Download Instrumental    Recorded by the great bluesman Robert Johnson in 1936, “Sweet Home Chicago” has been the subject of controversy ever since. You see, no one really knew what the man was talking about.  He wailed about going back to California, back to Chicago, and back to Des Moines, Iowa all in the same tune – and he wasn’t on a road trip.  Some say he purposely confused the issue or maybe he was just geographically-challenged.  Others maintain he was covering his tracks as he had a habit of picking up a different woman in every town he played – married or not.  He also used a different name everywhere he went.  Now, that seems kind of suspicious, don’t you think? Ol’ Robert was quite a character… not necessarily to be emulated however.

It doesn’t really matter why Mr. Johnson mixed up his cities.  He created one of the most recorded blues masterpieces of all time and every blues artist on the planet has recorded it.  It’s true that they all changed the lyrics to match whatever situation they were in, but that just highlights the versatility of the song.  You can make it mean it anything you want – which is why you should be doing this one onstage.  Make it fun.  I like fun.

I, personally, favor the “Blues Brothers” version.  It’s quicker and more lively than any other rendition out there, which is why I kept Belushi and Aykroyd in mind while working with this arrangement.   In the movie, they escaped from a variety of lawmen during their performance and never ended the song.  I promise this one ends the way I think “The Blues Brothers” would have done it… if they’d hung around long enough.  Oh… and Go Cubs!