Racism Fueled The Re-Birth of the Blues in America
Fortunately, What Went Around Came Around…
As a 1960’s teenager who witnessed the British Invasion firsthand, beginning with the Beatles in early 1964, I can tell you that most record buyers or radio listeners had no clue that much of the hit single and/or album content of these other popular British bands were covers of American blues musicians. Maybe we assumed they were originals because the Beatle’s had written all their hit songs. These early arrivers included the Rolling Stones and The Animals who landed 3 albums that charted at No11, No3 and No7 in the Top Billboard 100 list respectively in 1964. There’s more detail to follow on the other bands and songs but allow me to digress and describe how it happened.
Most traditional American Black blues, often described in the early 20th century as “race” music was unofficially banned nationally on most major radio stations until the 1960’s. The heart of its basic song structure, traditional 3-chords 12 bar blues, was relegated to air on very small Southern radio stations and received minimal attention by white audiences. Beginning in the 1950’s, Chicago-based Chess Records carved out an early niche in early rhythm and blues featuring legends like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddly. They had a small blues label Checker, but Chess Records paid the bills. Similarly, Detroit-based Motown Records, was a Black owned and operated music label that distanced themselves from traditional race music and produced original pop music crafted under their own business umbrella of musicians and supporting staff.
In the mid-1950’s Elvis Presley burst on the scene with a distinctly different sound produced at Memphis-based Sun Records featuring songs like “Good Rocking Tonight”, “Milk Cow Blues”, “Mystery Train”, “That’s Alright Mama”, “Hound Dog”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, “All Shook Up” and “Hard Headed Woman”. All these songs were covers written by black American blues artists, but Americans were oblivious to their origin. Elvis’s record producer intentionally wanted to bring a fresher sounding version of Southern black blues to a bigger audience. It worked for rock ’n’ roll, but it failed to ignite more interest in American blues. Elvis slowly evolved away from that sound after being signed by RCA Victor.
Fun Fact: Elvis was undoubtedly one of the most famous performers of all time, but he never toured internationally. He was by nature a home boy and his foreign born manager feared he wouldn’t clear immigration when attempting re-entry into the US. He performed 3 times in Canada in 1957 and was stationed in the Army in Germany in 1958–1960.
England’s first exposure to the blues came in the 1950s, when acoustic country bluesmen Sonny Terry, Browny McGhee and Big Bill Broonzy performed there. In 1958, Muddy Waters brought his amplified electric guitar sound to the U.K. and in 1963 Bo Didley arrived. But, when Elvis hit the air waves in England, his new version of the blues struck a nerve with young musicians who searched music stores for more traditional blues songs and original performers like blues master Robert Johnson and Delta blues legend Big Joe Williams. Sadly, these artists were virtual unknown to most Americans. Meanwhile, the Brits were loving American blues. Taj Mahal, an American bluesman, stated: “The Brits [Invasion] essentially rubbed the Americans’ noses in the fact that they had this music in their own backyard, and they didn’t even take care of it.”
Let’s get into examples from the period covering 1964 through 1966.
The Animals
Their first US studio album was 1964 ‘s The Animals featuring 12 songs, 9 of which are covers of Black American songwriters including “The House of the Rising Sun” (unknown writer)…“Baby, Let Me Take You Home” (Wes Farrell/Bert Russell)… “The Right Time” (Ray Charles)… “I’m Mad Again”… “Gonna Send You Back to Walker”(Johnnie Mae Mathews).
Their 1965 follow-up was The Animals on Tour, which wasn’t a live album as the title implies. It featured 12 songs and again 9 of the songs were covers with Black American origin. Some of the notables include “Boom Boom” (John Lee Hooker) …“How You’ve Changed” (Chuck Berry) …“Worried Life Blues” (Big Maceo Meriwether) …“Let the Good Times Roll” (Shirley Goodman, Leonard, Lee) …“Hallelujah, I Love Her So” (Ray Charles) and “Dimples” (John Lee Hooker/James Bracken).
Their final 1965 album, Animal Track contained 10 songs, 4 of which had black American origins including “Bring It On Home To Me” (Sam Cooke) … “The Story About Bo Diddly” (Bo Diddly) … “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (Bennie Benjamin/Gloria Caldwell/Sol Marcus) …“Bury My Body” (Unknown).
