The World Of Blues Power Vol. 2
Artist: various
Review by Charles "Dutch" Metzker
The World of… is a series of budget albums released by Decca Records and its subsidiaries. Launched in 1968, the series showcased a wide variety of the label’s output including classical music, pop, folk, jazz, blues, world music, showtunes, comedy and spoken word releases. Among the editions are compilations, reissues, samplers and several collections based upon the BBC Radio programme Your Hundred Best Tunes. The World of… brought Decca’s catalogue to retailers like supermarkets, encouraging new buyers to “dip in”. By 1975, it was described as “probably one of the best-selling series ever devised by a record company.”
The World Of Blues Power featured the Vol 1 (1969) collection of the special ‘Blues Power’ compilation, including tracks by the Bluesbreakers, Ten Years After, Champion Jack Dupree, Savoy Brown and more.
The World Of Blues Power Vol. 2 (1970) LP compilation on the red boxed Decca label, was the second installment of The World Of Blues Power series, featuring tracks from blues greats such as the Savoy Brown, Shakey Horton, Champion Jack Dupree & several from John Mayall.
Side A
- Savoy Brown – Don’t Turn Me From Your Door: early stuff lamenting not being able to save a relationship.
- Shakey Horton – Can’t Help Myself: down in Southside Chicago blues.
- John Mayall – Checkin’ Up On My Baby: Been away for a while? Hence the title. He passed away at 90.
- Homesick James – Crutch And Cane: Going for a walk back to my baby – great piano work.
- Ten Years After – Going To Try: Driving beat then mellows out with organ overlay and percussion ending.
- Eddie Boyd – Too Bad – Pt.1: stride piano.
Side B
- Ten Years After – Speed Kills: Involves a car and a train with a nice oops at the end. What happened? Listen and find out.
- Keef Hartley – Leavin’ Trunk: A nice combo of whiskey and the blues-hard driving guitars
- Robert Nighthawk – Lula Mae: Nice harmonica work on this song about sending her on her way.
- John Mayall – You Don’t Love Me” Good relationship gone bad.
- Savoy Brown – She Got A Ring In His Nose, And A Ring On Her Hand: I guess we know who has the upper hand. Detroit blues at its best.
- Champion Jack Dupree – Third Degree: Children, taxes and bad luck, Oh my!
