John Lee Hooker - 16 Original Albums & Bonus Tracks [2015] (10 x CDs)

JOHN LEE HOOKER

John Lee Hooker - 16 Original Albums & Bonus Tracks [2015] (10 x CDs)

John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 - June 21, 2001 was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues that he developed in Detroit. Hooker often incorporated other elements, including talking blues and early North Mississippi hill country blues. He developed his own driving-rhythm boogie style, distinct from the 1930s-1940s piano-derived boogie-woogie. Hooker was ranked 35 in Rolling Stone's 2015 list of 100 greatest guitarists and has been cited as one of the greatest male blues vocalists of all time. (Wikipedia)

There is a particular way to approach a set like 16 Original Albums & Bonus Tracks, and it usually begins with accepting what it is rather than what the title suggests. Issued in Germany in 2015 by Documents in association with Intense Media, the box gathers ten discs of early John Lee Hooker recordings, built from material originally released across the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The physical presentation suggests abundance more than narrative. Ten discs, sixteen album titles, and a final disc of bonus tracks, all laid out in a way that invites long stretches of listening rather than careful study. The sequence does not behave like a run of original LPs. Instead, it moves in blocks, albums grouped together, styles overlapping, familiar songs appearing in slightly different forms as the discs turn.

Early on, the core of Hooker’s sound settles in. Solo performances, electric and acoustic, built around repetition and rhythm rather than strict structure. Tracks from Burning Hell and I’m John Lee Hooker introduce that steady pulse, voice and guitar moving together in a way that feels self-contained. From there, the set widens. Studio recordings with fuller backing sit alongside more stripped performances, yet the underlying approach remains unchanged.

Because the material comes from multiple original sources, the pacing develops through accumulation. One song leads into another with a similar tempo, then shifts slightly, then returns again. The effect is less about contrast and more about immersion. Variations in recording quality, arrangement, and session context become part of the listening rather than interruptions.

By the later discs, the repetition has its own logic. Certain phrases, rhythms, and melodic patterns reappear often enough to feel like a language rather than a set of songs. The final disc of bonus material extends that feeling, adding more sides without changing direction.

This set does not organise the material into a strict narrative, it simply lays it out in volume, allowing the sound to build through time and familiarity. It plays like a long, continuous field of early Hooker recordings. (B)

