first recorded by Charles Brown in 1951;
sometimes titled THE BLUES KEEP FALLING;
20 suggested versions:
Charles Brown
Black Night (3:07)
Recorded at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles, CA, December 21, 1950;
Originally released by Aladdin in 1951
on Charles Brown and His Band's 10" 78-prm single
Charles Brown - piano, vocals
Maxwell Davis - sax
unknown - guitars, bass, drums
Guitar solo in the mid
Muddy Waters
Black Night (3:18)
Recorded in Chess Studios, Chicago, IL, June 22-23, 1966;
Originally released by Chess in 1966
on the album "Muddy Waters Brass and the Blues"
Muddy Waters - vocals
James Cotton - harmonica
Pee Wee Madison - guitars
Sammy Lawhorn - guitars
Otis Spann - piano
(possibly) Calvin Jones - bass
Willie Big Eyes Smith - drums
Gene Barge - horns
(possibly) Charles Stepney - horns
The Blues Keep Falling (4:05)
Recorded in Chicago, IL, 1966;
Originally released by Vanguard in 1966
on the album "Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vol. 2"
James Cotton - harmonica
Pee Wee Madison - guitars
Otis Spann - piano
S. P. Leary - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid by James Cotton
Savoy Brown
Black Night (4:50)
Recorded at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London, UK, mid 1967;
Originally released by Decca in 1967
on the album "Savoy Brown Blues Band: Shake Down"
Brice Portius – vocals
Kim Simmonds – guitars
Martin Stone – guitars
Ray Chappell – bass
Leo Mannings – drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Kim Simmonds
Livin' Blues
Black Night (7:26)
Recorded in 1971;
Originally released by Philips in 1972
on the album "Livin' Blues: Bamboozle"
Nicko Christiansen - vocals, sax
Ted Oberg - guitars
John Lagrand - harmonica
Ruud van Buuren - bass
Jonny Le Jeune - drums
Sax solo in the mid by Nicko Christiansen
Guitar solo in the mid by Ted Oberg
Charles Ford Band
Black Night (8:32)
Recorded at Funky Features, San Francisco, CA, March 19, 1972;
Originally released by Arhoolie in 1972
on the album "The Charles Ford Band"
Robben Ford - guitars, vocals
Mark Ford - harmonica
Stanley Poplin - bass
Patrick Ford - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & after the 3rd verse by Robben Ford
Harmonica solo after the 2nd verse by Mark Ford
John Lee Hooker
Black Night Is Falling (8:04)
Recorded live at Aula der Universitat, Cologne, Germany, June 18, 1976;
Originally released by Ornament in 1977
on the album "John Lee Hooker and the Coast to Coast Blues Band: Live + Well"
Writing credits labeled as Trad./Arr. Jim Kahr
John Lee Hooker - guitars, vocals
Jim Kahr - guitars
Roger Brouse - bass
Ken Swank - drums
Guitar solo in the mid by John Lee Hooker
Guitar solo before the last verse by Jim Kahr
Eddy Clearwater
Black Night (9:24)
Recorded live at Ma Bea’s Club, Chicago, IL, November 5, 1976;
Originally released by MCM in 1977
on the album "Eddie Clearwater: Black Night"
Eddy Clearwater - guitars, vocals
Jimmy Dawkins - guitars
Sylvester Boines - bass
Freddy Below - drums
Guitar solos at the beginning by Eddy Clearwater & Jimmy Dawkins
Guitar solo after the 2nd verse by Jimmy Dawkins
Guitar solo after the 3rd verse & at the end by Eddy Clearwater
Eddy Clearwater
Black Night/Falling Down Heavy (7:37)
Recorded at P. S. Recording Studios, Chicago, IL, September 11, 1985;
Originally released by Rooster Blues in 1986
on the album "Eddy Clearwater: FlimDoozie"
Writing credits labeled to Jessie Mae Robinson/Eddy Clearwater
Eddy Clearwater - guitars, vocals
Otis Rush - guitars
Will Crosby - guitars
Leo Davis - piano, organ
Herman Applewhite - bass
Tim Austin - drums
Guitar solos at the beginning by Eddy Clearwater & Otis Rush
Guitar solo in the mid by Otis Rush
Guitar solos at the end by Eddy Clearwater & Otis Rush
Nighthawks
Black Night (11:09)
Recorded live at the Kulturzentrum Schauburg, Bremen, West Germany, July 10, 1986;
Originally released by Varrick (in US) & by Crosscut (in Europe) in 1987
on the album "The Nighthawks: Live in Europe"
Jimmy Thackery - guitars, vocals
Mark Wenner - harmonica
Jan Zukowski - bass
Pete Ragusa - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Jimmy Thackery
Harmonica solo in the mid by Mark Wenner
Rod Piazza
Black Nites (6:26)
Recorded in 1988;
Originally released by Murray Brothers Blues in 1988
on the album "Rod Piazza: So Glad to Have the Blues"
Writing credits labeled to Malone/Scott
Rod Piazza - harmonica, vocals
Steve Kilman - guitars
Honey Alexander - piano
Alex Schultz - bass
Jimi Bott - drums
Harmonica solo at the beginning & in the mid by Rod Piazza
Livin' Blues
Black Night (9:51)
recorded live in 1989;
Originally released by Universe in 1989
on the album "Livin' Blues: Snakedance"
Nicko Christiansen - vocals, sax
John Lagrand - harp
Joop van Nimwegen - guitars
Willem van der Wall - guitars
Aad van Pijlen - bass
Art Bausch - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Joop van Nimwegen
Harmonica solo in the mid by John Lagrand
Sax solo after in the mid by Nico Christiansen
James Cotton
Black Night (8:54)
Recorded in 1990;
Originally released by Alligator in 1990
on the album "Harp Attack!"
