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Briefcase Full of Blues is the debut album by the Blues Brothers, released on November 28, 1978, by Atlantic Records. It was recorded live on September 9, 1978, at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, when the band opened for comedian Steve Martin. The album consists of covers of blues and soul songs from the 1950s to 1970s.
| Briefcase Full of Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live albumby | ||||
| Released | November 28, 1978 | |||
| Recorded | September 9, 1978 | |||
| Venue | Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre |
| |||
| Length | 35:45 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Producer | Bob Tischler | |||
| The Blues Brothers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+[3] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable)[1] |
The album hit number 1 on the Billboard album chart and sold over two million US copies, going double platinum;[4] according to Blues Brothers member Dan Aykroyd, the album has sold 3.5 million copies in total.[5] It is among the highest-selling blues albums of all time.[5]
Three singles were released from the album: "Rubber Biscuit", which reached number 37[6] on the Billboard Hot 100, "Soul Man", which reached number 14, and "Hey Bartender", which did not chart.[7]
The album is dedicated to Curtis Salgado, the inspiration behind John Belushi's creation of the Blues Brothers characters.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Opening: I Can't Turn You Loose" | Otis Redding | Otis Redding (1965) | 1:50 |
| 2. | "Hey Bartender" | Dossie Terry | Floyd Dixon (1955) | 3:01 |
| 3. | "Messin' With The Kid" | Mel London | Junior Wells (1960) | 3:35 |
| 4. | "(I Got Everything I Need) Almost" | Don Walsh | Downchild Blues Band (1973) | 2:50 |
| 5. | "Rubber Biscuit" | The Chips (1956) | 2:57 | |
| 6. | "Shot Gun Blues" | Don Walsh | Downchild Blues Band (1973) | 5:23 |
| 7. | "Groove Me" | King Floyd | King Floyd (1970) | 3:46 |
| 8. | "I Don't Know" | Willie Mabon | Willie Mabon and His Combo (1952) | 4:14 |
| 9. | "Soul Man" |
| Sam & Dave (1967) | 3:28 |
| 10. | "'B' Movie Box Car Blues" | Delbert McClinton | Delbert & Glen (1972) | 4:08 |
| 11. | "Flip, Flop and Fly" |
| Big Joe Turner (1955) | 3:38 |
| 12. | "Closing: I Can't Turn You Loose" | Otis Redding | Otis Redding | 0:51 |
| Total length: | 39:41 | |||
Partial credits from Richard Buskin[8] and the album's liner notes.[9]
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard 200[10] | 1 |
| Title | Date | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Soul Man" | February 16, 1979 | USBillboard Hot 100[7] | 14 |
| "Rubber Biscuit" | April 6, 1979 | USBillboard Hot 100[6] | 37 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[4] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||