"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses." "Hit it." This is my favorite quote from the movie.

"Are you the police?" "No ma'am, we're musicians."

We’re getting the band back together.

“…We got both kinds- we got country and western..” Best joke in the whole movie. Took me me 42 years to learn the joke was on me!

The scene with John Lee Hooker is what made me a blues musician!

The scene in the black church with James Brown as the preacher , everybody dancing and Jake being touched by the light of the holy ghost... I'm not a believer , but each time is see that i have some tears in my eyes... I can't explain. A bit of nostalgia for sure as the film was released when i was 14y.o. The original soundtrack was very influential among my group of friends for the rest of the 80'.

I know that feeling of not remembering the level of profanity in your favorite old movies that you're now showing your kids, all because you saw the TV edit over and over as a kid. I feel your pain.

"Four fried chickens and a coke."

There will never be another movie like the Blues Brothers. All that musical talent, Aretha Franklin, ray charles, James brown, John Lee hooker, cab Calloway and that’s not even touching the band! Add to that an actual huge car chase through the streets of Chicago. It cannot be done again.

My dad excitedly showing 8 year old me the blues brothers unaware of the cable edit is a core memory. Thanks the nostalgia kick.

"Lots of space in this mall." "New Oldsmobiles are in early this year!" "Do you have a Miss Piggy?" "Baby clothes. This place has got everything!" "Ma'am, what kinds of music do you usually have here? Oh we've got both kinds: Country AND Western!"

I think I was 14 when I saw Blues Brothers, and I don't think any movie introduced me to more styles of music, and set me on my path than Blues Brothers.

You meant Sweet Home Chicago not Sweet Home Alabama

The Blues Brothers. Can't beat the classics. I grew up with a video tape of the WGN edited version. I still quote that version. "I wasn't lying to you... I was BAMBOOZLING you." Matt Murphy used to play a club in Chicago named BLUES Etc a couple times a year when I was in college. Super nice guy. Between sets he once told me that the movie was the best thing for his career. He said he drew a great crowd because of the movie but people were shocked to hear how great a guitar player when they saw him and they became big fans of his.

I was already into blues, and was four years into playing guitar. I saw this film at the cinema on a Friday, and felt so energised by it I rented it from my local video store on the Saturday, and watched it four times over the weekend. I've watched it many times since, and forty four years later I'm still playing guitar, still gigging, and still love this film.

We're lucky to have that film, one that captured so many performers -many of which will be remembered because of they appeared in The Blues Brothers. Earlier generations had 'soundies'we have this film.👍

Laser Disc Players had just come out. I was working at a big stereo store and you could isolate any line or scene and play it back as many times as you wanted to.We'd hold the store PA mic up to the Laserdisc speaker and play "We're on a mission from God" or "I don't want your stinkin' filthy dirty money" or "Cop motor, Cop suspension, Cop brakes, Cop Tranny" over and over again peeing our pants in laughter while Customers just looked at us like we were crazy....

We have both kinds of music, Country and Western!

Mel Brooks and the late Carl Reiner had a practice, after their respective wives passed away, of getting together every night (with catering) to watch a movie, since their houses were near each other. I forget which of the two it was, but when asked what sort of movies they'd watch, the reply was "Anything where someone says 'Secure the perimeter' ". I feel pretty much the same way about any movie that includes the phrase "We're getting the band back together." For me, that's a recipe for must-see viewing. Not just The Blues Brothers, but The Commitments, Sing Street, That'll Be the Day, That Thing You Do, and any of a dozen other films about getting a band together and keeping it alive.

I was born and raised in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago and was 11 when the movie came out. I was too young to see the movie, but my godmother got us tickets to see the The Blues Brothers live in concert at Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, so I was able to see the whole band while Belushi was still alive. Honestly, I was too young to know any of the music, but it still made a big impression on me and I later watched movie many times on VHS tape. As a side note, my grandparents lived in Calumet City, so I frequently got to visit the fabled city where Jake and Elwood were supposedly from. And now, I am blessed to live in Memphis, so I am still immersed and surrounded by the blues. I believe that the Blues Brothers had a big role in leading me to investigate the blues.

Thank you for reminding me of great memories of my dad and I . He also saw the light and the movie turned him into a blues man and he still plays gigs to this day. I'm Zac's age, so I remember watching the movie countless times and seeing my dad play those same songs. He even took the act to Japan at one point in the 90's as part of the Uncivil Servants and played with Steve Cropper in Willow Springs MO in the early 2000's during the Steve Cropper Days festival. Thanks Zac!

