Same Old Blues

[dansven]

Hi,

the song "Same Old Blues" from Kolors has always interested me. It is listed as "Traditional", but does anybody know who had the original recording of that song? And if you have heard it, is it good?

Daniel

[BklynBlue]

You sure picked a good one to ask that question of! Let me start off by saying that my research is cursory at best, and if anyone has better information, please post it!
An Internet search shows Green's performance of the title being credited to:
"Traditional" - Kolors / Blues For Dhyna / Blues By Green
"Cale" (as in J.J.) - Man Of the World Anthology
"Gale" (more than likely intended as Cale)- Alone With the Blues

The Cale credit seems to have been inspired by a song J.J. Cale wrote called "I Got the Same Old Blues" which was recorded by a number of folks, including one of Green's favorites, Freddie King, on an album partly produced by Mike Vernon in 1974 -
however, it is NOT the same song on Kolors -

In 1971 Freddie King recorded the song "Same Old Blues" for Leon Russell's Shelter label.
That song was written by Don Nix.
The Kolors version should be credited to Nix

As to whether the Freddie King version is any good...if you like later his later work, and this was his first album for Shelter, it is a good strong number. Not being much of a fan of the Kolors version, I actually prefer it.

The "traditional" credit is usually a ruse to not have to pay royalties. It is surprising to see it used here as it is usually used on older blues songs, ones where the people involved feel pretty sure the person who wrote it is dead anyway.
This is not to assign an ulterior motive to anyone at PVK - as we've seen with the later reissues, even when they mean well, mistakes can be made.

For what it is worth: John Mayall also released a version of the Nix / King track in the early nineties. (I have not heard it and therefore will not comment)

Hope this helps

[dansven]

Hi BklynBlue, and thank you so much for helping me here!! :)

The "traditional" credit is usually a ruse to not have to pay royalties. It is surprising to see it used here as it is usually used on older blues songs, ones where the people involved feel pretty sure the person who wrote it is dead anyway.

Yes, that's why I thought maybe the song was written by a pre-war country blues player.

I guess Peter must be a fan of Don Nix, because I think he was the one who wrote "Going Down" from the Splinter Group setlist. I'll have to check out the Freddie King version - it's such a lovely song! :)

Daniel

[BklynBlue]

Right you are sir!
As a matter of fact, Freddie King recorded it for that same first Shelter LP!
There are a LOT of versions of "Goin' Down" out there, one of my favorites features Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Beck recorded live during their "Fire and the Fury" tour of 1989 - the tour name being neatly summed up in that performance!

[dansven]

I also have a version of "Going Down" by Bernie Marsden and Mick Moody ... Moody Marsden Band "Never Turn Our Back on the Blues", but I think that one is way too heavy .. not really blues. :eek:

But Bernie Marsden's "Green And Blues" album is alright though... But still not an album I play much.. (Same with Gary Moore's "Blues For Greeny").

[Tom]

Clapton recored a song called "Same Old Blues" on his "Behind The Sun" album.
I would imagine it's the same song, but I'm not sure.

[dansven]

Hi Tom :)

I checked the sound clip of Clapton's song on Amazon.com, but it isn't the same song that Peter recorded with Kolors.

Daniel

[Kyoshi]

I remember Greeny telling me years ago that he drew inspiration from the
Freddie King version, and felt FKs version was so good he woudna be unable to do it justice (in his self deprecating way as usual) !

Right you are sir!
As a matter of fact, Freddie King recorded it for that same first Shelter LP!
There are a LOT of versions of "Goin' Down" out there, one of my favorites features Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Beck recorded live during their "Fire and the Fury" tour of 1989 - the tour name being neatly summed up in that performance!

[Wouter Vuijk]

Hi,

the song "Same Old Blues" from Kolors has always interested me. It is listed as "Traditional", but does anybody know who had the original recording of that song? And if you have heard it, is it good?

Daniel
I have a Luther Allison version which is credited to him as found on:
http://blueslyrics.tripod.com/artistswithsongs/magic_sam_1.htm#i_have_the_same_old_blues



by Magic Sam
recording of 1968
from Black Magic (Delmark 620), copyright notice

I have the same old blues, every night and every day
I have the same old blues, every night and every day
Yes, I need somebody, to help me to try to keep the blues away

I wake up every morning, with the same thing on my mind
I wake up every morning, with the same thing on my mind
Yes, I need somebody, who can love me all the time

The blues seems to follow me, every where I go
The blues seems to follow me, every where I go
Well, I have someone to love me, I won't be blues anymore

Check out the soundclip on the page. ;)
Wouter

[Wouter Vuijk]

:mad: My fault, I should have done a little research first. I just checked out the Kolors album. The song is not the same as Magic Sams, but definitely the Freddie King song I have on his "King of the Blues" compilation :p

Wouter