B B King
How Blue Can You Get?

As sung by Louisiana Gator Boys in Blues Brothers 2000

Been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met
I've been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met
Our love is nothin' but the blues
Baby how blue can you get


My love is like a fire
Your love is like a cigarette
My love is like a fire
But baby yours is like a cigarette
I watch you step down on it baby and crush it
Tell me how, tell me how, how blue can you get


You're evil when I'm with you
and you're jealous when we're apart
Yes you're evil when I'm with you baby
Lord have mercy, you're jealous when we're apart
How blue can you get
Hey that's a writing in my heart


I gave you a brand new Ford
and you just said I want a Cadillac
I bought you a ten dollar dinner
You said Thanks for the snack
I let you live in my penthouse
You said it was just a shack
I gave you seven children
and now you wanna give 'em back


I've been downhearted baby
ever since the day we met
Our love is nothin' but the blues
Baby how blue can you get

Caught up with the movie the other day. It's not really a patch on the original Blues Brothers, but there is one scene that makes the whole movie worthwhile and that's the battle of the bands. The Louisiana Gator Boys features several musical legends besides B B King and the song they sing is one of my all time favourites. The first version I ever heard of it was sung live inside a prison and the guys really went for it.

Just so I could blog about the song I actually thought up a recipe to justify doing it. It really ought to feature freshwater crayfish (crawfish) or yabbies to us Aussies, but because of the need to use uncooked crayfish which are usually alive and would need to be snipped open to allow the marinade to enter, I've substituted large green (uncooked) prawns instead.

Louisiana Gator Boys BBQ Prawns

I kg (2.2 lb) large green (uncooked) prawns, unshelled
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 green capsicums, roughly chopped
1 or 2 habanero chillies*, seeds removed, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
100 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil
juice of two limes
salt & fresh ground pepper

With scissors, snip each prawn down its back from the head to the tail and remove the black intestine. Place all the marinade ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth, adding water to make a loose paste. Put the prawns into a large container with the marinade, mix well and leave for two hours. Light a fierce barbecue or heat a grill pan until very hot. Lift the prawns from the marinade and cook for two minutes each side. Serve with a cold beer and very loud Blues music.

*habanero chillies are extremely hot, if you like substitute milder chillies.