Not sure that about.com is really the official knowledge on the blues but they have listed 10 top Chicago Blues tunes. I looked it over and I can agree for the most part. Of course, Little Walter's - Juke made the list so I guess they're not so far off after all.
It's a very good list, but there's a problem with the first entry, "Key to the Highway," which is that harp player Jazz Gillum's name has been left out of the conversation. I've always thought of him as the composer, and he CLAIMED to be the composer. If you go to Wikipedia, you'll find that Charlie Segar (or Seger) apparently released the first version of "Key to the Highway" early in 1940. Gillum's version was released shortly after that, and Broonzy's version, in turn, was released after Gillum's; but Gillum's is, according to Wikipedia, the first 8-bar version.
And the 8-bar version--Gillum's version--is, as we know, the one that became the standard. That's the version that Broonzy, Derek and the Dominoes, and everybody else eventually covered.
I know nothing about Charlie Segar and his version of the song, but I'd very much like to know what the 12-bar version sounded like. Did the first verse, for example, go:
I got the key to the highway, billed out I'm bound to go I got the key to the highway, billed out I'm bound to go I'm going to leave here running...walking's much to slow
In other words, did he repeat the first line as pretty much ALL recorded blues did at that point?
Gillum felt cheated by the cover versions of "his" song. Let's give credit where credit is due.
Last Edited by on Aug 25, 2009 10:10 AM
Yeah, I thought the list was pretty cool too, of course, Buddy and Junior both made the list, that made me happy but with Big Bill and the rest..... Its a good list.
I've never heard a 12 bar version of it either. Here's a cool tube video of an old version claims to have Jazz in it playing harp with BBBroonzy. Cool harp stuff. I'll keep trying to find Charlie Segar's version. Got a source locally here that trades old lp's and the like. He may have handle on it. In the mean time, enjoy this.
Oh and here's a pretty interesting list of artist who have covered it. Cover hierarchy Key to the Highway by Charlie Segar (February 23, 1940) Key to the Highway by Jazz Gillum (1940) Key to the Highway by Big Bill Broonzy (1941) Key to the Highway by Brownie McGhee (1946) Key to the Highway by John Lee Hooker (1952) Key to the Highway by Mance Lipscomb (1964) Key to the Highway by Blind Connie Williams (1965) Key to the Highway by Jesse Fuller (August 1965) I've Got to Keep to the Highway by Buddy Moss (1967) Key to the Highway by George Smith (1968) Key to the Highway by Derek and the Dominos (1970) Key to the Highway by King Biscuit Boy (1970) Key to the Highway by Freddie King (1971) Key to the Highway by Jimi Hendrix (June 1972) Key to the Highway by Frank Edwards (1973) Key to the Highway by Jim Brewer (1974) Key to the Highway by John Jackson (1979) Keys to the Highway by Philadelphia Jerry Ricks & Oscar Klein (1980) Key to the Highway by Guitar Frank (1982) Old Highway Blues by J.W. Warren (1987) Key to the Highway by Roosevelt Holts (1993) Key to the Highway by Bill Jackson (1994) Key to the Highway by Jimmy Lee Robinson (1994) Key to the Highway by Little Mack Simmons (June 18, 1998) Key to the Highway by Eric Clapton & B.B. King (June 13, 2000) Key to the Highway by Verbeke, Jones, Galvin, Goldman (2001) Key to the Highway by Arthur Williams (October 23, 2001) Key to the Highway by D.B. and The Dynaflows (April 30, 2007)
Oh and I'd like to toss in The Dayton Street Blues Band (with yours truly) has been covering it from 2005 to date along with a host of other weekend warriors.
I just listened to Charlie Segar's version on lala.com. Just as Adam suggested, he repeats the same verse from the 1st - 4th bar over the 5th - 8th bar. I.E.: 1st - 4th I got the key to the highway, billed out I'm bound to go
5th - 8th I got the key to the highway, billed out I'm bound to go
9th - 12th I'm going to leave here running...walking's much to slow
The way I heard the story was that BBB and C Segar were travelling around playing and BBB said that they needed a "Highway Song" so Charles wrote Keys To The Highway. I didn't see Little Walters Version on the list. ---------- If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
jawbone, I stumbled on a similar story about CS writing of it during a session of touring but it didn't mention that BBB and CS were travelling together. You're right about LW missing from the list, in fact there's a ton of players missing from the list. That was just something I grabbed from the www doing the follow up.
I like the tune a lot and it was the first tune I ever played live. On guitar mind you but still..... ---------- "Keep it in your mouth" - XHarp
Hey man.....I've been 'covering' that particular tune on the mean streets of both San Fran and the Crescent City for something like 20 years. Not to mention the odd call with a freshly met guitar in some other city from time to time. I'd be willing to bet that song has netted me several hundred in the hat in the past two decades. I will admit to have never heard it done in anything other than 8 bar, however.
