Soul Blues (album)

Soul Blues is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in 1963 and released on the Bluesville label.

Reception

The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings wrote: "Soul Blues has a few distinctive pieces like 'I'm Going to Build Me a Heaven of My Own' – not out of atheistic contrariness but in order to give 'lovin' women a happy home'. 'I'm a Crawling Black Snake' which has little in common with Blind Lemon Jefferson's song, is framed by oddly impressionistic guitar". AllMusic reviewer Roundup Newsletter stated: "A true poet of the blues, Lightnin' Hopkins was a master of tall, tongue-in-cheek tales, often made up on the spot in the recording studio".

Track listing

All compositions by Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins except where noted

1. "I'm Going to Build Me a Heaven of My Own" – 5:56
2. "My Babe" (Willie Dixon) – 3:20
3. "Too Many Drivers" – 3:30
4. "I'm a Crawling Black Snake" – 4:50
5. "Rocky Mountain Blues" – 3:50
6. "I Mean Goodbye" – 3:00
7. "The Howling Wolf" – 3:50
8. "Black Ghost Blues" – 3:30
9. "Darling, Do You Remember Me?" – 3:40
10. "Lonesome Graveyard" – 5:30

Personnel

Performance

• Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals
• Leonard Gaskin – bass (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)
• Herbie Lovelle – drums (tracks 1–3, 5–8 & 10)

Production

• Ozzie Cadena – supervision
• Rudy Van Gelder – engineer

References