Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater - Boogie My Blues Away (1977)

Perhaps the Windy City's most celebrated cultural contribution of the twentieth century will be the blues. Sonny Boy Williamson, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, and Muddy Waters are just a few who found success in Chicago. Blues lyrics historically described tough times and lost loves, but from Chicago came the addition of cars, guns, and other trappings of big city life. With an especially upbeat tempo, Eddy Clearwater's Boogie My Blues Away is a fine contribution to the Chicago blues tradition.



From the first cut, "Muddy Waters Goin' to Run Clear," it's evident that Eddy was out to show he's a unique bluesman all his own. He wrote all of the compositions and this first one is a clever pun. (Eddy's real name is Eddy Harrington, but drummer Jump Jackson dubbed him "Clear Waters" in a takeoff on his better known predecessor.) It's a slow blues number that is especially optimistic. "I believe, I believe this year is gonna be my good luck year/I got a feelin' deep down inside, muddy waters goin' to run clear." Most of the other cuts are just as optimistic and you get the impression Eddy was feeling especially good about his future in 1977.



Track list:



1. Muddy Waters Goin’ To Run Clear

2. Boogie My Blues Away

3. Came Up the Hard Way

4. Blues at Theresa’s

5. I Don’t Know Why

6. Tore Up All the Time

7. Real Fine Woman

8. Mayor Daley’s Blues