Listen: Love You Baby – Bobby Blue Bland / Ike Turner & His Orchestra
Love

It might be a bit of a generic juke joint rumble, but this particular rumble was done with Bobby Blue Bland, Ike Turner and God only knows who else in one room.

Let’s envision it for a moment. No multi-day, starting at noon, air conditioned, catered, I’ve had a blog hit so I know what I’m doing recording session here. These were guys who slaved the chitlin circuit, with it’s separate drinking fountains, cordoned off restaurant seating, trudging from small town to small town, grinding out a paycheck. Just imagine the rock gut liquor hangover that morning after. Enduring long rides in crowded smoke filled cars, getting to that next engagement. And this was every day. Back when you truly had to master your craft, in fact, rouse crowds into frenzies nightly, simply to earn a working musician’s living. And if you were black, second class everything was a way of life.

Although credited on the label, Ike Turner is seldom name checked when ‘Love You Baby’ gets mentioned, if ever it does.

For me, the 2:25 playing length is a welcome daydream to another time, not unlike my fantasy with DRIVING MISS DAISY and her son’s aqua kitchen, but obviously on the other side of the tracks. I even let the phone ring off the hook last night while listening to ‘Love You Baby’ on repeat, despite it being my sister, worried about the hurricane.

Bobby Blue Bland and Ike Turner in the same room. God I wish I could have been there.