The Blues Jam Canon?

[Raja Singh]

Ok Blues Jammers, here's your chance to lend some advice:

If you were going to suggest 5 songs - and only 5 songs - for a beginning bluesman to learn prior to showing up at a jam session, what songs would you choose?

My thoughts:
Born Under a Bad Sign
I'm Tore Down
Sweet Home Chicago
Hoochie Coochie Man
Crossroads

Stormy Monday and The Thrill is Gone almost made my list, but I decided to go with riff-based tunes.

Thoughts?

[Jim Corbelli]

Stormy Monday
T-Bone Shuffle
Sweet Home Chicago
I'm Tore Down
The Thrill Is Gone

The reason I would add Thrill is because you have no slow minor blues in there and I'd add Stormy Monday because the progression isn't just 1-IV-V and you need to be able to follow it. T-Bone is just a favorite of mine.

[Jeff Gruwell]

I love all the songs mentioned already, and almost submitted "Born in Chicago" because it is such a cool riff based tune, but here's my 5.

Red House
Help the Poor
Mustang Sally
Rock Me Baby
Sweet Little Angel

[Jimmy Jones]

bright lights big city
killing floor
thrill is gone
down home blues
johnny b goode

[Kennan]

"Born Under..." has a peculiar beat, making it a sure Train Wreck unless everyone (i.e.; drummers) know what to do.

I'd definitely say "Stormy Monday" though. And "Thrill" for the minor key stuff.

[Robert Scott]

I'll go with:

Stormy Monday
I'm Tore Down
Rock Me Baby
Key to the Highway
Thrill is Gone

Diversity is key here. "Tore Down" and Sweet Home Chicago are frequently played over the same riff. Key to the Highway is an 8 bar shuffle. Rock Me because every list needs some Muddy.

[Dan Prisk]

Red House

[Jim Mergens]

5 songs? Can't settle on 5 artists! I have a hard time with forced choices on a topic like this with hundreds of artists & thousands of songs. Especially when there are a lot of really cool things going on like:
Southern California Purples and I'm A Man by Chicago, Live at Carnegie Hall
B Movie Boxcar Blues - Blues Brothers version
Summetime Blues or Young Man Blues by The Who, Live at Leeds or Isle of Wight
The smoking hot versions of Highway 61 that Tommyjack Yarborough did last Saturday & Johnny Winter did last year at Crossroads
and the reggae version of Broke My Baby's Heart that Roy, Mike, & I did last year (one of my favorites)
My two cents worth - Jim

[Rick Martinez]

Messin with the kid
Stormy Monday
Sweet Home Chicago
Thrill is gone
Rock me baby

[Bruce Langston]

Rock Me Baby
Hoochie Coochie Man
Red House Blues
Mustang Sally
Stormy Monday

For all the reasons given...simplicity, distinct riffs, groove and/or chord progressions which identify the song (...or turn around). I also like Cross Roads a lot (Cream Version) and have seen a couple of jams where it worked pretty well..Trading solos seemed a bit harder cuz of the beat I think (Clapton makes it seem easy)...and not many singers call it (But it is a classic).

[Tequila Slim]

High & Lonesome - Jimmy Reed
Big Boss Man - Jimmy Reed
Baby Please Come Home - Slim Harpo
Empty Arms - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (not doing it SRV's way of course, but in a way easier for the novice)
Things I Used To Do - Guitar Slim
Stop Breaking Down - Robert Johnson (again, also not doing it like the original of course).

[Bob Loomis]

I'd add some old-timey/traditional tunes just because that's the kind of guy I am (you can hear my joints creaking when I play):

Stealin,' Stealin'
Deep Elem Blues
I Know You Rider
Hurts Me Too
San Francisco Bay Blues (this one has a few tricky chord changes)