Vinyl: Briefcase Full of Blues
- Kris
- Sep 25, 2012
- 3 min read
Tried standin' up, keep on fallin' down
Tried standin' up, keep on fallin' down
Everywhere I go the blues is all around
-"Shot Gun Blues"
Briefcase Full of Blues (1978) - The Blues Brothers
Side 1: Opening (feat. I Can't Turn You Loose); Hey Bartender; Messin' With the Kid; Almost; Rubber Biscuit; Shot Gun Blues
Side 2: Groove Me; I Don't Know, Soul Man; "B" Movie Box Car Blues; Flop, Flop, Fly
Joined Collection: Purchase from a local record store.
I didn't grow up with the Blues Brothers. I didn't even know who they were until a couple of years ago when I watched the 1980 movie with some friends in college. But the phenomenon surrounding the Blues Brothers became such a huge part of my life that it feels like I've known them forever.
I love the humor in the movie, but I also love that it integrates the music so seamlessly that it almost hides its status as a musical behind the hilarity of the plot. The movie was also crucial in introducing me to different music. Of course, I always loved Aretha, but I had never heard of Cab Calloway, for example. The soundtrack was one of my favorites from that point on.
But The Blues Brothers isn't just a musical skit. It's also a kind of culture, one that I am still discovering. (I still need to find the Saturday Night Live acts).
When I went to Universal Studios two summers ago, my favorite part of the park was the Blues Brothers reenactment, which I saw twice. The actors/musicians that work there are fantastic at engaging the crowd, even in sweltering heat. The first time I saw them, I was wearing a black cami and black sunglasses, so "Jake" singled me out and danced with me. We have a picture of me smiling like a lunatic.
And, this past summer, when I went to Myrtle Beach, my family and I went to the House of Blues, the venue and restaurant chain partially founded by Dan Aykroyd. This past week, I got compliments on the souvenir shirt I purchased from the store there. So, when I started thinking about which album I was going to listen to this week, it was a no-brainer.
I bought "Briefcase of Blues" fairly recently actually. I had to kill some time, so I went into the little record shop and came out $10 poorer, but musically fulfilled. I was most excited about this album out of all the ones I bought because it included a bunch of songs I'd never heard before. I knew "Soul Man" (my all-time favorite from them) and "Flip, Flop, Fly" previously, but I knew listening to the album was going to be a new experience.
This weekend, in addition to listening to the album, I looked up a little bit about the songs they covered, which was a confusing and enlightening experience. There's plenty more to learn, I am sure.
I love all the songs on the album, but my favorite cover, I think, is "Groove Me" which stands out for sounding so different to the other songs. I don't know how other people categorize it, but, for me, it felt like there was a twinge of reggae in there. It's probably more because the music is seductively slower. Slightly.
What is your favorite part of The Blues Brothers movie? Other than the Blues Brothers, what appearing artist is your favorite?
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