Living the Blues is the third album by American blues rock band Canned Heat, a double album released in late 1968. It was one of the first double albums to place well on album charts. It features Canned Heat's signature song, "Going Up the Country", which would later be used in the Woodstock film. John Mayall appears on piano on "Walking by Myself" and "Bear Wires". Dr. John appears on "Boogie Music". The 20-minute trippy suite "Parthenogenesis" is dwarfed by the album-length "Refried Boogie", recorded live.
Contents
Chart performance
The album debuted on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated December 7, 1968, peaking at No. 18 during a seventeen-week run on the chart.
Track listing
Side one
"Pony Blues" (Charlie Patton) – 3:48
"My Mistake" (Alan Wilson) – 3:22
"Sandy's Blues" (Bob Hite) – 6:46
"Going Up the Country" (Alan Wilson; Henry Thomas) – 2:50
"Walking by Myself" (Jimmy Rogers) – 2:29
"Boogie Music" (L.T. Tatman III) – 3:00
"Tell Me Man Blues" (1929 recording by Henry Sims) – 0:15
Side two
"One Kind Favor" (Lemon Jefferson) – 4:44
"Parthenogenesis" (Canned Heat) – 19:57
I Nebulosity
II Rollin' and Tumblin'
III Five Owls
IV Bear Wires
V Snooky Flowers
VI Sunflower Power (RMS Is Truth)
VII Raga Kafi
VIII Icebag
IX Childhood's End
Side three
"Refried Boogie (Part I)" (Canned Heat) (Recorded Live) – 20:10
Side four
"Refried Boogie (Part II)" (Canned Heat) (Recorded Live) – 20:50
Personnel
Canned Heat
Bob Hite – vocals
Alan Wilson – slide guitar, vocals, harmonica, jaw-harp (tracks 2.I, 2.II, 2.IX), chromatic harp (track 2.VIII)
Henry Vestine – lead guitar
Larry Taylor – bass, congas (track 2.V)
Adolfo de la Parra – drums
Additional personnel
Dr. John – horn arrangements, piano (track 6)
Miles Grayson – horn arrangements (track 3)
John Fahey – guitar (track 2.I)
John Mayall – piano (tracks 5 & 2.IV)
Jim Horn – flute (track 4)
Joe Sample – piano (track 3)
Production
Rich Moore – engineer
Ivan Fisher – assistant engineer
Skip Taylor – producer
Canned Heat – producer