John Lee Hooker - Blues Collection 2

Review by Danny Thiele

Blues Collection 2 by John Lee Hooker: A Gritty Slice of Chicago Blues Magic If you’re a fan of raw, soulful blues that hits you right in the gut, Blues Collection 2 by John Lee Hooker is one to add to your playlist. Released back in 1986 in the German Democratic Republic (yeah, the GDR—how wild is that?), this album brings together some classic tracks with Hooker’s unmistakable growl and groove. It’s got that Chicago blues vibe but feels like it was recorded late at night in someone’s living room—intimate, unpolished, and full of heart. The album kicks off with “I’m Gonna Keep On Walking,” and man, does it set the tone. Hooker’s voice sounds like it’s been through every hard knock life could throw at him, but instead of breaking, it just gets stronger. The acoustic guitar riff here is hypnotic—it pulls you in like a warm campfire on a cold night. You can almost picture Hooker sitting there, fingers dancing over the strings, telling his story without needing fancy production tricks. This track sticks with me because it’s simple yet powerful. No frills, no fuss—just pure blues truth. Another standout is “Driftin’ And Driftin’.” There’s something about the way Hooker stretches out those lyrics—it’s almost lazy, but not in a bad way. More like he’s taking his time, letting each word sink in before moving on to the next. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to sit back with a cup of coffee and think about where you’ve been and where you’re headed. Plus, the repetition? Totally works. By the end, you’ll find yourself humming along even if you didn’t mean to. One thing that surprised me about this album was how much personality comes through despite its stripped-down sound. Hooker doesn’t need flashy solos or backup singers—he lets the music breathe. And credit where it’s due: Erwin Bode and Michael Roggemann nailed the design for this record. Even though it came out under AMIGA in East Germany, the whole package feels authentic, like they knew exactly what kind of vibe Hooker was going for. Now, I gotta say, listening to an album like this makes you realize how universal the blues really are. Here’s a guy from Mississippi, singing songs written decades ago, and somehow it all lands perfectly in 1986 East Berlin. Music doesn’t care about borders or politics—it just connects people. So yeah, give Blues Collection 2 a spin if you haven’t already. Just don’t blame me if you end up playing “I’m Gonna Keep On Walking” three times in a row. Oh, and fun fact: did you know Hooker wrote most of these tunes himself? Dude had serious talent—and seriously cool handwriting, based on the liner notes. Who knew? Final thought: If John Lee Hooker ever knocked on your door asking to borrow sugar, would you say no? Exactly. Same goes for this album.

Download John Lee Hooker - Blues Collection 2

Artist: John Lee Hooker
Album: Blues Collection 2

German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Blues

Chicago Blues

1986

Rating: 4.09

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Filename: john-lee-hooker-blues-collection-2.zip

MP3 size: 115.2 mb
FLAC size: 715.2 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
I Just Can't Hold On Much Longer	5:25
Driftin' And Driftin'	4:15
It´s You I Love, Baby
I Was Standing By The Wayside	4:37
You Gonna Miss Me	4:10
Driftin´ And Driftin´
It's You I Love, Baby	3:00
I´m Gonna Keep On Walking
I Got The Key To The Highway	3:44
Boogie Chillun	2:56
I Like To See You Walk	2:34
I'm Gonna Keep On Walking	3:25
T. B. Is Killing Me	4:43
This World	5:29
Run On Babe	2:30
I Just Can´t Hold On Much Longer

Video

John Lee Hooker - This World

John Lee Hooker - You Gonna Miss Me

John Lee Hooker - I Just Can't Hold On Much Longer

John Lee Hooker - I Like To See You Walk

John Lee Hooker - I'm Gonna Keep on Walking

John Lee Hooker - It's You I Love, Baby

John Lee Hooker - I was Standing By the Wayside

John Lee Hooker - T.B. Is Killing Me

John Lee Hooker - Driftin' and Driftin'

John Lee Hooker - Key to the Highway

John Lee Hooker - Run On Babe

John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillun

Images

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Catalog Numbers

8 56 153
056 153

Labels

AMIGA

Listen online

lyssna på nätet
online luisteren
ascolta in linea
lytte på nettet
online anhören
ouvir online
écouter en ligne
kuunnella verkossa
escuchar en línea

Formats

Vinyl
LP
Album
Reissue
Cassette

Companies

Role	Company
Printed By	VEB Gotha-Druck
Record Company	VEB Deutsche Schallplatten Berlin
Licensed From	Metronome Musik GmbH
Recorded At	Sugar Hill, San Francisco

Credits

Role	Credit
Acoustic Guitar	John Lee Hooker
Vocals	John Lee Hooker
Design	Erwin Bode, Michael Roggemann, Studio G + W
Liner Notes	Theo Lehmann
Written By	Kelly (tracks: B3)
Written-By	Besman (tracks: A6), Broonzy (tracks: B6), Segar (tracks: B6), Hooker (tracks: A1 to A5, B1 to B5)

Notes

rec. Live at Sugar Hill, San Francisco, November 1962
Previously released as "Live At Sugarhill", this version has one more song on each side. Also included at "Boogie Chillun" Fantasy – 24706 .
Übernahme von Metronome Musik GmbH, Hamburg/BRD
On spine just John Lee Hooker is mentioned.
On labels just Blues Collection - John Lee Hooker
For B6 BMI.com mentioned HOOKER JOHN L 14365604 as the Songwriter/Composer. Same for B3, BMI mentioned only HOOKER JOHN L, while on the label (but not on the rear cover) also "Kelly" appears.

Barcodes

Rights Society: AWA
Matrix / Runout (A stamped): 8 56 153 - 1B B86 EN C
Matrix / Runout (B stamped): 8 56 153 - 2A A86 E C
Matrix / Runout (Stampers A): 1A2 P
Matrix / Runout (Stampers B): GC 1 Λ2AG
Other: Ag 511/01/86/A

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: John Lee Hooker’s *Blues Collection 2* wasn’t just any blues album. It came out in 1986 in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), a place you wouldn’t typically associate with blues music. The record label, AMIGA, gave it a unique touch with design work by Erwin Bode and others. Fun fact—most of the tracks were written by Hooker himself, but he also included songs inspired by legends like Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red. It’s wild to think about this raw Chicago blues sound finding its way to East Germany during the Cold War.

Comments

soerenemil2005

2025-03-15

One of the all time great blues singers

csernazoli66

2025-03-15

I am looking for a 1949 album version. I am glad anyway.

fikamp3

2025-03-15

Nothing but the Blues

sharma9782890568

2025-03-15

Love the ambient noise (a bar?) in the background. Shit. He creates so much mood and so much emotion with sooooooo little perceived effort. The real heavy lifting comes from his guts and soul. Sweet lord, I love John Lee Hooker. <3