John Lee Hooker discography
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John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer and guitarist who recorded from 1948 to 2001. His discography includes recordings issued by various record companies in different formats.
Studio albums27
Soundtrack albums1
Live albums10
Compilation albums26+
| John Lee Hooker discography | |
|---|---|
John Lee Hooker performing with his guitar on stage while smiling, taken in 1978. | |
| Studio albums | 27 |
| Soundtrack albums | 1 |
| Live albums | 10 |
| Compilation albums | 26+ |
Hooker's music blended elements of Delta blues, talking blues and early North Mississippi hill country blues. His early recordings, like "Boogie Chillen'" (1948) and "Crawling King Snake" (1949), featured Hooker alone on electric guitar.
In February 2022, it was announced that BMG had acquired Hooker's music interests from his estate. The agreement included his entire publishing catalog in addition to his recorded and performance royalty income, as well as a selection of Hooker's recorded catalog spanning Alone, Vol. 1 (1980) through to Black Night Is Falling (2019).[1]
Studio albums
|
Title |
|
|
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker[a] | Riverside (12-838) | 1959 | [2] |
| Travelin' | Vee-Jay (1023) | 1960 | [3] | |
| That's My Story | Riverside (12-321) | 1960 | [4] | |
| 1961 | The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1033) | 1960–1961 | [5] |
| 1962 | Burnin' | Vee-Jay (1043) | 1961 | [6] |
| 1963 | The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1058) | 1962 | [7] |
| 1964 | John Lee Hooker on Campus | Vee-Jay (1066) | 1963 | [8] |
| 1965 | ...And Seven Nights | Verve Folkways (3003) | 1965 | [9] |
| 1966 | It Serve You Right to Suffer | Impulse! (A-9103) | 1965 | [10] |
| The Real Folk Blues | Chess (1508) | 1966 | [11] | |
| 1967 | Urban Blues | BluesWay (6012) | 1967 | [12] |
| 1969 | Simply the Truth | BluesWay (6023) | 1968 | [13] |
| If You Miss 'Im...I Got 'Im | BluesWay (6038) | 1969 | [14] | |
| Get Back Home | Black & Blue (333.023) | 1969 | [15] | |
| 1971 | I Feel Good! | Carson (3662) | 1969 | [16] |
| Hooker 'n Heat | Liberty (35002) | 1970 | [17] | |
| Endless Boogie | ABC (720) | 1970 | [18] | |
| 1972 | Never Get Out of These Blues Alive | ABC (736) | 1971 | [19] |
| 1973 | Born in Mississippi, Raised Up in Tennessee | ABC (768) | 1971 | [20] |
| 1974 | Free Beer and Chicken | ABC (838) | 1974 | [21] |
| 1986 | Jealous | Pausa (7197) | 1982 | [22] |
| 1989 | The Healer | Chameleon (74808) | 1987–1989 | [23] |
| 1991 | Mr. Lucky | Pointblank (91724-2) | 1990–1991 | [24] |
| 1992 | Boom Boom | Pointblank (077778655329) | 1987–1992 | [25] |
| 1995 | Chill Out | Pointblank (724384010720) | 1986–1995 | [26] |
| 1997 | Don't Look Back | Pointblank (724384277123) | 1996 | [27] |
| 2003 | Face to Face | Eagle Records (ER 20023-2) | 1991–2001 | [28] |
Live albums
|
Title |
|
|
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Live at Sugar Hill | Galaxy (8205) | 1962 | [29] |
| 1964 | Concert at Newport | Vee-Jay (1078) | 1963 | [30] |
| 1966 | Live at Cafe Au Go Go | BluesWay (6002) | 1966 | [31] |
| 1972 | Live at Soledad Prison | ABC (761) | 1972 | [32] |
| 1973 | Kabuki Wuki | BluesWay (6052) | 1971 | [33] |
| 1978 | The Cream | Tomato (2-7009) | 1977 | [34] |
| 1979 | Live In 1978 | Lunar #2 Recordings (L2S-200) | 1978 | |
| 1980 | Alone, Vol. 1 | Labor Records (4) | 1976 | |
| 1994 | The Rising Sun Collection[b] | Just A Memory (RSC 0001) | 1977 | |
| 2020 | Live At Montreux 1983 & 1990 | Eagle Records (0895534) | 1983, 1990 |
Selected compilations
|
Title |
|
|
Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | House of the Blues | Chess (1438) | 1951–1954 | [35] |
