"3 O'Clock Blues" (1951) was B.B. King's first No. 1 hit on the R&B charts. It was the song that launched B.B. King's career and remained a part of his concert repertoire throughout his life, making it an extremely important piece.
This song, which was previously only released on a 10-inch SP record, has now been released as a 7-inch single, coupled with "That Ain't The Way To Do It," just like the original (RPM 339)!
This song was originally recorded in 1946 by Lowell Fulson, a giant whom BB revered, and released in 1948, and coincidentally, it was Fulson's first hit. It's moving to see the young BB, on the eve of the revolutionary modern blues era, heavily influenced by Fulson, as well as Roy Brown and T-Bone Walker. The B-side, "That Ain't The Way To Do It," is a lively boogie number with the irresistible roughness typical of Memphis recordings (Sun Studios).
