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John Lee Hooker: The Best of Friends

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1998
Time:
 63:32
Category: Blues
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: ********** (10/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.johnleehooker.com
Appears with: Canned Heat
Purchase date: 2000.05.21
Price in €: 14,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Boogie Chillen (Besman/Hooker) - 4:35 - featuring: Eric Clapton
[2] This Is Hip (Hooker) - 3:23 featuring: Ry Cooder
[3] Healer (Hooker/Rogers/Santana/Thompson) - 5:37 featuring: Carlos Santana
[4] I Cover the Waterfront (Hooker) - 6:39 featuring: Van Morrison
[5] Boom Boom (Hooker) - 4:16 featuring: JImmie Vaughan
[6] I'm In The Mood (Besman/Hooker) - 4:28 featuring: Bonnie Raitt
[7] Burnin' Hell (Besman/Hooker) - 4:59 featuring: Ben Harper
[8] Tupelo (Hooker) - 3:54
[9] Baby Lee (Bracken/Hooker) - 3:43 featuring: Robert Cray
[10] Dimples (Bracken/Hooker) - 3:59 featuring: David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas
[11] Chill Out (Things Gonna Change) (Hooker/Santana/Thompson) - 4:45 featuring: Carlos Santana, Chester Thopson
[12] Big Legs Tight Skirt (Hooker) - 5:59 featuring: Ry Cooder, Ike Turner
[13] Don't Look Back (Hooker) - 6:41 featuring: Van Morrison

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


John Lee Hooker - Guitar, Vocals

The Friends:
Eric Clapton - Guitar
Robert Cray - Guitar
Bonnie Raitt - Vocals, Slide Guitar
David Hidalgo - Guitar
Ike Turner - Piano
Van Morrison - Guitar, Vocals, Producer
Cesar Rosas - Guitar
Chester Thompson - Synthesizer, Keyboards
Jimmie Vaughan - Guitar
Carlos Santana - Guitar, Producer
Ry Cooder - Guitar, Producer

Charlie Musselwhite - Harmonica
Armando Peraza - Conga
Johnnie Johnson - Piano
Jim Keltner - Drums
Steve Berlin - Baritone Saxophone
Gil Bernal - Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
Gaylord Birch - Drums
Victor Bisetti - Drums
Danny Caron - Guitar
Leon "Ndugu" Chancler - Drums
Joachim Cooder - Drums
Richard Cousins - Bass
Ruth Davies - Acoustic Bass
Terry Evans - Vocals
William "Bill" Greene - Vocals
Ben Harper - Guitar
Booker T. Jones - Organ
Rich Kirch - Guitar
Nick Lowe - Bass
Conrad Lozano - Bass
Scott Mathews - Drums
Reggie McBride - Bass
Bill Payne - Keyboards
Karl Perazzo - Timbales
Jim Pugh - Keyboards
Benny Rietveld - Bass
Raul Rekow - Conga
Johnny Lee Schell - Guitar
John "Juke" Logan - Harmonica
Maurice Cridlin - Bass
Roy Rogers - Guitar, Producer
Chepito Areas - Timbales
Juan Nelson - Bass
Dean Butterworth - Drums
Samuel Taylor - Bass

Mario Caldato, Jr. - Producer, Engineer
Jim Gaines - Producer, Engineer
Los Lobos - Producer
Mike Kappus - Producer, Executive Producer
John Porter - Producer, Mixing
Jerry Boys - Engineer, Mixing
Arne Frager - Engineer
Samuel Lehmer - Engineer
Joe McGrath - Mixing
Allen Sides - Engineer, Mixing
Jim Stern - Mixing
Rail Jon Rogut - Engineer
Herman Leonard - Photography
David Bard - Mastering
Hank Waring - Mastering
Bernie Grundman - Mastering
Bruce Licher - Artwork, Art Direction