| I'm John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1007) | 1955–1959 | [36] | |
| 1960 | The Blues | Crown (5157) | 1948–1952 | [37] |
| John Lee Hooker Sings Blues | King (727) | 1949–1950 | [38] | |
| 1961 | John Lee Hooker Plays & Sings the Blues | Chess (1454) | 1951–1952 | [39] |
| Sings the Blues | Crown (5232) | 1948–1954 | [40] | |
| 1962 | Folk Blues | Crown (5295) | 1951–1954 | [41] |
| The Best of John Lee Hooker | Vee-Jay (1049) | 1956–1961 | [42] | |
| 1963 | Don't Turn Me from Your Door | Atco (33-151) | 1953, 1961 | [43] |
| 1964 | Is He The World's Greatest Blues Singer? | Vee-Jay (8502) | 1955–1963 | |
| The Great John Lee Hooker | Crown (5353) | 1948–1954 | [44] | |
| Burning Hell | Riverside (008) | 1959 | [45] | |
| Original Folk Blues | Kent (5025) | 1948–1954 | [46] | |
| 1969 | That's Where It's At! | Stax (2013) | 1961 | [47] |
| 1971 | Goin' Down Highway 51 | Specialty (2127) | 1948–1951 | [48] |
| 1980 | Sittin' Here Thinkin' | Muse (5205) | 1961 | [49] |
| 1989 | Boogie Chillen | Official (86 029) | 1948–1954 | [50] |
| 1990 | The Hot Spot: Original Soundtrack | Antilles (422-846 813–2) | 1990 | [51] |
| 1991 | More Real Folk Blues: The Missing Album | Chess/MCA (9329) | 1966 | [52] |
| The Ultimate Collection | Rhino (R2 70572) | 1948–1990 | [53] | |
| 1993 | Everybody's Blues | Specialty (7035-2) | 1950–1954 | [54] |
| 1994 | The Legendary Modern Recordings | Ace (1438) | 1948–1954 | [55] |
| The Early Years | Tomato (9906/7-2) | 1955–1964 | [56] | |
| 1995 | Alternative Boogie: Early Studio Recordings | Capitol (724383391226) | 1948–1952 | [57] |
| 1998 | The Best Of Friends[c] | Pointblank (8 46424 2) | 1987–1998 | |
| 2017 | Whiskey & Wimmen | Vee-Jay (0888072020580) | 1954–1964 | [58] |
| 2025 | The Standard School Broadcast Recordings | BMG (964111892) | 1973 |
Albums in the charts
|
Title |
| |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | House of the Blues | — | NC | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | |||||||||
| 1971 | Hooker 'n Heat | 73 | — | – | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| Endless Boogie | 126 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||
| 1972 | Never Get Out of These Blues Alive | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 1989 | The Healer | 62 | — | 17 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 15 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1991 | Mr. Lucky | 101 | 25 | 13 | 27 | 9 | 16 | 10 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 1992 | Boom Boom | — | — | 35 | 84 | 37 | 41 | 20 | 15 | ||||||||||
| 1995 | Chill Out | 136 | 3 | 26 | 27 | 78 | 38 | 18 | 13 | 23 | |||||||||
| 1997 | Don't Look Back | 163 | 3 | 48 | 31 | — | 18 | 35 | 39 | 63 | |||||||||
| 1998 | The Best of Friends | — | 4 | — | 31 | 45 | 15 | 54 | 44 | — | |||||||||
| 2002 | Winning Combinations: John Lee Hooker & Muddy Waters | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2003 | Face to Face | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2007 | Hooker (box set) | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2015 | Two Sides of John Lee Hooker | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2018 | Early Recordings: Detroit and Beyond | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 2020 | Live at Montreux: 1983 & 1990 | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||||||||
Early singles (1948–1955)
In the 1950s, Hooker often recorded variations of his songs for different studios for an up-front fee. To evade his recording contract with Modern Records, he used various pseudonyms, including John Lee Booker (for Chess Records and Chance Records in 1951–1952), Johnny Lee (for De Luxe Records in 1953–1954), John Lee, John Lee Cooker,[68] Texas Slim, Delta John, Birmingham Sam and his Magic Guitar, Johnny Williams, and the Boogie Man.[69]
