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Jan 14, 2023 · Blues music paved the way for many other genres of music we know and love. Although blues music has evolved over time, a fundamental chord progression called the 12 bar blues still lives on. 12 bar blues songs are comprised of 3 blues chords: the I, the IV, and the V and are played using a pattern that ultimately ends up being 12 bars long.
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- Blues Chords
- “Johnny B. Goode” By Chuck Berry. Kicking off our list is the explosive “Johnny B. Goode” by none other than the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Chuck Berry. Released in 1958, this iconic track is not only one of the greatest 12-bar blues songs, but it’s also widely acknowledged as one of the most influential songs in the history of rock music.
- “Hound Dog” By Elvis Presley. Another legendary 12-bar blues song that deserves a spot on this list is from the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley. “Hound Dog,” released in 1956, is another defining track of the 12-bar blues genre.
- “I Got You (I Feel Good)” By James Brown. The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, stamps his indelible mark on our list with “I Got You (I Feel Good),” a bona fide 12-bar blues masterpiece.
- “The Thrill Is Gone” By B.B. King. When it comes to blues, few names resonate as powerfully as B.B. King and his heartbreaking yet soulful rendition of “The Thrill is Gone” certainly secures his place in our list.
- Johnny B. Goode – Chuck Berry
- Rock and Roll – Led Zeppelin
- Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
- The Thrill Is Gone – B.B. King
- Can’T Buy Me Love – The Beatles
- Crossroads – Eric Clapton
- Ball and Biscuit – The White Stripes
- Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Tush – ZZ Top
- Tutti Frutti – Little Richard
A key figure in the early rock and roll movement of the ’50s, Chuck Berry, released ‘Johnny B. Goode’ as an autobiographical tale. The song tells the story of a young boy gifted with some serious guitar skills who grows up to become a famous musician. While the single is considered one of rock’s historic musical pieces, Berry relied on classic blue...
Most of rock and roll, including its most popular hits, has roots in the 12 bar blues structure, including Led Zeppelin’s track ‘Rock and Roll.’ Bandmate and lyricist Robert Plant used the song as an opportunity to respond to critics suggesting that their recent releases of the day weren’t really rock music.
In-demand 1950s songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller penned this sassy track for Big Mama Thornton, who recorded it in 1952. The lyrics highlight a woman who’s confessing she’s had enough of her no-good man. Four years after Thornton, Elvis Presley released his popular, rocked-out version of the hit song in ’56. Related: Listen to more Gre...
Musician Roy Hawkins originally wrote this love-gone-wrong track in 1951. At the time, B.B. King was a radio DJ. He loved Hawkins’ work and played ‘The Thrill is Gone’ on his on-air show. He eventually recorded it, becoming one of the blues’ most enduring tunes. Many artists have covered it, including Eric Clapton and Tracy Chapman. Related: Here a...
Listing several ways money can’t buy someone love even though it can buy them countless material possessions, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ was songwriter Paul McCartney’s first run at writing a traditional 12 bar blues song. It also marked the first time a Beatles hit featured a single singer. Related: This song features on our playlist of songs with love i...
Every blues musician has tried their hand at some point with ‘Crossroads,’ early delta musician Robert Johnson’s legendary number. The tune features a classic blues structure with its signature “turn around” at the end of the 12 bar blues progression invented by Johnson himself. Clapton recorded his version while with his band Cream. Their renditio...
Behind The White Stripes’ evasive modern tune ‘Ball and Biscuit’ is a mythical story rooted in southern blues folklore known as “The Seventh Son.’ This tale postulates the seventh son born to a seventh son will be endowed with supernatural powers. Early prominent blues writers like Willie Dixon also covered the myth in their own works. Related: Che...
This Texas blues rocker ignited Stevie Ray Vaughan’s career, who was a little-known musician at the time. He released it on his seminal album, Texas Flood, as the first single. ‘Pride and Joy’ features Vaughan professing his love to his woman in between cleanly delivered blistering blues solos.
VH1 named ZZ Tops’ ‘Tush’ one of the best hard rock songs ever recorded. Despite this accolade, this energetic single from the “little band from Texas” is pure blues gold. Though guitarist Billy Gibbons often takes on lead vocals, for this hit, late bassist Dusty Hill commanded the mic. Full of swagger, ‘Tush’ finds the band heading downtown lookin...
In the small town of Macon, Georgia, in 1955, Richard Penniman worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant. While he worked, he also wrote songs in his head. That same year he’d become known as Little Richard and released his debut album featuring ‘Tutti Frutti,’ one of the songs he wrote while working in the service industry. It contains his signature ...
- “Back Door Man” Original version: Howlin’ Wolf. Covered by: The Doors. This classic Chicago blues style track was written by the prolific Willie Dixon. Released in 1961 as the B-side to “Wang Dang Doodle,” the song references a man having an affair with a married woman and having to leave by “the back door” when her husband came through the front door.
- “Black Betty” Original version: Lead Belly. Covered by: Ram Jam. “Black Betty” was recorded in the 1930’s by musicologists John and Alan Lomax for preservation in the Library of Congress’ Archive of American Folk Songs and was officially recorded by Lead Belly in 1939.
- “Crossroads” or “Cross Road Blues” Original version: Robert Johnson. Covered by: Cream. Has any other blues musician had more of an influence on music than Robert Johnson?
- “I Can’t Quit You Baby” Original version: Otis Rush. Covered by: Led Zeppelin. Yet another song written by Willie Dixon makes the list, becoming a hit for Otis Rush in 1956.
- Brett Milano
- 5 min
- BB King – The Thrill Is Gone. Producer Bill Szymczyk – yes, the same one who’d make millions a few years later with The Eagles – caused a small revolution when he added a string section to this track, otherwise one of many smooth ballads that BB King recorded in the 60s.
- Robert Johnson – Me And The Devil Blues. One of the last recordings he made, released on the Vocalion label in 1938, this classic fable about Satan calling in a debt, helped to fuel the long-held myth that Johnson had made a Faustian pact with the devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for musical success.
- John Lee Hooker – Boogie Chillen. Hooker’s biggest commercial success was during the years 1949 to 1951 when he was in his thirties; he put six singles in the US R&B charts, the first of which was “Boogie Chillen,” which went all the way to No. 1.
- Little Walter And His Jukes – My Babe. Louisiana harmonica player and singer Marion Jacobs is better known by his blues sobriquet “Little Walter,” and rose to fame in the 1950s when he racked up 15 hits for Chess Records’ Checker imprint including “My Babe,” which spent five weeks at the summit of the US R&B singles charts in 1955.
Aug 9, 2023 · The 12-bar blues chord progression is the foundation of numerous iconic songs across various genres. In this blog post, we'll delve into six famous songs that are built on this timeless chord progression. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced guitarist, understanding the 12-bar blues can open up a world of musical possibilities.
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Aug 2, 2023 · Two of the earliest acknowledged blues songs were published in 1912 with ‘Dallas Blues’ by fiddler Hart Wand. A bandleader from Oklahoma City, this song based on a 12 bar bues form was published in March 1912.
