B.B. King – How Blue Can You Get (Live at Farm Aid 1985)

“How Blue Can You Get” is one of B.B. King’s most enduring blues standards, originally written by Leonard and Jane Feather and recorded by King in 1964. Its biting lyrics, ironic humor, and soulful guitar work made it a staple of his live shows. At the first Farm Aid concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, King delivered a memorable rendition—famously changing a broken guitar string mid-performance without interrupting his singing or playing. The song’s mix of tragedy and comedy, especially the crowd-favorite line “I gave you seven children, now you want to give them back,” made this performance unforgettable.

Quick facts

Song

• Title: How Blue Can You Get

• Artist: B.B. King

• Writers: Jane Feather, Leonard Feather

• First release (B.B. King): 1964 single on ABC-Paramount (re-recorded from 1963’s Downhearted)

• Genre: Blues (12-bar structure, slow to medium tempo)

• Album appearances: Blues in My Heart (1963, as “Downhearted”), Live at the Regal (1964), multiple compilations

• Themes: Romantic betrayal, unappreciated generosity, ironic humor

Video (Farm Aid I performance)

• Event: Farm Aid I

• Date: September 22, 1985

• Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois, USA

• Runtime: ~6 minutes

• Aspect ratio: 4:3 (broadcast format)

• Notable moment: Guitar string breaks mid-song at ~3:10; King restrings “Lucille” seamlessly

• Audience size: ~80,000Farm Ais 1985

• Thumbnail alt text: “B.B. King performing live at Farm Aid 1985 with Lucille guitar”

Background & release

The song was first written by Leonard and Jane Feather and performed in 1949 by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. B.B. King first recorded it under the title Downhearted (1963), then re-recorded and released it as How Blue Can You Get in 1964. The single became one of his defining songs, frequently performed live and included on his classic Live at the Regal album — often cited among the greatest live blues records of all time.

Farm Aid I, a benefit concert for American farmers organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young, took place on September 22, 1985. King’s appearance added a strong blues presence to a lineup dominated by rock and country.

Composition & lyrics

• Structure: 12-bar blues, slow/medium tempo

• Musical elements: Call-and-response between King’s vocals and “Lucille,” his iconic guitar. Horn arrangements in the studio version underline the stop-time breaks.

• Lyrical themes: Exaggerated complaints about an ungrateful partner, balancing pain with satire. The humor and irony (especially the “seven children” line) often drew laughter and applause during live shows.

Music video: concept & production (Farm Aid live cut)

The Farm Aid footage shows King performing with his band in front of a massive stadium audience. Cameras capture his expressions and guitar technique up close. At around three minutes in, a guitar string on Lucille breaks. Without missing a beat, King restrings and keeps singing, earning admiration for his professionalism and stage presence. The moment became legendary and is still celebrated in fan discussions and music media.

Reception

• Widely regarded as one of the standout moments of Farm Aid I.

• The broken-string incident is frequently cited as a textbook example of stage mastery.

• The performance has millions of views on YouTube, where fans continue to praise King’s poise.

• Scholars note the song’s ability to mix tragedy and humor, embodying the essence of blues as “laughing to keep from crying.”

• Its influence stretches across generations, with covers by artists like Fleetwood Mac and samples in modern music.

Personnel & credits

Song (1964 studio version)

• Vocals / guitar: B.B. King

• Writers: Leonard Feather, Jane Feather

• Label: ABC-Paramount

• Horn section & rhythm section: Session musicians (unverified)

Farm Aid 1985 performance

• Lead vocals & guitar: B.B. King

• Backing band: Touring members (specific lineup not fully documented)

• Production: Farm Aid concert video crew (multi-camera broadcast)

Timeline

• 1949 — First recorded by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers.

• 1963 — B.B. King records Downhearted.

• 1964 — Re-records and releases How Blue Can You Get on ABC-Paramount.

• 1964 — Performs it on Live at the Regal (Chicago).

• 1985 (Sept 22) — Performs live at Farm Aid I, Champaign, Illinois; guitar string incident becomes legendary.

• 2000s–present — Featured in compilations, retrospectives, and academic studies of the blues.

References

1. “How Blue Can You Get” – Wikipedia (last updated 2024). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Blue_Can_You_Get

2. “B.B. King Changes Broken Guitar String Mid-Song at Farm Aid 1985” – Open Culture (2024). https://www.openculture.com/2024/10/b-b-king-changes-broken-guitar-string-mid-song-and-doesnt-miss-a-beat.html

3. “Farm Aid Music Monday: B.B. King and Roy Orbison” – Farm Aid.org (2015). https://www.farmaid.org/blog/farm-aid-music-monday-starring-b-b-king-and-roy-orbison

4. Les Back, How Blue Can You Get? B.B. King, Planetary Humanism and the Blues Behind Bars – Goldsmiths Research Online (2015). https://research.gold.ac.uk/23590/1/How%20Blue%20Can%20You%20Get_.pdf

5. “B.B. King – How Blue Can You Get (Farm Aid 1985)” – YouTube official Farm Aid channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P27tTNP7SFc