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


John Lee Hooker's recordings for Virgin/Point Blank may have varied in quality, but never in formula. Once The Healer earned reams of praise and, more importantly, solid sales upon its 1989 release, it was pretty much set in stone that every future Hooker album would be painstakingly constructed and boast a plethora of superstar cameos. The guest stars were designed to bring in a larger audience, who would hopefully be impressed enough to stick around for Hooker's solid stuff, which was usually better than the attention-grabbing, star-studded tracks. Of course, the names are what sold, and Virgin did not overlook that fact, choosing to assemble a collection of highlights titled The Best of Friends in 1998. The title refers to the superstar duets, and while this very well may be the best of those cuts -- well, almost all of the duets are here, including both the sublime ("I Cover the Waterfront," with Van Morrison) and the mediocre -- this stuff still isn't as good as Hooker's solo recordings from this era. Which means this disc is primarily for listeners who like to think they like Hooker, but they really just want to hear Eric Clapton wail away.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Alll Music Guide



Blues-Oldtimer John Lee Hooker wertet für "Best Of Friends" zehn jüngere Klassiker wie "The Healer" mit Carlos Santana durch drei Neuaufnahmen auf. Ben Harper, Ry Cooder und Eric Clapton ("Boogie Chillen") erweisen wie Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray und Van Morrison dem Urgestein ihre Reverenz.

© Audio



Er war schon immer gut, aber in diesem Album übertrifft er sich selbst. "Best of friends" ist der absolute Hammer. Die gefühlvolle, ausdrucksstarke Musik aus der Feder von John Lee Hooker arrangiert mit einigen der besten Musiker unserer Zeit. Mit dieser Platte wird dem geneigten Zuhörer nie langweilig. Einmal streicheln die sanften Klänge Eric Claptons Gitarre die Seele, das andere mal fängt er mit Ben Harper das Feuer der Leidenschaft. Es ist auf eine eindrucksvolle Weise gelungen die Stile und Eigenheiten der Gastkünstler mit Hookers Werken verschmelzen zu lassen und vollständig individuelle und doch typische Songs zu erschaffen. Jeden der gute Musik mag, werden diese Stücke seidenweichen Blues sofort in ihren Bann ziehen und verzaubern. Diese Scheibe gehört unweigerlich in jede Plattensammlung.



John Lee Hooker’s still rolling! But, in Beatle-esque fashion, even the greats need a little help from their friends. As the title indicates, The Best of Friends is a collection of the collaborations between John Lee Hooker and his musician pals over the last ten years. It’s a star-studded lineup of blues mastery featuring Mr. Hooker and his signature voice and guitar holding court with luminaries Eric Clapton, Nick Lowe, Ry Cooder, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Musselwhite, Robert Cray, and a host of other established blues, rock, and R&B greats.

All the must-have tracks have checked in: a new all-star version of “Boogie Chillen” (a hit 50 years ago!), “The Healer,” “Boom Boom,” “Burnin’ Hell,” “Tupelo,” “I’m In The Mood,” “Dimples,” and more.

Morrison, George Thorogood, and Santana started working on Hooker for collaborations 15 years ago, and their persistence paid off. Hooker was 72 when the first result, The Healer came out in 1989, and he's done more class-A music with more class-A musicians since than a lot of performers do in a lifetime.

After more than a half-century, Hooker shows no signs of slowing down or cooling off. God bless the bluesman and the bonds he forges.

Rating: 9 (out of 10): Stacy Meyn



For half a century, the much-recorded bluesman John Lee Hooker has cut music so primal, it blurs into itself -- his albums often seem interchangeable, his great signature songs recorded to the nth. He defeats this tendency with The Best of Friends, a compilation on which such admiring colleagues as Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan and Bonnie Raitt help him reprise the likes of "Boogie Chillen," "Boom Boom" and "I'm in the Mood," respectively. Three of the album's tracks, among them the Grammy-winning Raitt duet, go back to 1989's mostly collaborative The Healer. Others cherry-pick his Nineties catalog, and three, including the pace-setting "Boogie Chillen," were cut for this project.
Rock & rollers cotton to Hooker because, like Elmore James and, for that matter, Chuck Berry, he has a hook: the boogie beat, a vamping drone that's propulsive at any speed. But reduced to slow one-chord guitar and ageless Delta vocals, as on this album's solo showpiece, "Tupelo," his groove can be pretty foreboding even though its darkness is full of subtle color. The guests, all instrumental except for Raitt and his old fan Van Morrison, open it up. Special kudos to Hispanic interpreters Los Lobos, who rock into his boogie, and Carlos Santana, who, with two different bands, bends "The Healer" and "Chill Out" into polyrhythmic workouts. And, hey, give the drummers some -- eight, all told, every one of a single mind and a single beat, a beat that gathers detail only when it's stated outright. (RS 801)

