Standard of the Week: 'Key to the Highway'

In 1940, pianist Charlie Segar recorded 'Key to the Highway', originally in a 12-bar blues arrangement, which proved to be very popular:

A year later, Big Bill Broonzy recorded his version of it, but in a 8-bar arrangement instead. That version became the definitive song that became a blues standard:

The lyrical content draws images of the travelling bluesman:

I got the key to the highway, billed out and bound to go

I'm gonna leave here runnin', because walkin' is much too slow ...

Give me one more kiss mama, just before I go

'Cause when I'm leavin' here, I won't be back no more

Since then hundreds of musicians covered it, such as:

LITTLE WALTER

MUDDY WATERS

ERIC CLAPTON

ROLLING STONES

B.B. KING