5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #173

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Funk #49, by The Black Keys

I didn't even know this cover existed until earlier tonight. I was perusing through some Black Keys stuff on YouTube and happened to stumble across it. Unfortunately it isn't on any of their albums, though it's out there somewhere. That said, it doesn't sound a whole lot like the original. This one is a lot more raw, lo-fi, and gritty blues. Essentially, it is the early Black Keys take on the song. Quite frankly, I like it. It's different and a lot of fun.

2. You Was Born to Die, by Blind Willie McTell

Here is your quick dose of old delta blues for the week. People like Robert Johnson get all the attention more often than not when it comes to delta blues. However, there is such a rich tapestry of artists who made up that musical movement in the 20's and 30's. Blind Willie McTell is definitely one of them. This tune in particular showcases some nifty finger picking as well as some lovely vocal harmonies that just hit you right in the soul.

3. Smokin' in the Boys Room, by Brownsville Station

The Motley Crue cover of this has been a smash hit for several years now, but most people don't know that this song was originally written and released by Brownsville Station back in 1973. It definitely isn't as loud, balls to the wall, and in your face, but it still has some real rock n' roll and bluesy swagger to it. For a short period back then, it actually was a fairly big hit. It's easy to hear why when you dust it off and give it a listen for yourself.

4. The Jack, by AC/DC

This is as close to straight up blues as you're going to get when it comes to AC/DC. To be fair though, most of the Young brothers' guitar influence came from the likes of B.B. King and other great blues guitar players of that time period. Heavy metal players were actually NOT their biggest influence. This tune also has some swagger to it. It lays back in the verses and tells a story and then roars into the choruses, only to back off afterward. The solo section is one of the best in AC/DC's whole catalog.

5. The Phone Call, by Joe Satriani

This song in particular is an oddity for Joe Satriani. Not that his music isn't already odd to begin with. What I mean though is not only does this song have singing, but it also is a straight up I-IV-V blues pattern on an acoustic with electric on the solos. Also, the vocals all sound like they are being sung over the phone while leaving a message on someone's answering machine. It's a fun little song that I don't feel gets anywhere near enough attention.