| Release year-month | Title | Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948-11 | "Sally May" b/w "Boogie Chillen'" | Modern | A-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) B-side: The Blues (1960) |
| 1948-12 | "Black Man Blues" b/w "Stomp Boogie" | King | N/A |
| 1949-xx | "Grievin' Blues" b/w "Wayne County Ramblin' Blues" | Danceland | |
| 1949-xx | "Miss Rosie Mae" b/w "Highway Blues" | Staff | |
| 1949-02 | "Helpless Blues" b/w "Goin' Mad Blues" | Regent | |
| 1949-03 | "Low Down-Midnite Boogie" b/w "Landing Blues" | Savoy | |
| 1949-03 | "Hobo Blues" b/w "Hoogie Boogie" | Modern | The Blues (1960) |
| 1949-04 | "Do the Boogie" b/w "Morning Blues" | Acorn | N/A |
| 1949-07 | "Whistlin' and Moanin' Blues" b/w "Weeping Willow Boogie" | Modern | The Blues (1960) |
| 1949-08 | "Devil's Jump" b/w "The Numbers" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1949-10 | "Crawlin' King Snake" b/w "Drifting from Door to Door" | Modern | A-side: The Blues (1960) B-side: Sings The Blues (1961) |
| 1949-10 | "I'm Gonna Kill that Woman" b/w "Nightmare Blues" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1949-11 | "Burnin' Hell" b/w "Miss Sadie Mae" | Sensation | N/A |
| 1949-12 | "Canal Street Blues" b/w "Huckle Up Baby" | Sensation | |
| 1950-01 | "Playin' the Races" b/w "Howlin' Wolf" | Modern | A-side: N/A B-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) |
| 1950-01 | "Heart Trouble Blues" b/w "Slim's Stomp" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1950-02 | "Wandering Blues" b/w "Don't Go Baby" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1950-03 | "Let Your Daddy Ride" b/w "Goin' on Highway #51" | Sensation | N/A |
| 1950-04 | "No Friend Around" b/w "Wednesday Evening" | Modern | A-side: N/A B-side: Sings The Blues (1961) |
| 1950-05 | "Late Last Night" b/w "Don't You Remember Me" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1950-05 | "My Baby's Got Something" b/w "Decoration Day Blues" | Sensation | N/A |
| 1950-07 | "Thinking Blues" b/w "Moaning Blues" | King | Sings Blues (1960) |
| 1950-07 | "Miss Eloise" b/w "Boogie Chillen' #2" | Sensation | N/A |
| 1950-08 | "Give Me Your Phone Number" b/w "Roll 'n' Roll" | Modern | |
| 1950-10 | "Never Satisfied" b/w "Notoriety Woman" | Regal | |
| 1950-11 | "Wandering Blues" b/w "House Rent Boogie" | Staff | |
| 1950-12 | "Let Your Daddy Ride" b/w "One More Time" | Modern | A-side: Sings The Blues (1961) B-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) |
| 1950-12 | "Boogie Now" b/w "Mad Man Blues" | Gone | Plays & Sings The Blues (1961) |
| 1951-xx | "Prison Bound" b/w "Bumble Bee Blues" | Staff | N/A |
| 1951-03 | "John L's House Rent Boogie" b/w "Queen Bee" | Modern | The Blues (1960) |
| 1951-03 | "Questionnaire Blues" b/w "Real Gone Gal" | Gotham | N/A |
| 1951-05 | "Tease Me Baby" b/w "Women in My Life" | Modern | A-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) B-side: N/A |
| 1951-08 | "Leave My Wife Alone" b/w "Ramblin' by Myself" | Chess | House Of The Blues (1959) |
| 1951-09 | "I'm in the Mood" b/w "How Can You Do It" | Modern | A-side: The Blues (1960) B-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) |
| 1951-10 | "Louise" b/w "Ground Hog Blues" | Chess | House Of The Blues (1959) |
| 1951-11 | "Miss Lorraine" b/w "Talkin' Boogie" | Chance | N/A |
| 1951-12 | "Turn Over a New Leaf (1952 Blues)" b/w "Anybody Seen My Baby" | Modern | A-side: Sings The Blues (1961) B-side: The Blues (1960) |
| 1952-xx | "Little Boy Blue" b/w "My Daddy Was a Jockey" | Gotham | N/A |
