100 Greatest Blues Songs of All-Time...What now, VH1?

VH1 has aired a series of programs on television that feature nostalgic moments from the past few years - the greater portion of the content of the shows is focused on popular culture. Pop culture includes all well-known TV shows, movies, music, books, significant political events, celebrity quotes, celebrity marriages and subsequent divorces, natural disasters, and any other news that is laugh-worthy or just really pathetic. Notable people comment on the pop culture topics and give their sarcastic insight on some of the biggest phenomenons of the 20th and 21st century. Here are a few titles that VH1 has aired:

- I Love the 80's (2002)
- I Love the 70's (2003)
- I Love the 90's (2004)
- I Love the New Millennium (2008)
- 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time (2010)
- 40 Dumbest Celebrity Quotes Ever (2006)
- 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons (2003)
- 25 Greatest Power Ballads (2003)
- 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders (2002)
- And more...

If you are ever bored, read a Kindle. If you are still bored, watch one of the aforementioned VH1 pop culture-filled shows. VH1 has not yet put together an "I Love the Blues" or "100 Greatest Blues Songs of All-Time," so I thought I'd create my own. Note that the content of this list was partially inspired by another list at http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/. Here goes:

100. "Trouble" by Ray LaMontagne
99. "Black Magic Woman" by Santana
98. "Hard Luck Blues" by Roy Brown
97. "Three O'Clock Blues" by B.B. King
96. "We're Gonna Make It" by Little Milton
95. "As The Years Go Passing By" by Gary Moore
94. "Man of Constant Sorrow" by The Soggy Bottom Boys
93. "The Seventh Son" by Willie Dixon
92. "Key to the Highway" by Big Bill Broonzy
91."You Don't Know Me" by Michael Grimm
90. "Blues Deluxe" by Joe Bonamassa
89. "I'm Tired" by Savoy Brown
88. "CC Rider" by Ma Rainey
87. "Eyesight to the Blind" by Sonny Boy Williamson II
86. "Blues After Hours" by Pee Wee Crayton
85. "Messin' Around" by Memphis Slim
84. "Everyday I Have the Blues" by B.B. King
83. "Rollin and Tumblin" by Elmore James
82. "Cryin' Shame" by Buddy Guy and Junior Wells
81. "How Many More Years" by Howlin' Wolf
80. "Hallelujah I Love Her So" by Ray Charles
79. "Breakin' Me" by Jonny Lang
78. "With a Little Help From My Friends" by Joe Cocker
77. "Tomorrow Night" by Lonnie Johnson
76. "Little Wing" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
75. "Killin' Floor" by Howlin' Wolf
74. "On the Road Again" by Canned Heat
73. "Caldonia" by Louis Jordan
72. "Rollin' Stone" by Muddy Waters
71. "Evil" by Willie Dixon
70. "Love In Vain" by Robert Johnson
69. "It's Tight Like That" by Tampa Red
68. "'Taint Nobody's Business If I Do" by Bessie Smith
67. "The Walkin' Blues" by Taj Mahal
66. "Me and the Devil Blues" by Robert Johnson
65. "Driftin' Blues" by Lightnin' Hopkins
64. "Help Me" by Sonny Boy Williamson II
63. "Stop Breakin Down" by Robert Johnson
62. "Kansas City" by Wilbert Harrison
61. "I'm Ready" by Muddy Waters
60. "Sitting on Top of the World" by Mississippi Sheiks
59. "Big Boss Man" by Jimmy Reed
58. "Smokin'" by Jonny Lang
57. "Reconsider Baby" by Lowell Fulson
56. "Highway 49" by Big Joe Williams
55. "Hideaway" by Freddie King
54. "The Sky Is Crying" by Elmore James
53. "Pony Blues" by Charlie Patton
52. "West Coast Blues" by Blind Blake
51. "Let The Good Times Roll" by Louis Jordan
50. "Somebody's Baby" by Jackson Browne
Just kidding! It's "Born In Chicago" by Paul Butterfield Blues Band
49. "Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker
48. "I Can't Quit You Baby" by Otis Rush
47. "Further On Up the Road" by Bobby "Blue" Band
46. "Ball and Chain" by Big Mama Thornton
45. "Black Snake Moan" by Blind Lemon Jefferson
44. "I Know What You're Putting Down" by Louis Jordan
43. "Sweet Black Angel" by Robert Nighthawk
42. "I Ain't Superstitious" by Willie Dixon
41. "If Trouble Was Money" by Albert Collins
40. "You Shook Me" by Muddy Waters
39. "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
38. "The Things That I Used To Do" by Guitar Slim
37. "All Your Love" by Magic Sam
36. "Hellhound on My Trail" by Robert Johnson
35. "I'm a King Bee" by Slim Harpo
34. "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" by Bessie Smith
33. "How Long, How Long Blues" by Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell
32. "Good Morning Little School Girl" by Sonny Boy Williamson I
31. "I Put a Spell On You" by Jeff Beck
30. "At Last" by Etta James
29. "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters
28. "Lie to Me" by Jonny Lang
27. "Baby Please Don't Go" by Big Joe Williams
26. "Preaching the Blues" by Son House
25. "The Little Red Rooster" by Willie Dixon
24. "Crossfire" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
23. "Forty-Four Blues" by Roosevelt Skyes
22. "Sweet Home Chicago" by Robert Johnson
21. "Juke" by Little Walter
20. "Born Under a Bad Sign" by Sonny Boy Williamson I
19. "Five Long Years" by Eddie Boyd
18. "Statesboro Blues" by Taj Mahal
17. "Spoonful" by Willie Dixon
16. "Aint Nobody's Business" by Jimmy Witherspoon
15. "Pine Top Boogie" by Pine Top Smith
14. "I'd Rather Go Blind" by Etta James
13. "Smokestack Lightning" by Howlin' Wolf
12. "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan
11. "Crazy Blues" by Mamie Smith
10. "Rock Me Baby" by B.B. King
9. "Dust My Broom" by Elmore James
8. "Crossroads" by Eric Clapton
7. "Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker
6. "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters
5. "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles
4. "Memphis Blues" by W.C. Handy
3. "Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker
2. "Boogie Chillun" by John Lee Hooker
1. "The Thrill Is Gone" by B.B. King

