Why I Sing the Blues [MCA] (Cassette - 1992)

MCA Special Products' Why I Sing the Blues collects ten highlights from B.B. King's late-'60s and early-'70s recordings for ABC, which were later acquired by MCA. Considering that this is a budget-priced compilation, and therefore limited in its scope, this isn't a bad sampler at all, containing the hit version of "The Thrill Is Gone," plus good takes of "Hummingbird," "How Blue Can You Get?," and "Sweet Sixteen," along with such oddities as "Chains and Things," which features Carole King on piano. Certainly, it's not enough to make it of interest to hardcore collectors, who will likely own all of this, nor is it a comprehensive collection by any means -- but it's still a fun sampler considering its price. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Budget-minded shoppers searching for an introduction to blues master B.B. King can't hope to do much better than WHY I SING THE BLUES. This low-priced compilation wrings nearly 60 minutes of music from its ten song line-up and contains several of King's signature tunes. Included here is King's biggest hit, "The Thrill is Gone," which is one of the few blues singles ever to crack the pop Top 20. The title track, an eight-minute justification of King's art, serves up ample portions of B.B.'s stinging, vibrato-laced guitar solos. Then there's the funky "Ghetto Woman," "Ain't Nobody Home," and "To Know You Is To Love You," complete with Memphis horns and soulful background vocals; and "How Blue Can You Get?," during which King sings the immortal lines "I let you live in my penthouse/You said it was just a shack/I gave you seven children/And now you want to give them back." The blues don't get much more elemental than that. minimize