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Track lists

CD01

01 John Lee Hooker - Burning Hell 3:14

02 John Lee Hooker - Graveyard Blues 3:35

03 John Lee Hooker - Baby, Please Don’t Go 4:51

04 John Lee Hooker - Jackson, Tennessee 3:18

05 John Lee Hooker - You Live Your Life and I’ll Live Mine 3:22

06 John Lee Hooker - Smokestack Lightnin’ 3:21

07 John Lee Hooker - How Can You Do It? 2:58

08 John Lee Hooker - I Don’t Want No Woman If Her Hair Ain’t No Longer Than Mine (Short‐Haired Woman) 3:17

09 John Lee Hooker - I Rolled and Turned and Cried the Whole Night Long 3:48

10 John Lee Hooker - Blues for My Baby 3:37

11 John Lee Hooker - Key to the Highway 3:08

12 John Lee Hooker - Natchez Fire (Burnin’) 3:04

13 John Lee Hooker - Dimples 2:11

14 John Lee Hooker - Hobo Blues 2:48

15 John Lee Hooker - I’m So Excited 2:54

16 John Lee Hooker - I Love You Honey 2:35

17 John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillun 2:36

18 John Lee Hooker - Little Wheel 2:37

19 John Lee Hooker - I’m in the Mood 2:44

20 John Lee Hooker - Maudie 2:22

21 John Lee Hooker - Crawlin’ Kingsnake 2:45

22 John Lee Hooker - Every Night 2:59

23 John Lee Hooker - Time is Marching 3:02

24 John Lee Hooker - Baby Lee 2:57

CD02

01 John Lee Hooker - Black Snake 3:35

02 John Lee Hooker - How Long Blues 2:16

03 John Lee Hooker - Wobblin’ Baby 2:52

04 John Lee Hooker - She’s Long, She’s Tall, She Weeps Like a Willow Tree 2:49

05 John Lee Hooker - Pea Vine Special 3:13

06 John Lee Hooker - Tupelo Blues 3:24

07 John Lee Hooker - I’m Prison Bound 4:01

08 John Lee Hooker - I Rowed a Little Boat 3:29

09 John Lee Hooker - Water Boy 3:02

10 John Lee Hooker - Church Bell Tone 3:45

11 John Lee Hooker - Bundle Up and Go 2:15

12 John Lee Hooker - Good Mornin’ Lil’ School Girl 3:41

13 John Lee Hooker - Behind the Plow 4:23

14 John Lee Hooker - No Shoes 2:24

15 John Lee Hooker - I Wanna Walk 2:13

16 John Lee Hooker - Canal Street Blues 2:53

17 John Lee Hooker - Run On 2:11

18 John Lee Hooker - I’m a Stranger 2:40

19 John Lee Hooker - Whiskey and Wimmen 2:58

20 John Lee Hooker - Solid Sender 2:34

21 John Lee Hooker - Sunny Land 2:28

22 John Lee Hooker - Goin’ to California 2:22

23 John Lee Hooker - I Can’t Believe 2:48

24 John Lee Hooker - I’ll Know Tonight 2:42

25 John Lee Hooker - Dusty Road 2:18

CD03

01 John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillen 3:08

02 John Lee Hooker - I’m in the Mood 3:06

03 John Lee Hooker - Crawlin’ Kingsnake 3:01

04 John Lee Hooker - Queen Bee 2:34

05 John Lee Hooker - Hobo Blues 3:01

06 John Lee Hooker - Weeping Willow 2:51

07 John Lee Hooker - Cold Chills 1:42

08 John Lee Hooker - Hoogie Boogie 2:57

09 John Lee Hooker - Whistling and Moaning 3:09

10 John Lee Hooker - Sally Mae 3:11

11 John Lee Hooker - House Rent Boogie 2:58

12 John Lee Hooker - Anybody Seen My Baby 3:13

13 John Lee Hooker - I Need Some Money 2:26

14 John Lee Hooker - Come on and See About Me 3:09

15 John Lee Hooker - I’m Wanderin’ 5:18

16 John Lee Hooker - Democrat Man 3:28

17 John Lee Hooker - I Want to Talk About You 3:04

18 John Lee Hooker - Gonna Use My Rod 4:22

19 John Lee Hooker - Wednesday Evening Blues 3:34

20 John Lee Hooker - No More Doggin’ 2:44

21 John Lee Hooker - One of These Days 4:10

22 John Lee Hooker - I Believe I’ll Go Back Home 3:43

23 John Lee Hooker - You’re Leavin’ Me Baby 3:55