I’m very blessed for my dad to expose me to this amazing movie when I was young, (I’m now 21) I still rewatch this masterpiece of a film, Thank you Zac for making this amazing video on an amazing movie!!

Seen it thirty times original version, German or French it still catch me every time BTW you did a funny twist when you say lesson on playing Sweet Home Alabama instead of Chicago 😊

When John was playing Bluto he met a local Oregon bluesman named Curtis Salgado . I think Curtis was a huge influence on John.

I was lucky enough to be in high school when all that R&B was going on and my bands played that material; it seems as though most of the kids' garage bands were into that. I was real tickled when the Beatles' early albums had covers of those same tunes, and I have the feeling that the original material of The Blues Brothers setlist is ancestral DNA to much of the pop-rock of the next several decades. Even today, a good horn band doing Stax-Volt will fill up the dance floor every time!

Blues brothers, the commitments And Back to the future!

Please do a video on Ry Cooder

"The Blues Brothers? They look like a couple Hasidic diamond merchants!

It changed my life, back in 1981. I’m a former Catholic Convent School brat, aka an ‘duckling raised by penguins’. From Belgium 🇧🇪. Became the first music teacher in my city to teach The Blues to kids. Such a potent vaccine against authoritarianism is best administered at school age.

This movie has changed my life. The scene in the beginning - when they drove trough chicago in the afternoon and „She caught the katy“ in the background - this scene defined my personal definition of style and who I want to be. This is the reason I drive an american classic car - which isn‘t that common here in Germany. I found so many friends because of that.

When John did King Bee in the bee suit on SNL 1976 that did it for me. When the live album came out a nd he named the songwriters and musicians Suddenly we learned where this all came from. Delbert McClinton's B Movie Box Car Blues with Steve Cropper's guitar. AND THEN THE MOVIE hang on gotta go watch it again

Sh*t. What? Rollers. Nah. Yeah. Sh*t. Classic.

The extended version is an all-time favorite.

Best movie of all time. The movie that brought me at the age of 13 to the blues (later 60s rock, jazz etc.). Saw it 200+ times. No kidding. Got a wall paper too. They are great singers.

This and rock n roll high school, dubbed to cassette tape , was how I started learning to play guitar. I didn't realize at the time how great the music and the humor were . Don't drive like that, kids,

Thanks for this video. I was in HS and living in the Chicago burbs during filming. I remember daily coverage in the Chicago Tribune on how many police cars they wrecked each day. Saw the movie in the theaters the day it came out with my HS buddy. Still to this day we quote the movie. How about John Candy saying, “Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Orange Whip?” My wife grew up just 2 miles from the prison in Joliet, IL where the film opens. It also turned me into a blues and R&B fan.

‘Sweet home Chicago’

Would be neat to see the cut footage

Like you Zac, I had the TV edit version recorded off of TV ( also had Smokey and the Bandit recorded on the same VHS, another great movie with great music) and wore that VHS out in my youth. Thanks Dad for recording that for us! It's still one of my favorite movies to this day!

Hey Zac! I'm glad you like that movie too. I did actually see it in the movie theater, but I was a little different. In the 1970s, when others my age where exclusively listening to Led Zeppelin or music along that line, I was listening to Chuck Berry and B.B. King. I do find, however, that musicians really like "Blues Brothers" as well as "This is Spinal Tap". Keep up the good work!

Just to give a bit of perspective from the UK and from someone who is from a slightly earlier generation. The Blues Brothers movie was a re-awakening of something that was in plain sight but being ignored. But way before that the Stax-Volt tour of 1967 in Europe was a pure revelation. You can find videos of it on KZfaq, and it is really worth checking out. Instead of seeing a comical parody you will see all the real artists in their prime. A youthful and dapper Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Sam and Dave, Otis - the list goes on. It would be an understatement to say this tour alone had an inestimable impression on UK artists. Several of them are to be seen in the Blues Brothers jam session (ignoring Eric Clapton who finds himself on every band wagon) the highly talented Steve Winwood - who was already singing like Ray Charles on Helium at the age of 16 is there giving homage. Most other artists that may or may not be known in the US such as Eric Burdon were enthralled. But most incongruous of all would be a young Peter Gabriel who cites this as one of his formative influences and one which woke us all up to the fact that all we had been hearing before was just fake.