James Cotton - harmonica, vocals
Michael Coleman - guitars
Lucky Peterson - piano
Johnny B. Gayden - bass
Ray "Killer" Allison - drums
Harmonica solo after the 2nd & 3rd verse by James Cotton
Mick Abrahams
Black Night (6:24)
Recorded at Pace Studios, Willen, Milton Keynes, England, 1990;
Originally released in 1990
on the cassette album "Mick Abrahams: Roadroller";
Also released by Elite in 1991
on the album "Mick Abrahams: All Said and Done"
Mick Abrahams - guitars, vocals
Gordon Murphy - sax
Bruce Boardman - keyboards
Andy Pyle - bass
Clive Bunker - drums
Sax solo in the mid by Gordon Murphy
Buddy Guy
Black Night (7:47)
Recorded at Battery Studios, 1991;
Originally released by Silvertone in 1991
on the album "Buddy Guy: Damn Right I've Got the Blues"
Buddy Guy - guitars, vocals
Neil Hubbard - guitars
Pete Wingfield - piano
Mick Weaver - organ
Greg Rzab - bass
Richie Hayward - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, after the 2nd & 3rd verse by Buddy Guy
Piano solo after the 2nd verse by Pete Wingfield
Jimmy Johnson
Black Night (6:23)
Recorded at Gimmick Studio, Yerres, France, March & April, 1997;
Originally released by Birds & Blues (in Europe) in 1998
on the album "Jimmy Johnson: A Road May End Somewhere";
Also released by Ruf in 1999
on the album "Jimmy Johnson: Every Road Ends Somewhere"
Jimmy Johnson - guitars, vocals
John Randolph - guitars
Kenny Lee - organ
Anthony Morris - bass
William Ellis - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, in the mid & at the end by Jimmy Johnson
Todd Wolfe
Black Night (6:50)
Recorded in 2000;
Originally released by Ulftone in 2001
on the album "Wolfe"
Todd Wolfe - guitars, vocals
Dan McKinney - organ
Eric Massimino - bass
Paul Unsworth - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, in the mid & at the end by Todd Wolfe
Black Night (6:15)
Recorded at Rare Trax, Chicago, IL, 2002;
Originally released by Alligator in 2002
on the album "Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials: Heads Up!"
Lil' Ed Williams - guitars, vocals
Mike Garrett - guitars
James "Pookie" Young - bass
Kelly Littleton - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, in the mid & at the end by Lil' Ed Williams
Dirty Pool
Black Night (8:37)
Recorded live at the Snubbing Post, Rome, NY, 2005;
Originally released by Nadeau Music in 2005
on the album "Dirty Pool Blues Band: Bar Room Blues"
Mike Petroff - harmonica, vocals
Mark Cloutier - guitars
Bill Satterly - bass
Garnett Grimm - drums
Harmonica solo at the beginning, after the 2nd verse by Mike Petroff
Guitar solo after the 3rd verse by Mark Cloutier
Joe Bonamassa
Black Night (4:22)
Recorded in 2007;
Originally released by Provogue (in Europe) & by J&R Adventures (in US) in 2007
on the album "Joe Bonamassa: Sloe Gin"
Writing credits labeled to Charles Brown
Joe Bonamassa - guitars, vocals
Rick Melick - keyboards
Carmine Rojas - bass
Anton Fig - drums
Bogie Bowles - hammered dulcimer
Jeff Bova - orchestration
The Bovaland Symphonic Orchestra - strings
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Joe Bonamassa