Amazing John Lee Hooker Performed Boom Boom on Maxwell Street (LIVE)

It’s 106 miles from Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it!

John Lee Hooker’s influence on blues is legendary, and one scene from the 1980 film The Blues Brothers cemented his place in pop culture history. The performance of Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker outside a bustling Chicago soul food restaurant isn’t just a cool moment. It’s a snapshot of Hooker’s raw street performance style and energy. This short performance packs power, and it brings the gritty rhythm of Hooker’s sound straight to the screen.

A Street Performance that Stopped the Scene

In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood pass a lively Chicago street where John Lee Hooker delivers Boom Boom to a small crowd outside a diner. Unlike the choreographed musical numbers in the movie, this one feels real. Like you stumbled across a moment. Hooker didn’t need flash. His deep, stomping rhythm guitar and unhurried vocal delivery told the story. The gritty realism, unfiltered audio, and natural surroundings turned the song into a movie highlight.

Hooker’s voice held age and authority, while his guitar kept steady time, drawing people into the rhythm. This wasn’t polished studio blues. It was Hooker doing what he did best: letting the groove speak.

Watch the Performance:

Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker from the movie The Blues Brothers!

What a great presentation of the real Maxwell Street Market. The cuts between people, the knick-knack on display, and the Blues Brothers are perfectly executed. The music in that movie is just bliss, and love that they didn’t waste time and money on glitzing & glamouring up every extra to look like a supermodel.

Why This Scene Still Stands Out

The Power of Simplicity

There’s no backup band in the spotlight, no stage lights. Just Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker and the city street. This simplicity is what draws people in.

An Artist at His Core

Hooker’s playing in this scene doesn’t chase perfection. It’s about feeling. That honesty shines through and keeps fans coming back to this version of Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker.

A Scene That Introduced Hooker to New Generations

Thanks to The Blues Brothers, many younger viewers discovered Hooker for the first time through this scene. It wasn’t just a cameo. It was a bold introduction to a blues master.

Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker from The Blues Brothers is more than a movie moment. It’s a window into the blues. With raw performance and real emotion, Hooker brought the street to life. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, this scene remains a simple, strong reminder of what the blues can sound like.

Lyrics:
Ah boom, boom, boom, boom
I’m gonna shoot you down
Right off ‘a your feet
Until you’re home with me

Put ya in my house
Boom, boom, boom, boom
I love the way you walk
Especially how you talk

‘Cause when you whisper in my ear
And say “Johnny I love you”
I love that talk
Oh when you talk that talk

But you knock me dead
Right off my feet
I took ya home with me
And put ya in my house

How, how, how, how
How, how, how how
Hey, hey
Ohh you are cookin’
Like a chip off the ol’ block

Oh when you walk that walk
And talk that talk
And whisper in my ear
And say, “Johnny I love you”

I love that talk
Ah that baby talk
And I like the way you dance
And when you make romance

I was wonderin’ if I
If I could have a chance
I just love the way ya walk
And when ya talk that talk

You knock me dead
Right offa my feet
I take ya home with me
Put ya in my house

Boom, boom, boom, boom
How, how, how, how
Hey, hey
Talk

Walk that walk
Talk that talk
C’mon
Ah, woo!

Ah, you are cookin’
C’mon
Yeah