Dark and Dreary (2005)

About this title: Elmore James didn't live long enough to garner mainstream attention: a heart attack in 1963 sent him to the grave at the much too early age of 45, denying him the acclaim and crossover success he so richly deserved. But regardless, by the time of his death James was already a blues legend, his influence inestimable, as his signature slide guitar style affected not just the blues and R&B scenes but the rock world as well. For all its Dark and Dreary title, this sumptuous two-CD set gloriously revisits James' early years, paying a superb tribute to the singer/guitarist across 56 tracks. An ... read more

Tracks:

1. Dust My Broom [James/Johnson]
2. Please Find My Baby [Take 1] [James/Josea]
3. Hawaiian Boogie [Take 1] [James/Josea]
4. Please Find My Baby [Take 2] [James/Josea]
5. Lost Woman Blues (Please Find My Baby) [Take 3] [James/Josea]
6. Hand in Hand [James/Ling/Taub]
7. Long Tall Woman Blues [James]
8. Rock My Baby Right [James/Josea]
9. My Baby's Gone [Taub]
10. One More Drink [Take 1] [James]
11. One More Drink [Take 2] [James]
12. Baby What's Wrong [James]
13. I Believe [Johnson/James]
14. Sinful Woman [James/Ling]
15. I Held My Baby Last Night [James/Taub]
16. Round House Boogie (aka Sax Symphonic Boogie) [Instrumental] [Brown]
17. Kicking the Blues Around (Flaming Blues) [Instrumental] [Brown]
18. Sax-Only Boogie [Instrumental] [Brown]
19. Dumb Woman Blues [Brown]
20. Sweet Little Woman [Traditional]
21. I May Be Wrong [Basie/Rushing]
22. Early in the Morning [James]
23. Hawaiian Boogie [Take 2] [James/Josea]
24. Can't Stop Lovin' [James]
25. Make a Little Love [James]
26. My Best Friend (Make My Dreams Come True) [Take 1] [James]
27. Make My Dreams Come True [Take 2] [James]
28. Make My Dreams Come True [Take 3] [James]
29. Make My Dreams Come True [Take 4] [James]
30. Make My Dreams Come True [Take 7] [James]
31. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 1] [James/Josea]
32. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 2] [James/Josea]
33. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 3] [James/Josea]
34. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 4] [James/Josea]
35. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 5] [James/Josea]
36. Strange Kinda Feeling [Take 6] [James/Josea]
37. Dark and Dreary [Take 1] [Josea]
38. Dark and Dreary [Take 2] [Josea]
39. Dark and Dreary [Take 4] [Josea]
40. Quarter Past Nine [James]
41. Where Can My Baby Be [Take 1] [James]
42. Where Can My Baby Be [Take 8] [James]
43. Where Can My Baby Be [Take 9] [James]
44. Please Come Back to Me (Sho' Nuff I Do) [Whittaker]
45. Sho' Nuff I Do [Session Talk & False Start] [Whittaker]
46. Sho' Nuff I Do [Alternate Take] [Whittaker]
47. Sho' Nuff I Do [Whittaker]
48. 1839 Blues [James]
49. I Got a Strange Baby [James]
50. Canton Mississippi Breakdown [Instrumental] [James/Josea]
51. Sunny Land [James]
52. Standing at the Crossroads [Johnson/James/Josea]
53. Late Hours at Midnight [Taub/Josea]
54. The Way You Treat Me (aka Mean and Evil) [James]
55. Happy Home [James]
56. No Love in My Heart [James]

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