24 John Lee Hooker - That’s My Story 4:36

CD04

01 John Lee Hooker - Walkin’ the Boogie 2:45

02 John Lee Hooker - Love Blues 3:00

03 John Lee Hooker - Union Station Blues 2:57

04 John Lee Hooker - It’s My Own Fault 3:00

05 John Lee Hooker - Leave My Wife Alone 2:48

06 John Lee Hooker - Ramblin’ by Myself 3:20

07 John Lee Hooker - Sugar Mama 3:15

08 John Lee Hooker - Down at the Landing 2:56

09 John Lee Hooker - Louise 3:04

10 John Lee Hooker - Ground Hog Blues 2:59

11 John Lee Hooker - High‐Priced Woman 2:44

12 John Lee Hooker - Woman and Money 2:57

13 John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom 2:29

14 John Lee Hooker - Process 3:35

15 John Lee Hooker - I Lost a Good Girl 2:52

16 John Lee Hooker - A New Leaf 2:28

17 John Lee Hooker - Blues Before Sunrise 3:49

18 John Lee Hooker - Let’s Make It 2:21

19 John Lee Hooker - I Got a Letter 2:41

20 John Lee Hooker - Thelma 3:29

21 John Lee Hooker - Drug Store Woman 2:43

22 John Lee Hooker - Keep Your Hands to Yourself 2:19

23 John Lee Hooker - What Do You Say 2:26

CD05

01 John Lee Hooker - Wandering Blues 3:14

02 John Lee Hooker - I’m Gonna Kill That Woman 3:01

03 John Lee Hooker - Heart Trouble Blues 2:57

04 John Lee Hooker - Don’t You Remember Me 2:44

05 John Lee Hooker - Slim’s Stomp 2:57

06 John Lee Hooker - The Numbers 3:06

07 John Lee Hooker - Nightmare Blues 2:57

08 John Lee Hooker - Moanin’ Blues 3:01

09 John Lee Hooker - Don’t Go Baby 3:12

10 John Lee Hooker - Late Last Night 2:57

11 John Lee Hooker - Devil’s Jump 2:52

12 John Lee Hooker - Poor Slim 2:50

13 John Lee Hooker - Sally Mae 3:13

14 John Lee Hooker - Hoogie Boogie 2:57

15 John Lee Hooker - See See Baby 2:22

16 John Lee Hooker - Weeping Willow Boogie 2:51

17 John Lee Hooker - Whistlin’ and Moanin’ 3:13

18 John Lee Hooker - War is Over (Goodbye California) 2:46

19 John Lee Hooker - Drifting From Door to Door 2:59

CD06

01 John Lee Hooker - Hug and Squeeze You 2:55

02 John Lee Hooker - I Love You Baby 3:12

03 John Lee Hooker - The Syndicator 3:00

04 John Lee Hooker - Boogie Woogie All Night Long 2:42

05 John Lee Hooker - Good Rockin’ Mama 2:28

06 John Lee Hooker - Let Your Daddy Ride 2:40

07 John Lee Hooker - Turn Over a New Leaf 3:09

08 John Lee Hooker - Don’t You Remember Me 2:48

09 John Lee Hooker - Driftin’ From Door to Door 3:00

10 John Lee Hooker - She Left Me on My Bended Knee 2:58

11 John Lee Hooker - Tupelo 3:24

12 John Lee Hooker - I’m Mad Again 2:38

13 John Lee Hooker - I’m Going Upstairs 2:53

14 John Lee Hooker - Want A.D. Blues 2:14

15 John Lee Hooker - Five Long Years 3:38

16 John Lee Hooker - I Like to See You Walk 2:54

17 John Lee Hooker - The Hobo 3:09

18 John Lee Hooker - Hard-Headed Woman 2:30

19 John Lee Hooker - Wednesday Evening Blues 3:58

20 John Lee Hooker - Take Me as I Am 3:01

21 John Lee Hooker - My First Wife Left Me 3:35

22 John Lee Hooker - You’re Looking Good Tonight 2:55

CD07

01 John Lee Hooker - The Journey 4:22

02 John Lee Hooker - I Don’t Want Your Money 3:05

03 John Lee Hooker - Hey Baby 3:30

04 John Lee Hooker - Mad Man Blues 2:47

05 John Lee Hooker - Bluebird 3:03

06 John Lee Hooker - Worried Life Blues 3:07

07 John Lee Hooker - Apologize 3:04

08 John Lee Hooker - Lonely Boy Boogie 3:53

09 John Lee Hooker - Please Don’t Go 2:31

10 John Lee Hooker - Dreamin’ Blues 3:07

11 John Lee Hooker - Hey Boogie 2:15