Their American blues fixation was best evidenced with their 1966 compilation album The Best of The Animals. The album contains 11 songs, 9 of which are covers from American bluesman.
Rolling Stones
From their origins, they were a blues-based band. Delta blues piano great Marcia Ball stated accurately: “It was the Rolling Stones and those guys who brought the blues back and put it in our faces.” Let’s review their early coverage of American blues.
Their first US album titled England’s Newest Hit Makers was released in 1964 and contained 12 tracks, 5 of which were Black American covers including “I Just Want to Make Love to You” (Willie Dixon)…”Honest I Do” (Jimmy Reed)… “I’m A King Bee” (Slim Harpo)…”Carol” (Chuck Berry)…“You Can Make It If You Try” (Ted Jarrett) and “Walking the Dog” (Rufus Thomas).
Their next release in 1964 was titled 12 x 5 and it contained 12 tracks, 7 of which were either written or covered previously by Black artists including “Around and Around” (Chuck Berry)… “Confessing the Blues” (Jay McShann, Walter Brown)… “Time Is on My Side” (Jerry Ragovoy)…”It’s All Over Now”(Bobby Womack/Shirley Womack)…”If You Need Me” (Robert Bateman/Wilson Pickett)…”Suzy Q” (Delmar Hawkins/Eleanor Broadwater/Stan Lewis).
In 1965 they released The Rolling Stones, Now! which contained 12 songs, 7 of which were Black American cover songs including “Everybody Needs Someone to Love” (Solomon Burke, Burt Berns, Jerry Wexler) …”You Can’t Catch Me” (Chuck Berry) … “Mona (I Need You Baby)” …(Bo Diddley) …”Down the Road Apiece” (Don Raye) …” Pain in My Heart” (Alan Toussaint) …”Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Gonin’) (Barbara Lynn Ozen) …and ”Little Red Rooster” (Willie Dixon).
Fun Fact: From 1963 to 1965 the Rolling Stones used the pseudonym Nanker Phelge for several compositions for which the entire band shared songwriting credit and royalties. Except for “Play with Fire” and “I’m All Right”, most were album fillers.
Them
This short lived Northern Ireland band featuring Van Morrison had their first US hit “Baby, Please Don’t Go” in 1964 which written by Big Joe Williams.
The Yardbirds
They released Bo Didley’s “I’m A Man” in 1965 as an A-side single record that reached No17 in the US. In 1966 they released a live album titled Sonny Boy Williamson and the Yardbirds which had been recorded in 1963. The Yardbirds played the role of a backing band.
Moody Blues
In 1965 they released The Magnificent Moodies which included 12 tracks, 4 of which track back to Black American musicians including James Brown, Chris Kenner, Sonny Boy Williamson and their first top 10 hit “Go Now” (Larry Banks).
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
In 1966 they released Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton featuring 12 tracks, 7 covers of mostly Black American musicians like Otis Rush, Freddie King, Ray Charles Mose Allison, Robert Johnson, Memphis, Slim, Little Walter.
Cream
In 1966 this 3 member band released Fresh Cream which contained 10 tracks, including 4 songs from Black American artists including Robert Johnson, Doctor Ross, Hambone Willie Newbern and Skip James.
Ironically, it was these Brit bands who planted the seeds about older American blues music into the minds of younger American musicians. Beginning with artists like Jimi Hendrix, Paul Butterfield, The Allman Brothers, The Doors, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Johnny Winter, America rediscovered its blues roots. As all music tends to do, it morphed into a different sound versus the older traditional music, but it was undeniably blues.
Thankfully, we also discovered older American blues musicians like B. B. King who failed to reach the US charts until 1968. His music was finally relevant to a much wider audience.
For Beatles experts who are questioning why I didn’t mention that they covered a considerable number of Black American artists in the period from 1963 though 1965, let me explain. They never aspired to be blues musicians. None of their covers were true traditional blues songs and many of the writers were peers such as Smokey Robinson, Carol King/Gerry Goffin, Arthur Alexander and Barrett Strong. Their influences were 1950’s rock ’n’ rollers, rockabilly and rhythm & blues artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins. However, by the late 1960’s they were writing very bluesy songs like “Yer Blues”, “Oh! Darling” and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”. However, depending on who’s interpreting their music, a definitive blues song can result as is the case with Tina Turner’s cover version of “Help”.
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