Customer Reviews

Lucille

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Eight songs on "Lucille" are standard-issue blues from B.B. King -- and there's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing to match any of his classics, such as "Don't Answer the Door," "Sweet Little Angel," "How Blue Can You Get," or "Why I Sing the Blues," just to name a few. But you have the lusty King voice, the exuberant guitar, even if the material is not quite "A" stuff. But then there's that ninth song -- the title and the leadoff.

And what a song that is. King's valentine to his guitar, to whom he gives all the credit for his remarkable career, is quite simply one of the best tunes -- blues or otherwise -- you'll ever hear. He makes Lucille testify effortlessly throughout the tune, and the voice-like quality and absolutely authentic tone that he strikes makes repeated listening nearly irresistible. Throughout the course of "Lucille" King tells us not only about his guitar but about his life. It's a variation on "Why I Sing the Blues" in that he lets us know what motivates him to play the music that has given all of us so much.

One of the many memorable lines in "Lucille" sums up King's life: "You know, if I could play pop tunes, I still don't think that I could do it. 'Cause seems like Lucille don't want to play nothin' but the blues. And I think I'm pretty glad about that."

So are we.

Amazing this CD hasn't garnered more reviews - it's awesome. A classic example of great late 60s blues. Standing in the face of rock, even though they were getting more white fans, the traditional base of blues was eroding fast.

*Lucille* the first track is bona-fided classic. So is *Watch Yourself* and all the others - except *You Move Me* - amble along at their own pace. Nothing forced here. Just very relaxed blues, with nothing to prove to nobody.

The first cut - a 10-minute talking autobiographical story of his life - is worth the cost of owning this album. The other cuts are good (how many bad songs did BB do?) - but have the typical tinny sound of his early work. I prefer his later music when his voice got a little deeper and the recording quality improved. The single Lucille is one BB's great studio recordings!

Anyone wanting the short story on the blues can be sent straight to the BB King bins. He had it in the beginning, and just got better, thriving on technology. After a while, you get to really appreciate his guitar and you maybe want no interference, like from voice. This is a great album that way, just Lucille, no voice. Some of the music is quite old and challenged sound-wise, and after a couple of times through this album, you're ready for the whole B experience again.
It is worth commenting that the instrumentals on Blues on the Bayou (there are 3 of them) are the best B has done anywhere, anytime that I know of. BB's Theme, the opener, is worth the price of admission on its own. I'll Survive, also on Blues on the Bayou, is B's favourite over the years, he says, although it's vocal. That album is probably his best - a better starting point if you don't have it already.