Briefcase Full of Blues

• Artist: The Blues Brothers
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1978 12
• Total Time: 35:45
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The Blues Brothers began as an affectionate joke-cum-tribute to R&B music, and taken in that spirit it retained its entertainment value, even after this live album topped the charts, sold two million copies, and produced hit singles in "Rubber Biscuit" and "Soul Man." The guardians of popular music have always been entirely too reverent and humorless, however, and it wasn't long before they were leveling charges of rip-off against the Brothers and complaining that John Belushi couldn't sing as well as Otis Redding. So what? No one seems to have noticed that Belushi was as obsessive about citing his sources as Frank Sinatra is about naming his arrangers -- you'd have thought those critics would have appreciated the footnotes. The beneficiaries of Belushi's encomiums didn't mind the increased exposure or the renewed royalty checks ("I suggest you buy as many blues albums as you can," Belushi told the audience), and even today, what comes across in these performances is the sincerity of feeling -- that and some tasty playing from a top-notch band. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Opening: I Can't Turn You Loose	Steve Cropper, McElvoy Robinson, Otis Redding	The Blues Brothers	(1:50)
Hey Bartender	Floyd Dixon, Willie Dixon	The Blues Brothers	(3:01)
Messin' with the Kid	Mel London, Junior Wells	The Blues Brothers	(3:35)
(I Got Everything I Need) Almost	Don Walsh	The Blues Brothers	(2:50)
Rubber Biscuit	Adam R. Levy, Charlie Johnson	The Blues Brothers	(2:57)
Shot Gun Blues (Lyrics)	Axl Rose, Don Walsh	The Blues Brothers	(5:23)
Groove Me	King Floyd	The Blues Brothers	(3:46)
I Don't Know	Chris Mars, Paul Westerberg, Noa, Tommy Stinson, Ollie Hoskins, Willie Mabon	The Blues Brothers	(4:14)
Soul Man (Lyrics)	David Porter, Isaac Hayes	The Blues Brothers	(3:28)
"B" Movie Box Car Blues (Lyrics)	Delbert McClinton	The Blues Brothers	(4:08)
Flip, Flop & Fly (Lyrics)	Charles E. Calhoun, Lou Willie Turner, Chuck Calhoun	The Blues Brothers	(3:38)
Closing: I Can't Turn You Loose	Otis Redding	The Blues Brothers	(:51)

Credits

Warren Dewey (Engineer), John Belushi (Vocals), Dan Akyroyd (?), Paul Shaffer (Vocals), Paul Shaffer (Keyboards), Elwood Blues (Vocals), Tom Scott (Sax (Tenor)), Jay Krugman (Assistant Engineer), Tom "Bones" Malone (Horn Arrangements), Tom Scott (Saxophone), Lou Marini (Sax (Tenor)), Paul Shaffer (Organ (Hammond)), Donald "Duck" Dunn (Bass), Steve Cropper (Guitar), Alan Rubin (Vocals), Tom Scott (Vocals), Paul Shaffer (Music Direction), Paul Shaffer (Vocals (Background)), Elwood Blues (Vocals (Background)), Steve Jordan (Vocals (Background)), Bob Tischler (Mixing), Steven "Steven J." Jordan (Vocals (Background)), Bob Tischler (Producer), Tom "Bones" Malone (Vocals (Background)), John Belushi (?), David Alexander (Photography), Tom "Bones" Malone (Sax (Tenor)), Paul Shaffer (Piano), Belinda Tischler (Assistant), Lou Marini (Vocals (Background)), "Joliet" Jake Blues (Vocals), Miami Mitch Glazer (Liner Notes), Tom "Bones" Malone (Sax (Baritone)), Matt "Guitar" Murphy (Guitar), Lou Marini (Vocals), Tom "Bones" Malone (Trumpet), Paul Shaffer (Wurlitzer), Tom "Bones" Malone (Horn), Paul Shaffer (Piano (Electric)), Lou Marini (Saxophone), Donald "Duck" Dunn (Guitar (Bass)), Tom Scott (Vocals (Background)), Alan Rubin (Vocals (Background)), Tom "Bones" Malone (Trombone), Joe Gastwirt (Digital Remastering), Steve Jordan (Drums), Alan Rubin (Trumpet), Steve Jordan (Vocals), Elwood Blues (Harmonica)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)