The Lightning Blues Playlist
Please forgive the pun, but a couple of months ago a story in my local newspaper really “struck” me. One morning, two towns south, a 36 year old man stepped out of his truck after parking it by his mailbox and a bolt of lightning struck him. It burned a hole through his neck and killed him instantly.
This tragic story got me thinking about a lot of things, most importantly the temporary and fragile nature of life. Secondarily, it got me thinking about the use of lightning in music.
Lightning has been used a great deal by songwriters across all genres to help convey power, energy, randomness and electricity. Many times it’s used to describe sexual or musical electricity or the power and justice of God himself. Since the list was inspired by a tragic event, I decided to hone it down to one genre: The Blues.
It just so happens that the greatest genre to ever turn tragedy into art also has a long history of utilizing lightning in song. One of the great blues legends of all time, Lightnin’ Hopkins used lightning in his name to highlight his super-fast finger style guitar playing.
This playlist includes 11 great blues tracks that use lightning to some degree as performed by Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Otis Spann, Junior Kimbrough, Blind Willie McTell, Dr. Porkchop, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Jack Kelly.
Lightning Blues Playlist
1. Smokestack Lightnin - Howlin' Wolf
2. My Love Strikes Like Lightning - Muddy Waters
3. Lightnin's Stroke - Lightnin' Hopkins
4. Lightnin' - Otis Spann
5. Slow Lightning - Junior Kimbrough
6. Bell Street Lightnin' - Blind Willie McTell
7. Lightning Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins
8. Lightnin Shuffle - Dr. Porkchop
9. White Lightnin'- Mississippi Fred McDowell
10. Lightnin' Blues - Jack Kelly
11. Lightnin' Jump (8002-2) - Lightnin' Hopkins
