1949

Just thinking today about the year 1949. That was the  year Ozu filmed Late Spring [see previous post]. It was also the year that Boogie Chillen’ became number one in the American R&B Chart.

John Lee Hooker went on to record three versions of the song although as far as I am concerned the original on Modern is the only one that matters. I must have heard it a million times but am still diverted if I hear it on the radio.

I was amused recently by a short interview on TV with Keith Richard who said. ‘We were doing a gig with him once. I said, what key are you in John? He just shrugged his shoulders. It could have been F-sharp or E-flat, whatever his guitar was tuned to that day.’ Either way, a masterpiece.