Need Song Suggestions! Blues-only gig coming up

[Robert]

We are playing a gig in July where we are to play blues only all night.

I think we don't have enough good blues tune.

Suggestions please? We are a 4 piece band, one guitar, bass, drums and Myra doing vocals.

[sunvalleylaw]

Pull a couple off the Try! album. The Ray Charles "I gotta woman" cover, done in a blues trio style is cool (but I guess that doesn't work because Myra would be singing), and "Out of my Mind" is a fertile playground for improv. "Come when I call" and "Everyday I have the Blues" off the recent live album also have lots of room for improv and expression and I bet your 4 could do a great job of it. Myra could really get somewhere vocally on those I bet.

[Spudman]

Hip Shake Thing is good along with Boom Boom Boom Boom. Both songs get folks dancing. Hey Pockey Way is cool too.

[oldguy]

You'll want to get the crowd moving with some toe tapping hip shaking stuff for sure, but I'd also consider some slower tunes Myra can sing. Maybe some songs like Etta James' "At Last" or "I'd Rather Go Blind". At some point there will be a place for some "belly rubbing" music. With your chord knowledge and comping ability you could pull these off, even though they had more instrumentation originally.

[Jimi75]

If Myra is doing the vocals you should check out Susan Tedeschi's "just won't burn" album. I'd call it contemporary Blues. Very challenging for the guitar player by the way, too.

[Blaze]

Summer time

The blues is allright

Prison of Love

Hoochie Coochie man

Sweet home chicago

Cross Road

Put a spell on you

I m tore down

[birv2]

Gotta include some SRV. Crowds expect it.

Pride and Joy
Cold Shot
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Crossfire

[Robert]

Crossfire is hard to make sound right, because of that organ in the main riff. Hard to copy that on guitar.

We are already doing

- Sweet Home Chicago
- Route 66
- Pride and Joy
- Love Me Like A Man
- Kansas City

and a few more I've forgotten. I think we kinda know Start It Up by Robben Ford too.

Keep them coming guys!

[marnold]

How 'bout "Smokestack Lightning"? I don't expect Myra to sound like Howlin' Wolf, but it could still be cool. Others: The Thrill Is Gone, Spoonful.

A lot of the others I thought of would require major lyrical reworking for Myra to sing them.

[sumitomo]

Since Myra is a singing how's about Queen Bee.Sumi:D

[Robert]

Queen Bee, who did that tune? I can't find it on youtube.
I'd Rather Go Blind might work.

[bigG]

Robert, a simple answer is anything covered by Cream or Led Zep's first two albums. Reworked standards that everybody will recognize. :)

Queen Bee would just be King Bee reworded for female vocalist.

[ZMAN]

Robert: Will it be a listening crowd or will it be a dance crowd. That will make a huge difference.
Here is a little cross section.
Buddy Guy: 99 and a half. five long years, Mustang Sally, Damn right I got the blues.
Eric Clapton: From the Robert Johnson album. Little queen of spades, Knd hearted woamn, If it had possession over judgment day, when you got a good friend
Kenney Wayne shepherd: Deja Voodoo, Blue on Black.
SRV: Cold Shot, Flooding down in texas, Mary had a little lamb and a ton of others
Red House,
Garry Moore: Story of the blues, The Hurt inside. Stormy Monday
Dire Straits actually have a couple, When it comes to you, and Fade to Black
Most of these are quick learners and readily available.

[sumitomo]

Robert I dont believe it,I thought you would have heard Canada's Sue Foley,check her out for some female blues tunes and that girl can play too.I always dug them there fisty red heads.Sumi:D

[Robert]

It will be a listening crowd.

Sue Foley - yep dang sure I do know of her! She is great.

[oldguy]

I'd Rather Go Blind might work.

There 'ya go.........a few tunes Myra can really cut loose on may work wonders on a listening crowd.:)

[sunvalleylaw]

My pitch for the Mayerish (some are covers)tunes is that there are lots of blues/blues oriented SRV/Hendrix/BB/Albert style licks to throw in, plus if you want, you can jazz up the leads or chords which I think will fit nice with Myra's voice and be good for a blues listening crowd. Doesn't hurt to throw some jazz influence in there and those songs allow that.