I saw it on cable tv many times. I can’t remember ever seeing the uncensored version you’ve mentioned. Good stuff

Think I’ve mentioned before that I did the exact same thing with my kids and the uncensored version of the film. That was 8 years ago. My wife has just about forgiven me 😊

Pretty similar experience here. Born in 76. My dad had the Blues Brothers albums on vinyl and cassette. We’d watch the movie whenever it was on tv. I didn’t know they were characters and not “real people” until a friend in 4th or 5th grade saw the cassette in my room and asked why Dan Akroyd was on the cover.

My first R rated movie. I got to meet Matt “Guitar” Murphy years later.

The Blues Brothers was one of the few DVDs that I actually bought to own during the blockbuster rental time. And I couldn’t show it to my young daughters because it said rated R on box, which was a surprise to me when I bought it. I guess we’re so used to F-Bombs that we just don’t hear them sometimes. I read somewhere that they crashed 120 police cars.

Thanks for the great show. I love the song Sweet Home Chicago Matt "Guitar" Murphy great guitar player one of my top intros of songs Sweet Home Chicago Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rollin', rollin', rollin' Rawhide

i was 17 years old when the film was on int the south of France in 82; I was a nuddie for playing guitar, its helps me a lot to understand that was that kind of music I wanted to play.geat movie.

Re: Matt Guitar Murphy's SG, I have read that it was a highly modified SG-shaped Melody Maker from the 60's.

You can find KZfaq clips where Matt Guitar Murphy is playing with Magic Sam, or John Lee Hooker is playing harp with a bunch of people like Big Walter, the greatest bluesman in the Blues Brothers movie.

I saw it on HBO the first time and also watched it all summer that year, but I was probably 13 about then. Loved it, and It was pivotal in my Blues education which I was just getting into by then. Great video, and awesome story as usual Zac. Love it!

Steve Cropper and Matt "Guitar" Murphy tearing it up. The Blues Brothers is on steady rotation around my household. It's also my go to for learning cool bass riffs... thank you Donald "Duck" Dunn! Thanks Zac for the video!

So my kids have the same thing: I recorded a made for TV vhs copy for them. As they grew up, each bought their own DVD! I raised them right...😂

Wonderful stuff! I was born in 1950, in England, so my first exposure to music was my dad’s collection of ‘78’s, of Cab Calloway. I listened to early Stones, which was mostly covers of real r&b songs and acts like Tommy Tucker, which uses the exact same intro that you just played, Hi Heel Sneakers, first guitar riff I ever learned, and now I am going to learn it again!

Well done “ Thanks for the memory “.❤

That movie changed everything musically for 13 year old me.

I got to see the band in London, sadly after John died and without Dan. But what a band… what a band!

Before the Blues Brother's movie I was a regular guitar guy working toward being a rock'n roller. There is a scene where they are driving along and on the radio in the background John Lee Hooker's Boogie Chillen is playing. I was mesmerized, I had to play that, I just had to. I've been a boogie-bliues nut ever since.

Love this! Picked up the book for my Blues-Bros-obsessed wife. :)

One of my favourite movies too Zac. There are so many great scenes in the movie but I love the one with Ray Charles in the music shop. I'm a bit older than you ('53 vintage) so grew up listening to Atlantic and Stax "Soul" music (you'd probably call it R&B) and loved Aretha Franklin, Booker T and the MGs and the Coronel's work with Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. I was also a big Blues fan so no stranger to John Lee Hooker. However, to have them all in one film was such an incredible experience. My other favourite film is "Spinal Tap" but that's another story for another episode 😉

I was fortunate enough to see it in a theater when it first came out -- with a decent sound system too as I recall. Amazing to see all those car crashes on a big screen!

I drove 2 1/2 hours to see the film with some friends at Downtown Disney. That was a good evening. The film was good overall except wayyyy too many cars were crashed. I would like to have seen a longer concert sequence. For me, it was all about the music. The dance routine Jake and Elwood laid on the concert goers was hilarious.

Always enjoy your channel, Zac... I wasn't able to stay in Nashville when I tried,,, I just could compete with the talent that plays there... Bless you man, wishing you continued success

Great book, y'all should read it. Fave movie of all time...Not enough of John Lee Hooker tho.. Saw him live in 1986 at the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest...life changing show that I will never forget.

Wow! Just watched it today on Prime... Sister Mary Stigmata: "It saddens and hurts me that the two young men whom I raised to believe in the Ten Commandments have returned to me as two thieves, with filthy mouths and bad attitudes."

my all time favourite film. Its got everything, pun intended. All those iconic musicians and artists alone is amazing. Great humour and storyline. what more could you want

"You're gonna look pretty funny trying to eat corn on the cobb with no f--n teeth!" My dad recorded this off WPIX on VHS and I watched the hell out of it when I was around 11 or 12 and it quickly became one of my favorite films of all time and led me to becoming more interested in R&B/Soul/Blues music for sure.

