His Best (Little Walter album)

His Best
Greatest hits album by Little Walter
Released June 17, 1997 (1997-06-17)[1]
Recorded May 12, 1952 - December 1960[1]
Genre Chicago blues
Label Chess/MCA
Producer Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Willie Dixon, Andy McKaie, Billy Altman[2]
Little Walter chronology
Confessin' the Blues
(November 1996)
His Best
(June 1997)
Little Walter & Otis Rush
(2000)

His Best is a greatest hits compilation album by harmonica virtuoso Little Walter, released on June 17, 1997 by MCA and Chess Records as a part of The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection (see 1997 in music). The album is thought of as the replacement to The Best of Little Walter and features ten of the songs from that album.[1]

Contents

Songs

Juke

"Juke" was Little Walters first solo recording for Leonard Chess[3] and was his first of two single to go to #1 on the R&B Singles chart. It is also Walter's most famous recording.

Blues with a Feeling

"Blues with a Feeling" was originally recorded by Rabon Tarrant with Jack McVea and His All Stars. Little Walter's version made #2 on the R&B Single chart.[4] The song was later covered by The Rolling Stones.

My Babe

"My Babe" was Walter's second #1 on the R&B Charts,[4] and was written by Willie Dixon. The song is Walter's second most popular song next to "Juke".

Roller Coaster

The song "Roller Coaster" was originally recorded May 2, 1955 by Bo Diddley as "You Don't Love Me (You Don't Care)", Walter later recorded the song without vocals and called it "Roller Coaster".[5] The song reached #6 on the R&B charts.[4]

It Ain't Right

The song "It Ain't Right" did not chart or wasn't released as a single, but was used as the closing track to John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers debut album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, the harmonica in the song was performed by John Mayall and Little Walter was Eric Clapton's favorite harmonica player.

Key to the Highway

"Key to the Highway" was originally performed by Charlie Segar with Big Bill Broonzy. The song reached #6 and was Walter's second to the last charting single.[4]

Just Your Fool

In 2010 "Just Your Fool" was released as a single by Cyndi Lauper and it appears on her album Memphis Blues.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Walter Jacobs, except where noted. 

No. Title Vocal or Instrumental Length
1. "Juke"   Instrumental 2:47
2. "Can't Hold Out Much Longer"   Vocal 3:03
3. "Mean Old World"   Vocal 2:57
4. "Sad Hours"   Instrumental 3:15
5. "Tell Me Mama"   Vocal 2:47
6. "Off the Wall"   Instrumental 2:52
7. "Blues with a Feeling"   Vocal 3:10
8. "You're So Fine"   Instrumental 3:07
9. "Too Late" (Willie Dixon) Vocal 2:44
10. "Last Night"   Vocal 2:46
11. "Mellow Down Easy" (Dixon) Vocal 2:45
12. "My Babe" (Dixon) Vocal 2:44
13. "Roller Coaster" (Ellas McDaniel) Instrumental 2:56
14. "Hate to See You Go"   Vocal 2:20
15. "It Ain't Right"   Vocal 2:56
16. "Boom, Boom Out Goes the Light" (Stan Lewis) Vocal 2:54
17. "Confessin' the Blues"   Vocal 3:06
18. "Key to the Highway" (Big Bill Broonzy) Vocal 2:48
19. "Everything Gonna Be Alright"   Vocal 2:52
20. "Just Your Fool"   Vocal 2:23

Personnel

Per allmusic and discogs[2][6]

Performers

References

External links