Or something like that. Given by most of the song titles listed above, it seems as though blues music cannot be positive or happy. That's not necessarily true. Blues music can be uplifting in it's own way, it just depends on how you perceive happiness. For instance, sometimes therapy (musical therapy) is best administered by thinking about one's problems. I know it sounds like it won't work, but when you voice the bad stuff in your life, the good stuff seems all that much better. Life has the potential to be a little easier once problems, troubles, and "blues" are on paper, an album, an iPod, or the radio. You've got others (artists, musicians, songwriters, etc.) who understand and, in my opinion, music that sounds good. So, grab a piano, guitar, sitar, triangle, harmonica, jaw harp, and/or ukele and start letting the blues flow through your veins. That is not a drug reference, by the way.

Artist of the Week: Casey Abrams
(Image taken from wetpaint.com)
American Idol, land of the free and home of oh-so-much musical talent packed in a two-hour reality television show. George Washington who? This is America at it's finest. Well, Emily Anne Reed, the first contestant I was going for the victory, is gone. But Casey Abrams, one of the top two best guys on American Idol this season, has been playing the blues and I think he deserves credit. First I thought he was Seth Rogen. Actually, I still think he is Seth Rogen. Whoever he is, he's got some awesome vocals and some equally awesome bearded bass gifts. With the additions of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges on American Idol, I think season 10 is looking up. The other extraordinary guy on Idol this year is none other than Jacob Lusk. Everytime Jacob sings, I think Luther Vandross smiles from heaven. That's how good he is. If you wanna hear these guys, tune in to American Idol on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. on Fox. Here's a preview:

Casey

Jacob



New Album of the Week: Brand New Eyes by Doug Mcleod
Released 03.08.11
(Image taken from amazon.com)
Doug Mcleod plays raw, mellow blues. If you enjoy the soft acoustic guitar accompanied by soulful vocals, Mcleod's Brand New Eyes is the album for you. He's an interesting mix of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and Jason Mraz. The sounds of Joni Mitchell, Simon, and Garfunkel might me thrown in there, too. Anyway, it's a pretty good album if you enjoy listening to the acoustic, indie, Greenwich Village type of sound. I give it 473 stars out of 480 stars.

Look Out!
Michael Grimm's new album will be here on May 17!
(Image taken from chuvachienes.com)