| 1952-01 | "I Love to Boogie" b/w "Graveyard Blues" | Chance | |
| 1952-03 | "Mean Old Train" b/w "Catfish" | Gotham | |
| 1952-03 | "Cold Chills All Over Me" b/w "Rock Me Mama" | Modern | A-side: The Blues (1960) B-side: Sings The Blues (1961) |
| 1952-04 | "High Priced Woman" b/w "Union Station Blues" | Chess | House Of The Blues (1959) |
| 1952-05 | "Walkin' the Boogie" b/w "Sugar Mama" | Chess | |
| 1952-06 | "609 Boogie" b/w "Road Trouble" | Chance | N/A |
| 1952-07 | "It Hurts Me So" b/w "I Got Eyes for You" | Modern | The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) |
| 1952-10 | "Bluebird Blues" b/w "Key to the Highway" | Modern | A-side: N/A B-side: The Great John Lee Hooker (1963) |
| 1953-xx | "No More Doggin'" b/w "Boogie Rambler" | JVB | N/A |
| 1953-01 | "Rock House Boogie" b/w "It's Been a Long Time Baby" | Modern | A-side: Folk Blues (1962) B-side: N/A |
| 1953-05 | "It's Stormin' and Rainin'" b/w "Ride 'Till I Die" | Modern | N/A |
| 1953-07 | "Love Money Can't Buy" b/w "Please Take Me Back" | Modern | |
| 1953-09 | "Blue Monday" b/w "Lovin' Guitar Man" | DeLuxe | A-side: N/A B-side: Don't Turn Me From Your Door (1963) |
| 1953-10 | "Too Much Boogie" b/w "Need Somebody" | Modern | N/A |
| 1953-10 | "I Came to See You Baby" b/w "I'm a Boogie Man" | DeLuxe | |
| 1954-01 | "Pouring Down Rain" b/w "Stuttering Blues" | DeLuxe | A-side: N/A B-side: Don't Turn Me From Your Door (1963) |
| 1954-02 | "Down Child" b/w "Gotta Boogie" | Modern | Folk Blues (1962) |
| 1954-03 | "It's My Own Fault" b/w "Women and Money" | Chess | House Of The Blues (1959) |
| 1954-03 | "My Baby Don't Love Me" b/w "Real, Real Gone" | DeLuxe | Don't Turn Me From Your Door (1963) |
| 1954-05 | "I Wonder Little Darling" b/w "Jump Me (One More Time)" | Modern | N/A |
| 1954-07 | "I Tried Hard" b/w "Let's Talk it Over" | Modern | A-side: N/A B-side: Folk Blues (1962) |
| 1954-08 | "Everybody's Blues" b/w "I'm Mad" | Specialty | N/A |
| 1954-10 | "Cool Little Car" b/w "Bad Boy" | Modern | A-side: N/A B-side: Folk Blues (1962) |
| 1955-01 | "Half a Stranger" b/w "Shake, Holler and Run" | Modern | Folk Blues (1962) |
| 1955-05 | "You Receive Me" b/w "Taxi Driver" | Modern | N/A |
| 1955-08 | "Hug and Squeeze" b/w "The Syndicator" | Modern | Sings The Blues (1961) |
| 1955-10 | "Lookin' for a Woman" b/w "I'm Ready" | Modern | A-side: Folk Blues (1962) B-side: N/A |
Singles in the charts
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | "Boogie Chillen'" | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1949 | "Hobo Blues" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Hoogie Boogie" | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Crawlin' King Snake" | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1950 | "Huckle Up, Baby" | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951 | "I'm in the Mood" | 1 | 30 | — | — | — | — |
| 1958 | "I Love You Honey" | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | "No Shoes" | 21 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962 | "Boom Boom" | 16 | 60 | — | — | — | — |
| 1964 | "Dimples" | — | — | 23 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | "The Healer" (with Carlos Santana) | — | — | — | 9 | 12 | 23 |
| "I'm in the Mood" (with Bonnie Raitt) | — | — | 14 | 22 | — | — | |
| 1992 | "Boom Boom" | — | — | 16 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | "Boogie at Russian Hill" | — | — | 53 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | "Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)" | — | — | 45 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | "Baby Lee" (with Robert Cray, from Lee TV commercial) | — | — | 65 | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||