On Campus (2000)

About this title: Vee Jay's 1964 album John Lee Hooker on Campus is titled to sound like a live recording but it isn't. As part of the Collectables Vee Jay reissue campaign, these 12 tracks originally tried to capitalize on Hooker's emergence on the coffeehouse/college tours he was involved in at the time. This is an electric album that contains excellent material from Hooker, even though the occasional background singers get in the way, attempting to modernize his gritty blues with a smoother soul sound. All of the Vee Jay reissues of John Lee Hooker material are worth having and are budget priced as a bonus. ... read more

Tracks:

1. I'm Leaving [Hooker]
2. Love Is a Burning Thing [Hooker]
3. Birmingham Blues [Hooker]
4. I Want to Shout [Hooker]
5. Don't Look Back [Hooker]
6. I Want to Hug You [Hooker/Ling]
7. Poor Me [Hooker]
8. I Want to Ramble [Hooker]
9. Half a Stranger [Sykes]
10. My Grinding Mill [Hooker]
11. Bottle up and Go [Hooker]
12. One Way Ticket [Hooker]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.