"Blues Is King" | ||||
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Single by Marshall Crenshaw | ||||
from the album Downtown | ||||
Released | 1985 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Songwriter(s) | Marshall Crenshaw | |||
Producer(s) | Mitch Easter and Marshall Crenshaw | |||
Marshall Crenshaw singles chronology | ||||
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"Blues Is King" is a 1985 song by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. The song was released on his 1985 album Downtown . Originally written as an instrumental titled "Bruce Is King," the song features lyrics inspired by the B.B. King album Blues Is King .
Though not released commercially, the song appeared on a 1985 promotional single. The song has since seen positive critical reception, though Crenshaw has expressed disappointment with the song's lyrics.
"Blues Is King" originated as an instrumental titled "Bruce Is King" (named in reference to musician Bruce Springsteen). [1] Crenshaw made this original demo playing Mosrite guitars. [2] "Bruce Is King" was later released on the rarities album The 9 Volt Years .
Crenshaw recalled struggling to come up with lyrics for the song; he explained, "I was really struggling to come up with an idea. I thought of this old B.B. King album title, Blues Is King . I made that the title of the song." [3] Crenshaw attempted to keep the lyrics "deliberately ambiguous, where I said it doesn't matter, let's just make these sounds and it'll come out all right." [4] The song was produced by Mitch Easter and Crenshaw, making it the only song on Downtown not produced by T Bone Burnett.
"Blues Is King" was released as the third track on Crenshaw's third album, Downtown , in 1985. Though it was not released commercially as a single, a promotional single with the song on both sides was released that same year to DJs. [5] The song has also appeared on the compilation This Is Easy: The Best of Marshall Crenshaw .
Joe Sasfy of The Washington Post described the song as "vintage Crenshaw." [6] Scott Bernarde of Sun-Sentinel wrote, "Crenshaw, the '80s king of '50s and '60s reverb and twang, puts those effects to good use" on the song. [7]
Crenshaw has mixed feelings about the song, praising its music but expressing dislike for its lyrics. He explained, "I was never 100 percent happy with the lyrics, but I always thought the music was really beautiful, and that the track was nice, too." [3] Crenshaw does not perform the song live often; he said in 1991, "I can't sing that song now because it's a joke to me. That`s the point. I like clear, plain language." [4]
Marshall Howard Crenshaw is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as "Someday, Someway," a US top 40 hit in 1982, "Cynical Girl," and "Whenever You're on My Mind." He is also the co-author of one of the biggest radio hits of the ‘90s, the Gin Blossoms, "Til I Hear It from You." His music has roots in classic soul music and Buddy Holly, to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and whom he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba.
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Syd Straw is an American rock singer and songwriter. The daughter of actor Jack Straw, she began her career singing backup for Pat Benatar, then took her distinct voice to the indie/alternative scene and joined the ever-evolving line-up of Golden Palominos from 1985 through 1987, appearing on their second and third albums. Straw was a frequent lead singer and occasional co-songwriter for the group, which was spearheaded by drummer Anton Fier and also featured vocal turns by Michael Stipe, Matthew Sweet, Don Dixon, Jack Bruce and others. She left the group in 1987 to establish her solo career.
"Rock Me Baby" is a blues standard that has become one of the most recorded blues songs of all time. It originated as "Rockin' and Rollin'", a 1951 song by Lil' Son Jackson, itself inspired by earlier blues. Renditions by Muddy Waters and B.B. King made the song well-known. When B.B. King's recording of "Rock Me Baby" was released in 1964, it became his first single to reach the Top 40 in Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart.
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"You're My Favorite Waste of Time" is a song written and first released by American singer Marshall Crenshaw. His 1979 home demo of the song was released as the B-side of his 1982 hit "Someday, Someway" and is available on his compilations The 9 Volt Years and This Is Easy: The Best of Marshall Crenshaw.
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Mary Jean & 9 Others is the fourth album by singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. The album was produced by Don Dixon and features a return to the sounds of Crenshaw's earlier work after the country rock excursion of his previous album, Downtown.
The 9 Volt Years is a compilation of early recordings by Marshall Crenshaw. It includes first versions of Crenshaw's best known songs, including "Someday, Someway" and "You're My Favorite Waste Of Time".
This Is Easy: The Best of Marshall Crenshaw is a greatest hits album by singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. It was released in 2000 on Rhino Records.
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Blues Is King is a live album by blues musician, B.B. King. It was recorded in Chicago in 1966 and released by the BluesWay label in 1967.
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"Mary Anne" is a 1982 song by American rock musician Marshall Crenshaw. The song was released on his 1982 debut album, Marshall Crenshaw. Written from the perspective of trying to console someone, the song's title was not based on a specific girl. The song's hook was described by Crenshaw as going for a "hypnotic" effect and the song features layered 12-string guitar parts.
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