ROBERT CHRISTGAU, Copyright © 1968-1999 Rolling Stone Network. All Rights Reserved.



What may be most amazing about Mississippi blues legend John Lee Hooker is that at age 81 his gruff, edgy voice and candid, earthy guitar style sound better than ever. On Friends, Hooker's style is enhanced by friends he's made over the decades. The set includes some recent collaborations with Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Booker T., Van Morrison and Robert Cray, plus new cuts with Ben Harper, Ry Cooder and Eric Clapton.

©1978-1999 College Media Inc. All rights reserved.



With The Best of Friends, John Lee Hooker invited fellow musicians to join him in covering old and new songs of his, making this a truly star-studded album. Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, and others took the rare opportunity to play back-up with this blues hero. Hooker plays with the same fire and deep, raspy voice he's always had, while still allowing his guest players to shine. All of their different sounds and styles accompany Hooker's performing, thus serving to enhance his blues with elements of rock, R & B, and even a little country. During "The Healer", any music fan can immediately recognize Santana's guitar licks. Bonnie Raitt steps in on vocals and the slide guitar in "I'm in the Mood", and Robert Cray's guitar is easily heard along side of Hooker's playing in "Baby Lee". Other songs include "Dimples", "Don't Look Back", and a new release, "Boogie Chillen".

John Lee Hooker is indeed a living legend. His newest work is a celebration of his music, adding new flavors to old recipes, with a guest list worthy of few others. Best of Friends is an ode to his talent and influence.

© 1999 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Since he turned 70, John Lee Hooker has won more more Grammys, Bammies, and W.C. Handy awards, has received more tributes, sold more records, appeared on more soundtracks, and performed with more stars than most performers achieve in a lifetime. It's fitting, therefore, that so much of his earlier work be reissued. If You Miss 'Im... is the eighth Hooker album to be reissued by the British BGO label and it's a good one. Originally recorded in 1969 for ABC-Bluesway, the album pairs Hooker with his guitar-playing cousin Earl (who was only beginning to be discovered by the international blues audience), and the amazing Johnny "Big Moose" Walker on piano and organ. It was a working band, which allowed them to record the full album in a day and still have time to record Earl's album for the same label. If You Miss 'Im... is a fine album and includes new notes by Tony Russell.

The Best of Friends is a 13-track compilation of John Lee Hooker's collaborative work drawn from his last five albums, all of which were Grammy nominees, two of them winners. The album starts off with "Boogie Chillen," the million-seller which launched his career 50 years ago. It's one of three new tracks, and features Eric Clapton. The rest includes the title tracks of four of those five recent albums, and two collaborations each with Ry Cooder, Santana, and Van Morrison, and one each with Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, and Los Lobos. A new track also features Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. This isn't essential for those who already have Hooker's previous Point Blank/Virgin releases but it's a good introduction to his work from the last 10 years.

Earl Hooker, generally known as a musician's musician, only managed a few albums before dying of tuberculosis at 40 years old. Chris Strachwitz, who wrote new notes for this release, was responsible for much of his recorded output, which ended up on a couple of Arhoolie releases, from which the tracks on The Moon is Rising are drawn. Hooker played stinging guitar, and eight of the 14 tracks are instrumentals, including a countrified "Guitar Rag," which allows him to display his chops. The vocals are handled by Hooker, Geno Skaggs, Andrew Odom, and Steve Miller (the less famous of the two), who also supplies great organ. Four new tracks are included, most of which are extended instrumental jams that were well worth making available.

