MCA Special Products'
Why I Sing the Blues collects ten highlights from
B.B. King's late-'60s and early-'70s recordings for ABC, which were later acquired by MCA. Considering that this is a budget-priced compilation, and therefore limited in its scope, this isn't a bad sampler at all, containing the hit version of "The Thrill Is Gone," plus good takes of "Hummingbird," "How Blue Can You Get?," and "Sweet Sixteen," along with such oddities as "Chains and Things," which features
Carole King on piano. Certainly, it's not enough to make it of interest to hardcore collectors, who will likely own all of this, nor is it a comprehensive collection by any means -- but it's still a fun sampler considering its price.