Remembering B.B. King: 5 essential songs
It’s been five years since B.B. King went silent.
The blues legend died on May 14, 2015 in Las Vegas. He was 89.
For nearly 70 years, the Mississippi native – accompanied by his beloved guitar Lucille – delighted crowds worldwide with his one-of-a-kind sound.
Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure and the effects of diabetes contributed to King’s death, a medical examiner found. Allegations that he had been poisoned were ruled out.
King made a lasting impact on the blues community, one that’s still felt. Over the course of his career, he performed live more than 15,000 times.
Rolling Stone ranked King No. 6 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists, behind Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and Jeff Beck.
“Blues is a tonic for whatever ails you,” King told USA TODAY in 2005. “I could play the blues and then not be blue anymore.”
His sound – and his work ethic – helped shape a new generation of performers, blues and otherwise.
“I fell in love with B.B.’s voice before I ever picked up a guitar,” Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes told USA TODAY after the star’s death. “When I started playing guitar a few years later, I realized his voice and his guitar were the same thing. That inspired me to try and achieve that balance myself.”
Here are five essential songs to play on the fifth anniversary of his death.
‘Three O’Clock Blues’ (1951)
Lasting impact: One of King’s first major hits. The audio quality on the initial recording wasn’t great because it was recorded at a Memphis YMCA.
Sample lyrics: “Now here it is three o’ clock in the mornin’ / Can’t even close my eyes / Oh, three o’ clock in the mornin’, baby / Can’t even close my eyes / Well, I can’t find my baby / Lord, and I can’t be satisfied.”
‘Every Day I Have the Blues’ (1955)
Lasting impact: Pinetop Sparks initially recorded this tune in 1935, 20 years before King made it his own. King’s cover was one of four versions of the song to reach the top 10 of Billboard’s R&B chart.
Sample lyrics: “Nobody loves me / Nobody seems to care / Yes, nobody loves me / Nobody seems to care / Speaking of worries and trouble darling, you know I’ve had my share.”
‘Sweet Sixteen’ (1959)
Lasting impact: Near the end of the ’50s, King sought to broaden his appeal with hits such as this one. The softer sound helped introduce him to new audiences.
Sample lyrics: “When I first met you, baby / Baby, you were just sweet sixteen / When I first met you, baby / Baby, you were just sweet sixteen / You just left your home then, woman / Ah, the sweetest thing I’d ever seen.”
‘The Thrill Is Gone’ (1969)
Lasting impact: King made this Roy Hawkins tune a bona fide hit, earning a Grammy Award for best male R&B vocal performance in 1970. It ranks No. 185 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Sample lyrics: “The thrill is gone / It’s gone away from me / The thrill is gone, baby / The thrill is gone away from me / Although, I’ll still live on / But so lonely I’ll be.”
‘To Know You Is To Love You’ (1973)
Lasting impact: Stevie Wonder contributed to the title track of King’s 22nd studio album.
Sample lyrics: “To know you is to love you / But to know me is not that way you see / ‘Cause you made me so happy / That my love for you grows endlessly.”