Paul-Emile Comeau, Dirty Linen



In commemoration of his 50th anniversary as a recording artist, The Best of Friends collects a sampling of John Lee Hooker’s collaborations with other big name blues and rock artists. Included are three new tracks and 10 previously released cuts selected from The Healer (1989), Mr. Lucky (1991), Boom Boom (1992), Chill Out (1995) and Don’t Look Back (1997). All five of those albums received Grammy nominations, and the latter two won Grammys.

The new tracks include a remake of his 1948 classic, "Boogie Chillen," with guest artist Eric Clapton; "Burnin’ Hell," with Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper; and "Big Legs Tight Skirt," with Ry Cooder. Other guest artists featured here from previous releases include Cooder, Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Jimmie Vaughan, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray and Los Lobos.

There are three ways to look at Hooker’s collaborations through the 1990s. The first is to ask why a blues icon such as Hooker needs to leverage his clout with other celebrities. Is he so stylistically limited, or so bereft of original ideas, that he can’t stand on his own? A second and far more charitable view is that Hooker, now 81 years old, was 72 when he made the first of these recordings. As such, it’s plainly remarkable that he has produced so much enjoyable music at an age when most folks are lucky to be sitting on a front porch, staring at the trees and the traffic.

A third view, the most useful one, is to pitch all that and just listen to the music. Clearly, those buying their first John Lee Hooker record should start with the classics, Rhino’s The Ultimate Collection or the Chess gem, The Real Folk Blues. Still, The Best Of Friends is worth having. The songs are true to Hooker’s style and artistry, and the collaborators (particularly Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray and Los Lobos) inject just enough personality without stealing the spotlight from Hooker.

One caveat: Those who already have all five albums from which Pointblank/Virgin culled 10 of these 13 tracks may not find that the three new cuts merit the purchase of this compilation.

Bryan Powell, Blues Access
 

 L y r i c s


Boogie Chillun

Well my mama she didn't 'low me, just to stay out all night long, oh Lord
Well my mama didn't 'low me, just to stay out all night long
I didn't care what she didn't 'low, I would boogie-woogie anyhow

When I first came to town people, I was walkin' down Hastings Street
Everybody was talkin' about, the Henry Swing Club
I decided I drop in there that night
When I got there, I say, "Yes, people"
They was really havin' a ball!
Yes, I know
Boogie Chillun!

One night I was layin' down,
I heard mama 'n papa talkin'
I heard papa tell mama, let that boy boogie-woogie,
it's in him, and it got to come out
And I felt so good,
went on boogie'n just the same


This Is Hip

This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
I messed around and fell in love

You know you called me up on your telephone
You want me to take you for a ride
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
I messed around and fell in love

Will you come to my house and you dance with me
You hold me tight and you kiss me too
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
You gonna kiss me baby
I messed around and fell in love, ooh yeah

When you call me up, you talk a long time
You talk to me over your telephone
You tellin' me, your comin' round over baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
I messed around and fell in love

When you blasting me, you rock me too
You rock my soul and set on fire
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
This is hip pretty baby
I messed around and fell in love

You been a rockin' good way
You been a rockin' good way
You been a rockin' good way
I messed around and fell in love


The Healer

Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, oh Lord, Lord
Hmm, hmm, hmm
hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm

Blues a healer, all over the world
Blues a healer, healer, all over the world, all over the world
It healed me, it can heal you
The blues can heal you, early one morning
It can heal you
The blues can heal you
Yeah, yeah
It healed me, healed me
It healed me
I was down
I was down
It healed me
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, yes it did, yes it did
Look now
My woman left me
The blues healed me
My woman left me, left me early one morning
Hmm, hmm
The blues healed me, it healed me, healed me
Yeah, yeah!
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Hmm, have mercy
The blues , the blues is a healer
Blues, blues, is a healing healer
it healed, healed, healed
Heal!
Heal, heal, heal!
All over the world, all over the world
It's a healer

