Classic Blues Songs You Can Play on a B♭ Harmonica: Full Guide

Bb harmonicas offer a great range for blues soloing.

A key of B♭ (B-flat) harmonica provides a great balance of the deep and rich lower register with a punchier top octave. For this reason it is one of my personal favourites and has been very popular over the years in blues music.

This article lists great blues songs that were recorded using a key of B♭ harp.

Make sure to check out the following guides to learn about other keys:

Blues Songs for C Harmonica

Blues Songs for A Harmonica

Blues Songs for D Harmonica

Blues Songs for G Harmonica

Blues Songs for F (and low F) Harmonica

Using a Key of B♭ harmonica for Blues Music

Most blues is played in 2nd position (cross harp). On a B♭ harmonica, this means the key of F. If this sounds confusing, check out my free Guide to Harmonica Positions.

Since 2nd position is the default, I will indicate in the table below only when the song is played in something other than 2nd position.

Classic Blues Songs Using a B♭ Harmonica

Here is a list of more than 70 great blues songs by legendary blues harmonica players, all of which use a key of B-flat harmonica:

Title	Artist	Notes
A Fool’s Alibi	Carlos del Junco & The Blues Mongrels	(Bb harp in 2nd + lo F harp in 1st for start of solo)
Afro Blue	Jason Ricci & New Blood
Ah'w Baby	Billy Boy Arnold
Ain't No Need To Go No Further	Paul Butterfield
Ain’t That Lovin' You	Jimmy Reed
All Night Long	Muddy Waters
As Long As I Have You	Jason Ricci & New Blood
Astatic Stomp	George 'Harmonica' Smith
Baby Scratch My Back	Slim Harpo
Basin Street Blues	Charlie McCoy
Big Leg Mama	Little Walter
Blue Midnight	Little Walter	Free Tabs
Blues All Night	Charlie Musselwhite
Blues Leave Me Alone	Kim Wilson
Boogie	Little Walter
Breathtakin' Blues	Rhythm Willie	(4th position)
Cha Cha In Blue	Junior Wells
Chasin' The Gator	William Clarke
Chicago Breakdown	Doctor Ross
Chickasaw Special	Noah Lewis
Christo Redemptor	Charlie Musselwhite	(3rd position)
Corn Bread, Peas and Black Molasses	Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
Country Boy	Muddy Waters
Dead Presidents	Little Walter
Don't Bite the Hand that Feeds You	Kim Wilson
Don't Get Around Much Anymore	Big Walter Horton	Free Tabs
Easy (I Almost Lost My Mind)	Big Walter Horton	Free Tabs
Easy Rider	Sonny Terry
Everything Gonna Be Alright	Paul Butterfield
Forty-Four	Howlin' Wolf
Gina's Groove	William Clarke
Heddon Tadpolly Spook	Carlos del Junco & The Blues Mongrels
Help Me	Sonny Boy Williamson II
Hopefully	The Paul deLay Band
Hound Dog	Big Walter Horton	(3rd position)
I Got Love If You Want It	Slim Harpo
I've Got To Be With You Tonight	Slim Harpo	(3rd position)
If You Lose Your Money	James Harman
Improvisation in Cm	Indiara Sfair	(3rd position) Free Tabs
Jail House Blues	Sonny Terry
Jimmy Jones	The Paul deLay Band
Juicy Harmonica	Bacon Fat
Keep The Wolf From My Door	Jason Ricci & New Blood
Little Boy Blue	Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell
Little Queen Bee	Slim Harpo
Lonesome Bedroom Blues	William Clarke
Long Distance Call	Muddy Waters
Lost in a Dream	The Paul deLay Band
Midnight Special	Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
My Babe	Little Walter
My Mind is Working Overtime	William Clarke
Ninety Nine	Sonny Boy Williamson II	Free Tabs
Nobody But You	Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues
Ocean of Tears	The Paul deLay Band	(3rd position)
Ora-Nelle Blues	Little Walter
Paradise	Carlos del Junco
People Get Ready	Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
Poor Boy	Paul Butterfield
Red River	Sonny Terry
Quarter to Twelve	Little Walter
Rock Me	Slim Harpo
Run Here Mama	Charlie Musselwhite
Sad Hours	Little Walter
Saturday Night Blues	William Clarke
Screamin' And Cryin'	Muddy Waters (feat. Jerry Portnoy)	I'm Ready album
She Moves Me	Muddy Waters (feat. Little Walter)
Sittin' On Top Of The World	Howling Wolf
Steady	Jerry McCain	Free Tabs
Steady Roll	Hazmat Modine
Stuff You Gotta Watch	Muddy Waters
Superharp	James Cotton	(3rd position) (also F harp on outro)
Sweet Woman Blues	Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
That's It	Little Walter	(3rd position)
The Hucklebuck	James Cotton
The New John Henry	Sonny Terry
The Simple Life	Carlos del Junco	(3rd position)
They Call Me Lazy	Lazy Lester
West Helena Blues	Kim Wilson
Work Song	Paul Butterfield	Free Tabs
You Don't Have To Go	Jimmy Reed
Young Fashioned Ways	Muddy Waters	(3rd position)

I hope this table has helped you to find some great blues harmonica songs for the B♭ harmonica!

Want to Learn Blues Harmonica Properly?

If you want to go beyond just picking up songs and actually understand how blues harmonica works, I have an online harmonica school designed to take you from beginner to expert.

We focus on:

• mastering cross harp

• bending notes cleanly and consistently

• building real blues vocabulary

• developing tone, timing, and feel

These are the exact skills behind classic blues harmonica songs and solos. If you're serious about improving, click to start your free trial today.