Music to Blues to...

[Left Foot Charlie]

So I am starting to put together a playlist for some blues. So I am curious, what songs are the staples and what songs make you want to blues?

In your opinion what makes a song worthy of being on a blues playlist?

Thanks!

[Noelle]

What's the playlist for?

[Cavalier]

My set from the last blues event I djed

Do you Know What it Means To Miss New Orleans - Harry Connick Jr.
I got the Blues - Otis Rush
None of Us Are Free - Solomon Burke
How Come You Don't Call Me - Alicia Keys
Spirit in the Dark - Aretha Franklin
A Fool for You - Ray Charles
Bring it on Home to Me - J.B. Davis
I've Got Dreams to Remeber - Otis Redding
I've Got Love if you Want it - Slim Harpo
I Pity the Fool - Robert Cray & Shamika Copeland
Last Night on the Back Porch - Bob French
All My Money Gone -Paul Daley Band
Trouble in Mind - Jimmy Witherspoon
Don't Cry Baby - Etta James
Drown in My Own Tears - Ray Charles
Happy Valentine's Day -Shamika Copeland

[Left Foot Charlie]

Putting together as many good blues songs as I can for my personal enjoyment. Also I have the strong desire to host a blues party in the future and would like to get a good feel for what people are enjoying dancing to.

[pill_popper]

A VERY small sampler for your holiday listening pleasure.....

Albert Collins; Robert Cray; Johnny Copeland - 'The Moon Is Full'
Albert King - 'Born Under A Bad Sign'
Allman Brothers Band - 'Can't Take It With You'
Andrew Bird - 'The Confession'
B.B. King - 'Mr. Pawnbroker'
The Beatles - 'I Got to Find My Baby'
Benny Goodman - 'Blue Reverie'
Ogden Edsl - 'Laughin' Blues'
Bill Perry - 'I'm Leaving You'
Billie Holiday - 'Be Fair With Me Baby'
Bob Dylan - 'Meet Me in the Morning'
Bonnie Raitt; Sippie Wallace - 'Women Be Wise'
John Lee Hooker; Branford Marsalis - 'Mabel'
Bryan Ferry - 'Time on My Hands'
Cannonball Adderley - 'Dancing In The Dark'
Carla Thomas - 'Gee Whiz'


There's more where that came from.

[Left Foot Charlie]

Nice. Some good stuff here. Keep it coming!

Thanks for posting the lists I like researching some new songs.

[Da Debil]

Don't forget to add some Norah Jones!!

[grimcat]

Here are a few songs I discovered this past year that make me want to move no matter what:

Ruthie Foster, "Death Came A' Knockin'"-- a spiritual that's sparse on instrumentation and lets Ruthie belt loose. Wow.
Eva Cassidy, "Wade In the Water"-- another spiritual that's got a little swing to it. I love the trumpet.
Transit, "Home"-- an a cappella cover of the Marc Broussard song. It punches you in the face-- in a good way.
Bill Withers, "Sunshine"-- Between the strings and his voice, this is some seriously poignant blues, lending itself equally to nice upright ballroom movement or micro.
B.B. King, "Sweet Little Angel"-- bonus points if it's Live at the Regal.

[Jester]

I love Ruthie Foster. Got to see her live last month. WoW!

[grimcat]

I love Ruthie Foster. Got to see her live last month. WoW!

Oh, man! I'd love to see her live some time. Only thing is her tours don't take her terribly close to me. I'd have to go up to Maine to check her out.

[Jeslett]

Do yourself a favor and go out and buy everything ever recorded by Robert Johnson, don't worry he only recorded 29 full, released tracks (though you can alternate takes too) and a lot of Tampa Red.

Start old, then get to newer stuff.

No offense Grimcat, but if I hear Death Came A Knockin' at a dance one more time, I will scream. That goes for Wade in the Water, Sunshine, all of that stuff. So many of the so called "blues DJs" today are playing the same things over and over again. There's so much great blues music out there, a lot of people are overlooking it.

[grimcat]

Do yourself a favor and go out and buy everything ever recorded by Robert Johnson, don't worry he only recorded 29 full, released tracks (though you can alternate takes too) and a lot of Tampa Red.

Yoink. I'll be looking for that stuff now. Thanks!

No offense Grimcat, but if I hear Death Came A Knockin' at a dance one more time, I will scream. That goes for Wade in the Water, Sunshine, all of that stuff. So many of the so called "blues DJs" today are playing the same things over and over again. There's so much great blues music out there, a lot of people are overlooking it.

No offense taken. I started dancing in March-- so this is all new to me. It's entirely possible that someone will overplay it and the magic will be gone. But since my world has recently opened up to this kind of music, I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

But aha! You did not mention Home, by Transit! I may have a unique one there. (Maybe. Possibly.)

[Jeslett]

I love the Marc Broussard version, haven't heard this one.

And since you started in March I'll allow you to enjoy them as much as you want. But I'd recommend doing it sparingly because you'll be hearing them a lot

[pill_popper]

Don't forget to add some Norah Jones!!

AND Maria Callas.

[Brooksie]

Let's not forget the best song ever (in my opinion): Gordon Webster's "Georgia On My Mind"

[Jeslett]

I probably should have said about "Home," that I like the song, but don't want to dance to it. At least the original Broussard version. I still haven't heard the version that you've spoken about Grimcat.

If you want something with a little more modern feel, some driving soul and or funk go after Al Green, especially check out his version of I Want to Hold Your Hand (Thanks to Ryan Swift for pointing that one out). There are some new mainstream songs that are good for blues dancing, but I feel as though they are still novelty songs in a way. They have similarities with blues music, but do not necessarily share the same roots.

Lately there have been a lot of DJs who are filtering their choices on "could" and not "should." As in, "I could dance to this," without asking "should I dance to this?" Should being, does this music allow for a dance that employs the blues aesthetic and does it compel blues dancing. If it makes you want to dance, but that dancing would be more in line with something done in a club, then it shouldn't pass the "should" filter.

This does not necessarily apply to new music that is new blues music, or new recordings of historical blues songs.

[Jeslett]

Bessie Smith, she made blues singing famous and was prolific. Get some of that too.

[Jeslett]

Bessie Smith, she made blues singing famous and was prolific. Get some of that too.

Then get LaVern Baker sings Bessie Smith.

[Da Debil]

Let's not forget the best song ever (in my opinion): Gordon Webster's "Georgia On My Mind"

Mmmm. I love that song!

[pill_popper]

Gladys Knight and B.B. King - 'The Thrill Is Gone'
Complete with horns, the band is tight and sporting a natural, Gladys is lookin' hot. It's bad.