Random Friday Musical Interlude

I’m not thinking about anything too serious this Friday afternoon, other than really hoping that Ahmadinejad loses the election in Iran, and that if he loses, he leaves.

Here’s a random video of Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money in My Hand by the Primitive Radio Gods. Actually, it’s not entirely random. It ties in here somewhat by virtue of the fact that it has a confluence of red British telephone booths, planes lining up to land at an airport, and blues.



The reason this stong stuck in my head is because I like the way it samples the lyric “I’ve been downhearted, baby, ever since the day we met” from B.B. King’s superlative live performance of How Blue Can You Get? That’s one of the tracks from what the critics generally consider the best live blues album of all time, B.B. King Live at the Regal, recorded in Chicago in November of 1964. If you ever hear that track, it can send goosebumps up your spine, the way that he and the audience play off each other and build up to a crescendo.



Here’s the King performing How Blue Can You Get? on Soundstage in 1977. Notice the lyrics... Although inflation had already kicked in, spending 10 bucks on dinner for someone might still have been saying something significant. I think a McDonald’s value meal now comes close to 10 dollars, doesn’t it? Especially if you supersize it?



I've been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met
I've been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met

Our love is nothing but the blues...
Baby, how blue can you get?

You're evil when I'm with you
and you are jealous when we're apart
You're evil...
You're so evil when I'm with you baby
and you are jealous when we're apart
How blue can you get baby?
The answer is right here in my heart

I gave you a brand new Ford
and you said "I want a Cadillac"
I bought you a ten dollar dinner
and you said "thanks for the snack"!
I let you live in my penthouse
you said it was just a shack!
I gave you seven children
and now you wanna give 'em back!

Yes I've been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met
Our love is nothing but the blues baby
Baby, how blue can you get?