Briefcase Full of Blues

Briefcase Full of Blues
Live album by The Blues Brothers
Released	November 28, 1978
Recorded	September 9, 1978; Live at the Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles
Genre	Blues, blues-rock, blue-eyed soul
Length	35:45
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Bob Tischler
The Blues Brothers chronology
Briefcase Full of Blues (1978) The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack (1980)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Rolling Stone	(very favorable) link
Robert Christgau	(C+) link

Briefcase Full of Blues is the debut album by The Blues Brothers, released on November 28, 1978, by Atlantic Records. It was recorded live on September 9, 1978 at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, when the band opened for comedian Steve Martin. The album consists of covers of blues and soul songs from the 1950s to 1970s.

The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum; according to Blues Brothers member Dan Aykroyd, the album has sold 3.5 million copies in all.^[1] It is among the highest-selling blues albums of all time.^[1]

Two singles were released from the album: "Rubber Biscuit", which reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Soul Man", which reached number 14.

Track listing

1. "Opening: I Can't Turn You Loose" (Otis Redding) – 1:50
2. "Hey Bartender" (Floyd Dixon) – 3:01
3. "Messin' With The Kid" (Mel London) – 3:35
   • Originally by Junior Wells
4. "(I Got Everything I Need) Almost" (Donnie Walsh) – 2:50
   • Originally recorded in 1974 by the Downchild Blues Band
5. "Rubber Biscuit" (Charles Johnson, Adam R. Levy) – 2:57
   • Originally recorded by The Chips
6. "Shot Gun Blues" (Walsh) – 5:23
   • Also by the Downchild Blues Band
7. "Groove Me" (King Floyd) – 3:46
8. "I Don't Know" (Willie Mabon) – 4:14
9. "Soul Man" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) – 3:28
10. "'B' Movie Box Car Blues" (Delbert McClinton) – 4:08
11. "Flip, Flop & Fly" (Jesse Stone, Big Joe Turner) – 3:38
    • Originally recorded in 1955 by Big Joe Turner.
12. "Closing: I Can't Turn You Loose" (Redding) – 0:51

Personnel

• "Joliet" Jake Blues – Lead vocals
• Elwood Blues – Backing vocals, harmonica, lead vocals on "Rubber Biscuit"
• Matt "Guitar" Murphy – Lead guitar
• Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – Guitar
• Donald "Duck" Dunn – Bass guitar
• Paul "The Shiv" Shaffer – Keyboards, backing vocals
• Steve "Getdwa" Jordan – Drums, backing vocals
• Lou "Blue Lou" Marini – Tenor & alto saxophones
• Tom "Triple Scale" Scott – Tenor & alto saxophones
• Tom "Bones" Malone – Tenor & baritone saxophones, trombone, trumpet, backing vocals
• Alan "Mr. Fabulous" Rubin – Trumpet, backing vocals

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Singles – Billboard (North America)

References

External links

• Album Information on Blues Brothers Central
• Biography of the Blues Brothers from the album Briefcase Full of Blues