One night, I was laying down, feeling so bad, so low, so low
My woman had left me, blues came along and healed me
Heal!
Heal!
(Carlos, it healed me, Carlos)
Carlos!
It healed me!
The blues, it healed , it healed, healer
Hey!
Hey!
Healed me!
Healed me!
Healer!
Hey!
Blues a healer
The blues a healer, all over the world, all over the world
Hmm

Lord, Lord, Lord
Blues a healer, all over the world, all over the world
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord
Healed me, healed, healed, healed
It healed me
It healed me, to heal me
Can heal you, can heal you, heal you, if you let it


I Cover the Waterfront

???


Boom Boom

Boom boom boom boom
I'm gonna shoot you right down,
right offa your feet
Take you home with me,
put you in my house
Boom boom boom boom
A-haw haw haw haw
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm

I love to see you strut,
up and down the floor
When you talking to me,
that baby talk
I like it like that
Whoa, yeah!
Talk that talk, walk that walk

When she walk that walk,
and talk that talk,
and whisper in my ear,
tell me that you love me
I love that talk
When you talk like that,
you knocks me out,
right off of my feet
Hoo hoo hoo
Talk that talk, and walk that walk
Oh, yeah!


I'm In The Mood

I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, baby, I'm in the mood for love

I said night time is the right time, to be with the one you love
You know when night come baby, God know, you're so far away
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, I'm in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, in the mood, baby, in the mood for love

I said yes, my mama told me, to leave that girl alone
But my mama didn't know, God know, girl was puttin' down
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood baby, in the mood for love
I'm in the mood, I'm in the mood, baby, in the mood for love


Burnin' Hell

???


Tupelo

(spoken:
Did you read about the flood?
It happened long time ago, in a little country town, way back in Mississippi
It rained and it rained, it rained both night and day
The people got worried, they began to cry,
"Lord have mercy, where can we go now?"
There were women and there was children, screaming and crying,
"Lord have mercy and a great disaster, who can we turn to now, but you?"
The great flood of Tupelo, Mississippi
It happened one evenin', one Friday evenin', a long time ago,
it rained and it started rainin'
The people of Tupelo, out on the farm gathering their harvest,
a dark cloud rolled, way back in Tupelo, Mississippi, hmm, hmm)

Wasn't that a mighty time,
wasn't that a mighty time?
Wasn't that a mighty time,
a mighty time, that evenin'?
It rained, both night and day
The poor people that had no place to go, hmm,hmm
A little town, called Tupelo, Mississippi
I never forget it and I know you won't either


Baby Lee

Hmm
Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
I love you gal,
always treat me wrong,
always treat me mean

Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
I Love you baby,
always treat me mean

Takin' me downtown baby, carried me through the mill
Takin' me downtown baby, carried me through the mill
Get back home, treat me like a child, Baby Lee

Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
Baby Lee, please don't do me wrong
I love you gal, hmmm


Dimples

I love the way you walk
I love the way you walk
I'm crazy 'bout your walk
I love the way you walk
You my baby...I got my eyes on you

I like the way you switch
I like the way you switch
I like the way you switch
I like the way you switch
You my baby...I got my eyes on you

You got dimples in your jaw
You got dimples in your jaw
You got dimples in your jaw
You got dimples in your jaw
You my baby I got my eyes on you

Well I see you every day
Well I see you every day
In your neighborhood
Well I see you every day
Well I see you every day
You my baby...I got my eyes on you


Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)

???


Big Legs, Tight Skirt

Big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind
Big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind
I love you baby
I just can't help myself

When I see you walking
Walkin' down the street
When I see you walking
Walkin' down the street
Your big legs, your tight skirts
You know me off my feet

Big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind
Oh, big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind

When she walks down the street
She rocks like a motor boat...ho!
She, she walks
She rocks like a motor boat
She real, she rocks
She rocks up and down the street

Big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind
Oh, big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind

Big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind
Hmm, big legs, tight skirt
Bout to drive me out of my mind


Don't Look Back

???

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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