12 John Lee Hooker - Just Me and My Telephone 3:22

13 John Lee Hooker - San Francisco 2:43

14 John Lee Hooker - Take a Look at Yourself 2:46

15 John Lee Hooker - Send Me Your Pillow 2:25

16 John Lee Hooker - She Shot Me Down 2:48

17 John Lee Hooker - I Love Her 2:12

18 John Lee Hooker - Old Time Shimmy 2:19

19 John Lee Hooker - You Know I Love You 1:54

20 John Lee Hooker - Big Soul 2:08

21 John Lee Hooker - Good Rockin’ Mama 2:27

22 John Lee Hooker - Onions 2:09

23 John Lee Hooker - No One Told Me 2:08

CD08

01 John Lee Hooker - Baby I’m Gonna Miss You 2:39

02 John Lee Hooker - Half a Stranger 3:16

03 John Lee Hooker - Shake, Holler and Run 2:48

04 John Lee Hooker - Down Child 2:59

05 John Lee Hooker - Gonna Boogie 2:29

06 John Lee Hooker - Bad Boy 3:11

07 John Lee Hooker - Rock House Boogie 3:00

08 John Lee Hooker - Let’s Talk it Over 3:06

09 John Lee Hooker - Baby You Ain’t No Good 3:13

10 John Lee Hooker - Lookin’ for a Woman 3:18

11 John Lee Hooker - Stuttering Blues 2:18

12 John Lee Hooker - Wobbling Baby 2:40

13 John Lee Hooker - You Lost a Good Man 2:52

14 John Lee Hooker - Love My Baby 2:39

15 John Lee Hooker - Misbelieving Baby 2:33

16 John Lee Hooker - Driftin’ Blues 3:34

17 John Lee Hooker - Don’t Turn Me From Your Door 2:43

18 John Lee Hooker - My Baby Don’t Love Me 3:04

19 John Lee Hooker - I Ain’t Got Nobody 2:32

20 John Lee Hooker - Real Real Gone 2:27

21 John Lee Hooker - Guitar Lovin’ Man 2:44

22 John Lee Hooker - Talk About Your Baby 2:36

CD09

01 John Lee Hooker - I Just Can’t Hold on Much Longer 5:28

02 John Lee Hooker - I’m Gonna Keep on Walking 3:28

03 John Lee Hooker - I Was Standing by the Wayside 4:41

04 John Lee Hooker - T.B. is Killing Me 4:43

05 John Lee Hooker - Run on Babe 2:29

06 John Lee Hooker - This World 5:32

07 John Lee Hooker - I Like to See You Walking 2:33

08 John Lee Hooker - It’s You I Love, Baby 2:58

09 John Lee Hooker - Driftin’ and Driftin’ 4:14

10 John Lee Hooker - You Gonna Miss Me 4:12

11 John Lee Hooker - Black Man Blues 3:36

12 John Lee Hooker - Stomp Boogie 3:10

13 John Lee Hooker - Goin’ Mad Blues 3:48

14 John Lee Hooker - Helpless Blues 3:42

15 John Lee Hooker - Shake Your Boogie 3:03

16 John Lee Hooker - Don’t Go Baby 3:06

17 John Lee Hooker - John L’s House Rent Boogie 3:01

18 John Lee Hooker - Leave My Wife Alone 2:48

19 John Lee Hooker - Ramblin’ by Myself 3:19

CD10

01 John Lee Hooker - I Tried Hard 2:55

02 John Lee Hooker - Roll ’n’ Roll 2:42

03 John Lee Hooker - Huckle Up Baby 2:48

04 John Lee Hooker - Henry’s Swing Club 3:12

05 John Lee Hooker - Heart Trouble Blues 2:55

06 John Lee Hooker - Who’s Been Jiving You 3:11

07 John Lee Hooker - No Friend Around 2:55

08 John Lee Hooker - Low Down Midnite Boogie 3:37

09 John Lee Hooker - I’m Ready 2:40

10 John Lee Hooker - Wayne Country Ramblin’ Blues 3:11

11 John Lee Hooker - Howlin’ Wolf 2:38

12 John Lee Hooker - Playing the Races 3:16

13 John Lee Hooker - Woman in My Life 3:13

14 John Lee Hooker - Taxi Driver 3:06

15 John Lee Hooker - Queen Bee 2:35

16 John Lee Hooker - Alberta 3:06

17 John Lee Hooker - Twister Blues 2:34

18 John Lee Hooker - Too Much Boogie 3:00

19 John Lee Hooker - You Receive Me 3:13

20 John Lee Hooker - Jump Me One More Time 2:29

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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