The Blues Brothers Original Soundtrack Recording

You didn't have to love the blues to love The Blues Brothers. When the movie dropped in 1980 it was a perplexing experience (in a good way) and so over the top it quickly became must-see viewing among the cool kids. I wasn't one of the cool kids, but I still saw the movie. Trying to explain to kids how cool Jake and Elwood Blues were is like trying to describe what water tastes like.

I wasn't a big blues fan, but boy howdy these guys were the real deal, and while their personas were over the top there was always a reverence and respect to the source material. While Dan Aykroyd's Elwood was played as the straight character, it was John Belushi's Jake who had the swagger and chops. Listening to the songs on the record, it's Jake who delivers the goods. Whereas the concept and the movie were written by Dan and director John Landis. These boys loved the blues, and they surrounded themselves with the best of the best.

I've seen the movie many times over the years, but this is actually the first time I've actually sat and listened to the soundtrack outside the context of the film. Of course in my mind's eye the songs here are intertwined and it evokes a lot of nostalgia for me.

There's something about hearing Cab Calloway holding court with "Minnie the Moocher" that's still riveting. Apparently it was a bone of contention at the time when John Landis and Dan had him deliver the song with the big band, as Cab had wanted to do an updated disco version that would have been more current ... he'd have been wrong. The other showpiece here is the extended "Sweet Home Chicago" that is stretched out and gives the band a chance to really show their stuff.

To some this may have just been a skit that took on a life of its own. To me though this was no joke. The Blues Brothers helped pull the blues into the mainstream. The soundtrack would go platinum and introduce a new generation to the blues.

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