The blues is a music genre that originated in the late 19th century in the southern United States. It emerged from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, and chants of African American slaves and sharecroppers. The blues grew to become an integral part of American music and has influenced countless artists and music genres over the past century. Many iconic songs across various genres like rock, pop, jazz, and country have been inspired by blues music.
Some key characteristics of blues music are:
– It has a 12-bar structure using 3 chords – the tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords.
– Lyrics often relate to sadness, loneliness, heartbreak, injustice.
– Instrumentation originally just included acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, and voice. Later bands used electric guitars, bass, drums.
– Has a call-and-response pattern between voice and guitar.
– Has a specific blues scale and blue notes.
In this article, we will explore some of the most famous and influential songs that have been inspired by and incorporated elements of blues music over the past 100+ years.
Early Blues Songs
The early blues originated in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the Mississippi Delta region. Some seminal blues artists and songs from the ‘country blues’ era that later inspired many musicians include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Robert Johnson | “Cross Road Blues” |
| Blind Lemon Jefferson | “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” |
| Charley Patton | “Pony Blues” |
| Son House | “Death Letter” |
| Skip James | “Devil Got My Woman” |
| Blind Blake | “Early Morning Blues” |
Robert Johnson’s songs like “Cross Road Blues” particularly influenced later rock musicians with his skilled guitar playing and lyrical focus on pain and torment. Many consider Johnson the original master of the blues guitar.
Classic Blues Songs
As blues migrated from rural south to cities like Memphis, St. Louis, and Chicago in the 1920s-30s, it evolved into ‘classic blues’ with clearer structure and lyrics. Some female blues singers who shaped classic blues include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Bessie Smith | “St. Louis Blues” |
| Ma Rainey | “See See Rider” |
| Ida Cox | “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” |
| Sippie Wallace | “Women Be Wise” |
| Victoria Spivey | “Dope Head Blues” |
Bessie Smith was known as the Empress of Blues and her influential songs like “St. Louis Blues” helped popularize blues nationwide through record sales.
Electric Blues Songs
In the 1940s, Chicago blues evolved an electric blues style using amplifiers and electric guitars/bass. This created a more ensemble band sound. Key electric blues artists include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Muddy Waters | “Rollin Stone” |
| Howlin Wolf | “Smokestack Lightning” |
| Elmore James | “Dust My Broom” |
| Buddy Guy | “First Time I Met The Blues” |
| Etta James | “I Just Want To Make Love To You” |
Muddy Waters helped popularize the electric guitar-driven blues band sound that inspired early rock bands. Howlin Wolf’s powerful, growling voice set a template for blues and rock vocal styles.
Blues Inspired Rock Songs
Blues music had an enormous influence on early rock ‘n roll in the 1950s/60s. Blues lent rock its song structures, guitar/bass riffs, solos, and vocal techniques. Some rock songs inspired by blues include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Chuck Berry | “Johnny B Goode” |
| The Rolling Stones | “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” |
| Cream | “Crossroads” |
| Jimi Hendrix | “Red House” |
| Led Zeppelin | “Whole Lotta Love” |
Chuck Berry blended blues with country to help create rock ‘n roll. The Rolling Stones were strongly inspired by Chicago blues bands like Muddy Waters in their early years. Eric Clapton pays tribute to Robert Johnson in Cream’s blues rock version of “Crossroads.”
Blues Inspired Pop Songs
Blues musical techniques also made their way into pop music over the decades. Some pop songs with blues influences include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| Elvis Presley | “Hound Dog” |
| The Beatles | “Come Together” |
| Janis Joplin | “Piece of My Heart” |
| Bonnie Raitt | “Something to Talk About” |
| Michael Jackson | “The Way You Make Me Feel” |
Elvis blended R&B and pop using blues techniques. The Beatles were influenced by 1960s British blues bands like the Rolling Stones. Janis Joplin started in blues before bringing her powerful, blues-tinged vocals to psychedelic rock.
Modern Blues Inspired Songs
Contemporary artists across genres continue to be shaped by blues music. Some modern songs with bluesy sounds include:
| Artist | Song |
|---|---|
| The Black Keys | “Lonely Boy” |
| John Mayer | “Gravity” |
| Adele | “Rolling in the Deep” |
| Alabama Shakes | “Hold On” |
| Gary Clark Jr. | “Bright Lights” |
Blues rock duo The Black Keys mix vintage blues guitar with contemporary lyrics and style. John Mayer’s guitar playing on “Gravity” exhibits his blues guitar influences. Adele’s powerful voice and the gospel tinged piano in “Rolling in the Deep” demonstrate her R&B/blues roots.
Conclusion
In summary, blues music has been a major influence across rock, pop, jazz, R&B, and country genres over the past century. The musical foundations laid down by early blues artists like Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, and Muddy Waters can be heard in countless iconic songs today. The emotional lyrical content, guitar/vocal techniques, chord progressions, and song structures of blues music continue to shape modern music. While styles and technologies change, at its core much popular music still carries the blues feeling and heritage.