[Robert]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will see what Myra and the boys say.

[duhvoodooman]

Blues Deluxe, as originally recorded by Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, and covered a couple of years back by Joe Bonamassa, is a great blues tune. And how 'bout Janis Joplin's classic Ball and Chain?

[Robert]

Blues Deluxe is great, just wondering if our band can do it justice... We need easy tunes. Our bass player doesn't seem to be really into blues, which makes it particularly awkward with slow blues songs with a lot feeling.

[Jipes]

We are playing a gig in July where we are to play blues only all night.

I think we don't have enough good blues tune.

Suggestions please? We are a 4 piece band, one guitar, bass, drums and Myra doing vocals.

What about some good ol Albert King songs ;)

Born under a bad sign
Pretty Woman
I'll play the blues for you
Matchbox Blues (originally Blind Lemon Jefferson number)

Freddy King instrumental (to give the singer a break)
Hideway
The Stumble

Some modern stuff Robert Cray for example
Phone Booth
Strong Persuader

Louisiana Fun with Tab Benoit
These blues are mine
Crawfish Fiesta
Fever for the bayou

Fabulous Thunderbirds
She's Tough
One's too many
Walkin to my Baby

[Jimi75]

Blues Deluxe, as originally recorded by Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, and covered a couple of years back by Joe Bonamassa, is a great blues tune. And how 'bout Janis Joplin's classic Ball and Chain?

Great suggestion Duh!
I'd consequently add also "Long distance Blues" which is an awesome song.

[guitartango]

Robert

What about including The Doors "Roadhouse Blues" or a version of LA Woman !

[Robert]

guitartango, I'll have to go check up on those tunes, can't remember what they should like. Thanks!

[piebaldpython]

Robert,
Check out some Koko Taylor tunes as Myra can sing those songs. I have a bunch of Koko CD's here in work. Some up-tempo BB King tunes would work great too. Lots of songs can be sung by a man or woman with just the slightest or no change in lyrics. You could throw in some Elvis tunes too.
How are you with slide guitar? Slide works great on SLOW blues songs, plus the slide gets you into that Allman/Souther Rock/ZZ Top motif.

[sunvalleylaw]

Blues Deluxe is great, just wondering if our band can do it justice... We need easy tunes. Our bass player doesn't seem to be really into blues, which makes it particularly awkward with slow blues songs with a lot feeling.


Hmm, maybe he just needs to learn to feel the love. Maybe a session just improving on "Thrill is Gone" or something like that, 'til he feels the love and starts having fun with it.

[Rocket]

Whenever I'm unsure of audience vs. genre I always throw down with CCR's "Long As I Can See The Light". Not traditional Blues but also not over-used, can't-miss chording, low & even tempo, no key changes, and broad-spectrum audience appeal.
Either way... good one to keep in your bag-O-tricks.

[Robert]

Whenever I'm unsure of audience vs. genre I always throw down with CCR's "Long As I Can See The Light". Not traditional Blues but also not over-used, can't-miss chording, low & even tempo, no key changes, and broad-spectrum audience appeal.
Either way... good one to keep in your bag-O-tricks.

Cool, that song would suit our band really well. Not really blues I am sure we can get away with. Thanks Rocket!

[Rocket]

Another proven can't-miss... Canned Heat's "On The Road Again"... specifically Jeff Healey's Roadhouse version. Audiences get into this.
(Don't confuse with Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again")

[tremoloman]

Muddy Waters "Mannish Boy" all the way! EVERYBODY knows that song. :)

[marnold]

Muddy Waters "Mannish Boy" all the way! EVERYBODY knows that song. :)
I thought about that and "Hoochie Coochie Man," but last I checked even at her most ripped Myra is definitely not a "Mannish Boy."

This one would take minimal reworking:
2EHWujXubNM

[Robert]

Songs in the style of Mannish Boy are pretty boring though, don't you think? Never a chord change, just the same thing over and over. I like hearing Muddy Waters do it, but I don't we would do that very well.

What about some instrumentals? Some have been mentioned - add more please! Hideaway is cool, we might try that one.

[oldguy]

"Green onions".
"Peter Gunn".

[Spudman]

I was just thinking - you could do that one song by that one guy. That would be good to learn.