Briefcase Full of Blues is the debut album by The Blues Brothers, originally released in 1978. The Blues Brothers, more formally called The Blues Brothers' Show Band and Revue, began as an affectionate comedic tribute to R&B music featuring comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live. Belushi (lead vocalist "Joliet Jake" Blues) and Aykroyd (harmonica player/backing vocalist Elwood Blues) fronted a band which was composed of well-known and respected session musicians.
Soon after three SNL performances, the band began to take on a life beyond television, releasing an album, Briefcase Full of Blues, and then having the Hollywood film The Blues Brothers created around its characters in 1980. The track listing of Briefcase Full of Blues boasts infectious covers of songs by Otis Redding, Junior Wells, King Floyd, Sam & Dave and Big Joe Turner, amongst others. Backing up Jake & Elwood are Stax heroes Donald - Duck- Dunn and Steve Cropper, Paul Shaffer and other seasoned session men. The album reached #1 on the Billboard 200 and went double Platinum. Two singles were released, "Rubber Biscuit", which reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Soul Man", which reached number 14.
Track Listing
1. Opening: I Can't Turn You Loose
2. Hey Bartender
3. Messin' with the Kid
4. (I Got Every Thing I Need) Almost
5. Rubber Biscuit
6. Shot Gun Blues
7. Groove Me
8. I Don't Know
9. Soul Man
10. B-Movie Box Car Blues
11. Flip, Flop & Fly
12. Closing: I Can't Turn You Loose
