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Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums - #499

So OutKast surprised me with their supriginsly decent Aquemini album, but it's time for 499 on the list, which I'm purposely keeping myself in the dark on until it's time to listen. This one is I'm going to assume will not be the only live album to make the list (makes me wonder if greatest hits qualify as well).

#499
B.B. King - Live In Cook County Jail
I've never really got into a live in the way that I've found indispensable, I mean I've heard plenty of live versions of songs that I've loved, and there is a few live albums I've listened to more than once. Also I should mention here that I am familiar with B.B. King but never really sat down to listen to his stuff. So I'm both excited and curious to listen album all the way from Cook County Jail - with Jails it seems getting mostly better entertainment than my own city.

It starts with a very funny introduction where they acknowledge in attendance are Sheriff Woods (who does get a small clattering of claps at first) and then Judge gets announced and it's a huge chorus of boos, clearly not fans of him in the audience, B.B. King though gets a nice reception.

Every Day I Have The Blues is the first song comes in at under 2 minutes but shows how talented King was and is a great showcase for him, by his next track How Blue Can You Get, I already decide I'm a fucking musical novice - how have I never really give him a chance before, he's clearly as talented as fuck (sorry for the whole bad language). I don't know how the prison audience felt about him at first but it's clear half way through this song he's got them hooked (me too).

Worry, Worry, Worry has him being playful with the crowd - which happened to be in the most dangerous prison in the world at the time. It's a long song (nearly 10 minutes) but as enough variety to remain constantly interesting before he moves on to his older stuff, which does show how his style evolved in the then 20 years he'd been performing.

I think I can see myself being a B.B. King fan after listening to this album, sometimes you hear a singer or group and you know it's changed you, connected with you - even if it's ever so slightly. And so far pure pleasure I'm calling this a 5* album.
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