Blue Wednesday: Here We Go Again

A brief note and a poll

And just like that, it’s Blue Wednesday once again! If you’re new here, the idea behind Blue Wednesday is that I share a favorite song of the blues genre and to ask others to share their favorite blues tunes with me.

Thank you so much to those who continue to consistently participate. Last week alone I added eight songs to the ever-growing Blue Wednesday playlist and was able to learn more songs by Muddy Waters, Charley Patton and even learned more about Bob Dylan’s conversion to Christianity. It’s been a real blessing.

Here’s the updated playlist:

This Week

I’m sticking with my “theme” from last week: blending old and new. My contribution this week is the lovely tune “Here We Go Again” performed by the legendary Ray Charles featuring jazz phenom Nora Jones.

This song has every essential blues element you can think of. I’ve said it before, but I’m a sucker for a slow 3/4 time signature. The pace is pregnant with longing and allows the listener to feel just how blue the vocalists are. Paired with the wailing waltz, the lonesome — desperate — lyrics tell the tale of lovers who know they’re better apart but who are just not strong enough to let go. If you’ve never been in such a relationship, count your blessings. If you have, this song will evoke some familiar emotions.

To top it off, about two minutes into the song, the organ lifts our spirits and we can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Good ol’ Ray will see us through to the end. The cyclical nature of the song (a quintessential element of the blues) doesn’t necessarily give us any resolution but at least makes us feel like we’re okay for now. Sometimes that’s all we can ask for; can I get an amen?

What have you got?

Now is the time to ask you to share some of your favorite blues songs with me. Let’s grow the Blue Wednesday playlist together! So, what have you got?

Poll

Before you go, please take a moment to give me your honest feedback. Blue Wednesday started on Notes and gained solid traction, but I decided to give it a more permanent space on my Substack in order to have easier access to the playlist link. Let’s face it, Notes is not the best place to save anything. But I want to hear from you, dear reader. How would you prefer to participate in Blue Wednesday?

Thank you all for reading and supporting me with your likes, shares and comments. I truly appreciate each and every one of my subscribers. May God keep your coffee black and your music blue.