Willie Dixon is the quintessential Chicago Blues writer, he worked with everyone, and was a key figure to the bridge between Rock 'n' Roll and the Blues.
Walkin' The Blues works like a compilation, all the numbers solely written by Dixon, but is nowhere close to his entire catalogue, it's merely like a starter kit to use as example to his greatness. So who's on this album, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Dixon (of course) ... etc ... you get where it's going. This record has eighteen beyond classic, I'd say legendary tracks, naming the best songs is impossible, but I can tell you my personal favorites, which is,
My Babe and
Pretty Thing. Both songs are woman themed, but unlike most blues numbers these do not portray women negatively, they're more from the loving man stand point -- which I find very cool. Walter's,
My Babe, is a smooth Blues number with some killer harp, while Diddley's,
Pretty Thing, is a Bo beat jungle hopin' Rock 'n' Roll track. Don't get me wrong the rest of the record is just as good as these two songs, but what the hell am I going to do, write little snippets about eighteen tracks, I don't think so, and if I did, I'd be typin' the Blues!
