Stella Mae

Stella Mae starts with a sharp guitar strike that lingers like a stifled sigh. This isn't just any blues: that rhythm that seems to waver, yet follows its own cadence, is the signature of John Lee Hooker. The song unfolds with a voice that doesn't sing but whispers, as if each word had to be dragged from the depths of his chest. The bass and drums sway in a sway that doesn't try to mimic anyone, and there lies the magic: it doesn't sound like Delta blues or traditional boogie, but like something only he could invent.It was recorded in Chicago in 1966, in a session preserved on the album The Real Folk Blues. Producer Ralph Bass let Hooker do his thing without forcing him: nine original tracks, some fast and others slow like a dusty road at dusk.

Stella Mae lasts less than three minutes, yet within that time, decades of experience fit. It's not a song to analyze, but to feel it pass by, like a train pulling away without warning.