B.B.King - Ladies & Gentlemen... Mr. B.B.King (2012) (FLAC)

Universal's 2012 box set Ladies & Gentlemen...Mr. B.B. King is hardly the first B.B. King box set -- MCA assembled a similar four-disc set called King of the Blues in 1992, Ace had a tremendous four-CD box called The Vintage Years in 2002 that covered his pre-ABC/Paramount recordings (apparently every ten years it's time for a new B.B. box) -- but it certainly is the most ambitious, arriving in two separate career-spanning incarnations. The first is a relatively concise four-disc set, the second is a lavish ten-disc expansion available exclusively through Amazon. Those listeners who aren't so dedicated will certainly opt for the smaller set, which does a good job of outlining the arc of his entire career even if it arguably rushes through the first act a tad too quickly in an attempt to sample from all phases of his career evenly. That means there's a slight emphasis on amiable latter-day duets over his ripping early Modern sides, a shift that underscores King's gracious regality over his early work as a trailblazer.

Nevertheless, this four-disc set is filled with great music and does convey his legacy quite well, even if the expensive and limited ten-disc set does a better job of getting into the nitty gritty of that legacy. Naturally, the extended set has plenty of room to roam, spending the first two discs on his pre-ABC recordings then going through each of his albums for ABC/Paramount/MCA, finding space for rare single versions along the way. The arc of the big box mirrors that of the smaller box, with "The Thrill Is Gone" popping up almost exactly at the midpoint, but the greater detail does offer a richer experience, one that captures much of King's enormous influence and legacy.

Tracklist

Disc 1 (1949-1964) (26 / 1:17:08)

01. Miss Martha King
02. When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes
03. B.B. Boogie
04. She's Dynamite
05. Three O'Clock Blues
06. Woke Up This Morning
07. Blind Love
08. When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer
09. You Upset Me Baby
10. Ten Long Years
11. Bad Luck
12. Troubles, Troubles, Troubles
13. Early in the Morning
14. Everyday I Have the Blues
15. (I've) Got a Right to Love My Baby
16. It's My Own Fault
17. Walking Dr. Bill
18. Rock Me Baby
19. You Ask Me
20. Blues at Midnight
21. Sneakin' Around
22. How Blue Can You Get?
23. I Wonder Why
24. Please Accept My Love
25. Help the Poor
26. Never Trust a Woman

Disc 2 (1964-1969) (17 / 1:16:54)

01. Every Day I Have the Blues (live)
02. Sweet Little Angel (live)
03. Please Love Me (live)
04. All Over Again
05. Tired of Your Jive
06. Cherry Red
07. Don't Answer the Door, Parts 1&2
08. Night Life
09. Gambler's Blues (live)
10. Sweet Sixteen, Parts 1&2 (live)
11. Worried Dream
12. Paying the Cost to Be the Boss
13. Watch Yourself
14. Lucille
15. Why I Sing the Blues
16. Confessin' the Blues
17. The Thrill Is Gone

Disc 3 (1970-1983) (17 / 1:13:58)

01. Nobody Loves Me but My Mother
02. Chains and Things
03. Hummingbird
04. Worry, Worry (live)
05. Ghetto Woman
06. Ain't Nobody Home
07. Guess Who
08. I Like to Live the Love
09. Lucille Talks Back
10. Don't Make Me Pay for His Mistakes
11. Let the Good Times Roll (live)
12. Mother Fuyer
13. When It All Comes Down (I'll Still Be Around)
14. Better Not Look Down
15. There Must Be a Better World Somewhere
16. Nightlife / Please Send Me Someone to Love
17. Make Love to Me

Disc 4 (1984-2008) (17 / 1:19:21)

01. Into the Night
02. When Love Comes to Town
03. Take Off Your Shoes
04. I'm Moving On
05. There Is Always One More Time
06. Monday Morning Blues (Blues for Mr. G)
07. Playin' with My Friends
08. Confessin' the Blues
09. Blues Man
10. I'll Survive
11. Caldonia
12. Ain't That Just Like a Woman
13. Monday Woman
14. Ten Long Years
15. Early in the Morning
16. Key to the Highway (live)
17. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean