Instrumental (03:19) 2 Two White Horses (03:22) 3 Trouble in Mind (03:59) 4 Catfish Blues (02:52) 5 John Henry (03:10) 6 How Long Blues (03:33) 7 Ezekiel Saw the Wheel (02:58) 8 Jack O’ Diamonds (02:49) 9 Water Boy (03:56) 10 Six Little Puppies and Twelve Shaggy Hounds (04:22) 11 In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down (04:40) 12 Old Blind Barnabas (02:28) 13 Moses Smote the Water (01:59) 14 Spoken Interlude (00:35) 15 Rabbit on the Log (04:04) 16 Come and See About Me (02:16) 17 33 Blues (02:06) 18 She’s Real Gone (02:14) 19 I Wonder (02:47) 20 Untitled Slow Blues (03:01) |
| Jack O’ Diamonds: 1949 Recordings : Allmusic album Review : The material on Jack o Diamonds was recorded in 1949 but never released at the time due to John Lee Hookers vast contractual problems. Even at this earliest point in his career, Hooker was tied up in contracts that would see him recording under several aliases in order to make some quick cash. These 20 cuts were recorded at a private gathering in the Detroit dining room of Gene Deitchat, who set up a primitive recording device and let Hooker play. During the course of the evening those present began requesting that he play a few spirituals and folk tunes. Its interesting to hear Hooker bite into such traditional fare as "Two White Horses," "Trouble in Mind," "John Henry," and "Jack o Diamonds." Since these recordings have been cleaned and remastered, this disc is well worth picking up for Hooker fanatics. | ||