John Lee Hooker: Boom Boom

 

The famous hit by John Lee Hooker, transcribed for easy guitar in the key of E, even if the original Vee-Jay record was played rather in F (same positions by one fret beyond).

"Boom Boom" in E (Montreal, 1980)

"Boom Boom", original in F (1962)

 

BOOM BOOM (Vee Jay Records, 1962)

Boom boom boom boom
I'm gonna shoot you right down
Right off of your feet
Take you home with me
Put you in my house
Boom boom boom boom
Hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

I love to see you walk
Up and down the floor
When you talking to me
That baby talk
I like it like that
You talk like that?

You nothing me do
Right off of my feet
How how how how
Uoahhh!!

When she walk that walk
And talk that talk
And whisper in my ear
Tell me you love
I love that talk
That baby talk
You nothing me do
Right off of my feet
How how how how
Yeah!

Little Walter-Willie Dixon: My Babe

The classic 16-bars tune penned by Willie Dixon for Little Walter Jacobs and a huge hit for him in 1955, "My Babe". His harmony/melody line is based on the old spiritual "This Train". I've transcribed both the accompaniment for two guitars and the bass line (of course one octave up). Key of F (harmonica labeled "Bb" in 2nd position too by the way). 

Youtube

MY BABE (W. Dixon)

My baby don't stand no cheatin', my babe
Oh yeah she don't stand no cheatin', my babe
Oh yeah she don't stand no cheatin',
She don't stand none of that midnight creepin'
My babe, true little baby, my babe.

 

My babe, I know she love me, my babe
Oh yes, I know she love me, my babe
Oh yes, I know she love me,
She don't do nothin' but kiss and hug me
My babe, true little baby, my babe.

 

- Solo -

 

My baby don't stand no cheatin', my babe
Oh no, she don't stand no cheatin', my babe
Oh no, she don't stand no cheatin',
Ev'rything she do she do so pleasin'
My babe, true little baby, my babe.

 

My baby don't stand no foolin', my babe
Oh yeah, she don't stand no foolin', my babe
Oh yeah, she don't stand no foolin',
When she's hot there ain't no coolin'
My babe, true little baby, my babe
She's my baby (true little baby) ...

 

Johnny Moore solo on "Sunny Road" (1946)

The Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - Sunny Road (1946)

Interesting guitar solo by Johnny Moore with the legendary no-drums trio featuring Charles Brown on vocals, classic vintage West Coast R&B at his finest. In the key of D, mostly 1st position on the guitar but with some a little fancier chords than usual (DM7, A+). Transcription by Jay Bee Rodríguez, first published on SOLO BLUES magazine (1991).

"Sunny Road", guitar solo in D

"Sunny Road" by The Johnny Moore's Three Blazers (full)

17 Classic Bass Lines

An small collection of classic Blues Bass Lines, from piano boogie to electric rhumba-blues, from Lightnin' Hopkins to Ray Charles and more. On the transcriptions I used just one key (E) on paper, but of course would be a more than good exercice to play most or all examples on the particular different recordings' keys to begin with. Very recomended!

1. Jimmy Reed/Eddie Taylor "Baby What You Want Me to Do" (E)

2. J.B. Lenoir "Mojo Boogie" (E)

3. Bill Doggett "Honky Tonk" (F)

4. Lightnin' Hopkins "Long Gone" (F)

6. Willie Mabon "Shakin' The Boogie" (C)

7. Little Walter/Willie Dixon "My Babe" (F)

8. Professor Longhair "Go to the Mardi Grass" (Bb)

10. Albert King "Crosscut Saw" (Ab)

11. Freddy King "Hideaway" (E)

  

13. Albert King "Overall Junction" (E)

14. Magic Sam "Just A Little Bit" (Bb)

15. Walter Horton "It's No Easy" (E)

16. Johnny Winter "Sound The Bell" (G)

17. Ray Charles "What I'd Say'" (E)

Muddy Waters: Walking Thru The Park

Muddy recorded this tune both in A and G (harmonica "cross-harp" in D or C), interesting riff-tune around the 7b and 3b, 1st and 2nd position on the guitar. Aside the original one (in the key of B) Muddy also recorded a fine cover on the Johnny Winter's album "Nothin' But The Blues", with his full band (1977).

Youtube Muddy Waters "Walking Thru The Park"

WALKING THRU THE PARK (McKinley Morganfield, 1959)

I'm goin' out walkin'
Walking down through the park
I'm goin' out walkin'
Walking down through the park
I'm gonna walk in the moonlight
Wait until the night gets dark.

 

I'm goin' out walkin'
Down the old avenue
I'm goin' out walkin'
Down the old avenue
I'm gonna walk for so long till she
Don't know what to do.

 

I'm goin' out walkin'
Walkin' down on the street
I'm goin' out walkin'
Walkin' down on the street
I'm gonna walk her right beside of me 'cause I
Know she can't be beat.

 

Don't bother my baby
No tellin' what she'll do
Don't you bother my baby
No tellin' what she'll do
Now, the girl she may cut you
She may shoot you too.

Lightnin' Hopkins in the 'E position'

Two way different Lightnin' Hopkins' (1912-1982) tunes, both recorded in 1959 for Tradition Records (Youtube links below): "Long Gone", with his familiar walking basses' line in E, and his cover of the famous "See See Rider", where the Texan master replicates the vocal line with the melody on the two first strings. Actual key on the recordings is F, standard tuning with capo in I, on the 1st, "E" position.

Transcription by Jay Bee Rodríguez, first published on SOLO BLUES magazine (1986).

"Long Gone" and "See See Rider" (excerpt)

Youtube "Long Gone" by Lightnin' Hopkins (1959)

Youtube "See See Rider" by Lightnin' Hopkins (1959)

  

 

 

Mojo Boogie (acoustic)

J.B. Lenoir: Mojo Boogie (acoustic)

This is fine beginner's exercice for independence of strings, and also good for rhythm skills on the breaks. The great J.B. Lenoir (1929-1967) recorded this rare acoustic cover of his biggest hit in 1960, produced by his friend Paul Oliver, one of the main historians/writers on the Blues. Recorded key is E, standard tuning. 

Transcription by Jay Bee Rodríguez, first published on SOLO BLUES magazine (1987).

Youtube: "Mojo Boogie" (1960)
 

 

 

MOJO BOOGIE (J.B. Lenoir, 1960)

 

I been to New Orleans and I sure had a wonderful time
I been to New Orleans and I sure had a wonderful time
I was high, high as a Georgia pine.

My auntie carried me all down on Rampart Street
Seen everybody I wanted to meet
She said, JB, son, stop, look and listen to me
They got something knock you off of your feet
Hey got the mojo boogie
The Mojo boogie
Got that mojo boogie, begin to slide on down.

I thought she was talkin' about over in Algiers
I said, "Auntie, please tell me, what did you say?
They got the Louisiana boogie, and all them other kind of things
They even got the thing they call 'the mojo hand'
They got the mojo boogie
The Mojo boogie
They got the mojo boogie, begin to slide on down.

I got one jack, sure is crazy
My aunt forgot to teach me, just how to operate it
I went to a night club, I was squeezing it tight
I believe that's the 'cause of them people's start to fight
Me and this mojo boogie
I had the mojo boogie
Had that mojo boogie, begin to slide on down.