Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Key To The Highway
(Big Bill Broonzy / Charles Segar)

Pathé Marconi Studios (EMI Studios), Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France,
February 28, 1985

Ian Stewart - piano

Produced by The Glimmer Twins & Steve Lilywhite

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Dirty Work” LP
(CBS 86321) UK, March 24, 1986

Three other versions have appeared on bootlegs, with my personal ratings (IMHO) - this song is generally one of my favourite songs:

- Studio version, 1965 - solid, but unexciting

- Tour rehearsals 1972, vocals Mick Jagger - a very informal rehearsal, fun to listen to. I really regret they did not play this song in concert at least once back in 1972. It would have stood alongside Ventilator blues and Torn & frayed which they played in Vancouver

- Studio version, vocals Keith Richards - this is really a great version, it fits Keith's voice perfectly, and someone plays a brillant piano



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-19 13:09 by saltoftheearth.

A little hommage to the big man. His value for the band was bigger than is ego. That's what
makes him very admirable. Thanks Stu, for all these years of boogie woogie.

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

What's on Dirty Work hardly qualifies as a track, does it?

Drew

i assume we should be discussing the chess studio version...worth discussing...the little coda at the end of dirty work isn't worth a convo...or even a half-convo....

As far as the Stones renditions go, I only know the '65 take.

Johnnie Johnson cut it in '91 with Keith on gtr/vocals...Johnnie B Bad album



ROCKMAN

The strongest cut in DIRTY WORK.

- Doxa

Quote
Doxa
The strongest cut in DIRTY WORK.

- Doxa

Agreed..my only on DW...for the touch of Stones -64 in Stu's playing....

2 1 2 0

Quote
Rockman
Johnnie Johnson cut it in '91 with Keith on gtr/vocals...Johnnie B Bad album

also on keith's eileen cd single...

You can clearly hear the shades of drums on this.
So where is the Stones´ complete version?

Quote
Rockman
Johnnie Johnson cut it in '91 with Keith on gtr/vocals...Johnnie B Bad album

Correct! It was available on Jonnie's album much significantly earlier than before Keith ever released it as a b-side ... and it's the exact same version.

Quote
Doxa
The strongest cut in DIRTY WORK.

- Doxa

I'll go along w/ that!

Quote
Big Al
As far as the Stones renditions go, I only know the '65 take.

The others can be found on youtube. The 1972 version, however, is not a finished track but a rehearsal where Mick Jagger only sings halfway through. It is nevertheless interesting and fun to listen to.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-20 11:31 by saltoftheearth.

There's only one guitar on the 1964 take, played by Keith I think. As the harp solo seems to be Mick, does that mean that Brian didn't play on "Key To The Highway" ?

Quote
Ayler
There's only one guitar on the 1964 take, played by Keith I think. As the harp solo seems to be Mick, does that mean that Brian didn't play on "Key To The Highway" ?

On the earliest albums, Brian played the harp, so this could have been him.

Not one of my favorite blues songs, and therefore I find most covers boring. The Stones included. It is rote. Seems to be a favorite of so many players.

Big Bill Broonzy - Chicago, 2 May 1941







ROCKMAN

Here's a great performance of the song

[www.youtube.com]

Sonny Terry and Brownie Mcghee



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2015-02-01 10:46 by MrTurner.

Here's a classic performance of the song .....







ROCKMAN

Damn, that Little Walter video says "This video is unavailable" when I click on it.

Maybe it's a USA thing ...Here's one that works for me. Comments say Muddy on slide, Willie Dixon on bass and Otis Spann on piano.? Damn, this could be my favorite song from the 50's! Sooo good.






peace



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-02-01 10:52 by Naturalust.

Have always admired Eric Clapton with Duane Allman's version.

I have a version of the Stones doing "Key To the Highway" live from the May 15th 1976 show in Leicester, Granby Hall. I haven't listebn to it in years, if I recalll corectly Billy Preston is all over this song with Jagger. Clapton came on stage and played on this with them.

Little Walter - Key To The Highway 1958
Checker single 904

Little Walter - Vocals, Harmonica
Otis Spann - Piano
Muddy Waters - Slide guitar
Luther Tucker - Guitar
Willie Dixon - Bass
George Hunter - Drums



ROCKMAN

ROCKMAN

Quote
Rockman
Little Walter - Key To The Highway 1958
Checker single 904

Little Walter - Vocals, Harmonica
Otis Spann - Piano
Muddy Waters - Slide guitar
Luther Tucker - Guitar
Willie Dixon - Bass
George Hunter - Drums

Wow. No wonder I love that track so much! What a band. Did they record more tunes with this lineup? Thx. peace

Did they record more tunes with this lineup?

well No Muddy didn't cross over onto other band members recordings very
often but he did help out on things like Juke in 1952 and a few early Jimmy Rogers tracks from around 1950...Willie Dixon other hand plays on a number of Little Walter tracks



ROCKMAN

Yay! This is THE version. Thanks for posting. Love that harmonica sound....