“No. Fuc%ing. Way.”

Fantastic look back. Gonna stream that tonight. Haven't seen it in a long time.

I completely agree!!! Both films, Blues Brothers and Blues Brothers 2000.

Just a great video. Love the deep dive, man. Great stuff...

I have that Steve Cropper album- "Playin' My Thang" which I bought back in the early 80s. I leant it to my long time Telecaster guitar playing friend and his dog which was called Doobie ate it. I had to buy another copy although it was really the cover that got chewed.

John Landis!!! One of Chicago's favorite sons!

I remember my dad making me watch it with glee. And like you, it introduced me to so many musicians from the era. I have probably watched it 30 times or so. Still good. I think you hit the nail on the head, with it being a love letter to chicage and a music style that was disappearing, despite so many legendary performers still being around.

To anyone interested, a tribute album was released sunday. True blues brother ,the legacy of Matt guitar Murphy onNola Blue records, its great Matt is on 3 songs

I see JJ cale vinal in the background. Love Naturally! 🙂

Absolutely brother, I never get tired of seeing it. 💪🎸

Man I love that record behind your boss stereo!! Especially young man old man!

Princess Bride takes top slot for me, but Blues Brothers was iconic for sure!

I used to live right where they filmed the semi truck crash and all of the ISP squad car wreck. It was on the unused section of Illinois route 53

Hey great cast! Love your format of great players and songs.

TO ME its the most important movie. I was born in 90. That movie is why i know of john lee hooker and james brown. Then as i got older i looked up more of the band and that just kept influencing me.

“We’re putting the band back together, we’re on a mission from god….”

A poignant talk on a boomer generation Valentine to itself. Would like to see a decent County (& Western) road comedy featuring perhaps Drive-By Truckers; lots of crossover potential there.

For years I never wanted to watch Blues Brother 2000............But it's actually a really great sequel.

I always thought you could record The Blues Brothers and watch it as many times as you like. Now, if you invite your buddies over, charge them and sell them copies ... that's illegal . Right? Great show!

Sweet home Alabama lick, really?you mean sweet home CHICAGO lick.

I recently spent a fair lot of time in our local community library, just killing time, searching for interesting books on all kinds of things. Came across the Music & Band section of Australian tours from world wide bands. A really good read! A fairly decent description on James Burton, although brief. Not sure if that included Elvis or not. Not sure if I left a comment on a previous episode or not. Next time I'm there, I'll dig it up again cos I've forgotten what I wanted to tell you on your platform, originally. Maybe just the Title of the book? Love your style! Always very informative! Cheers from Down Under.

The two things that got me into soul music as a kid 1) my dad had some key pieces in his record collection- Pickett, Al Green, etc. 2) The Blues Brothers

I loved this episode! Also really nice bluesing, Zak!

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day Zac also happy first week of summer ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊

Thanks Zach. I also now appreciate the Blues Brothers movie. As you spoke about these rookie singer/ musicians Dan and John. The movie really helped the careers of the great musicians in the movie. Zach you are so square and straight that it makes you cool. Do appreciate your love and great musical abilities. Thanks man

I got that book for my 75th birthday. Really loving it and going to have a Blues Brothers movie night soon.

I’ve heard it said that Dan Akroyd was single-handedly responsible for the revival of a whole genre of music AND as you mentioned the careers of some of its finest performers. It is an all time favorite movie of our family. Tanx for doing what you do. 😉

You have to mention Otis Redding and Sam and Dave as huge inspirations and song contributors to the movie; I thought John and Dan were always channeling Sam and Dave as front men. Listen to Sam and Dave's Greatest Hits; soul dancing and sweat and horn drenched screaming gospel soul boogie at it's finest. Love the Blues Brothers!

That opening shot when the doors of Joliet Correctional Center open and Belushi is silhouetted by the sun with the decommissioned patrol car in the foreground... I'll put that shot up against any Akira Kurosawa film! Can't wait to read the book! (and was that Joe Walsh in the prison mess hall at the end?)

Right on! Zac gets it! You do great work brother

Ah yes my favorite tele-pod-caster

The Good Old Boys ! I have both versions on DVD.

Laughed out loud about showing it to your kids....I actually had every swear word memorized and would watch when my kids were 6 and 10 muting everything they shouldn't hear.