The War Blues Playlist

Back in the early days, besides singing about hard times and love, bluesmen also sang about the tragedy of war. Indeed, the big boom was the 'post-war blues' of Chicago, but besides WW2 there was the Vietnam War as well.

I compiled 7 songs about war for you, please enjoy! (the blues, not war)

1- Lightnin' Hopkins - War News Blues

2- J.B. Lenior - Vietnam




3- John Lee Hooker - War is Over 



4- Junior Wells - Vietcong Blues




5- Muddy Waters - Herbert Harper's Free Press News




6- Big Joe Williams - Army Man in Vietnam




7- Big Amos Patton - Going to Vietnam Blues

Obscure Blues: Homer Harris

no image found for Homer Harris

In my usual quest for digging up some old school blues I recently discovered a bluesman who at first I thought was actually Muddy Waters, but turned out to be really Homer Harris.

There's not much information on Homer Harris, except he was born in Drew, Mississippi in 1916, and eventually moved to Chicago.

In 1946 he recorded three tracks for Columbia, and featured Muddy Waters on guitar. My initial confusion was from "I'm Gonna Cut Your Head" as the vocals are too similar to Muddy.

It came back to me that in September 27, 1946 Muddy Waters recorded several tracks for Columbia before moving to Aristocrat (later renamed Chess) and releasing his major hit "I Can't Be Satisfied" in 1947.

Muddy was the guitarist for the 3 tracks Homer Harris would record. Separately Muddy released 'Mean Red Spider' for Columbia under the pseudonym James "Sweet Lucy" Carter. 

Homer Harris would not record anything else afterwards, working odd jobs and opening small businesses in Chicago until his death in 2000. 

These songs embody the early Chicago blues sound at I enjoy the most, and I hope you enjoy them too.