Saturday Night Live has spawned many characters over the years (decades!), but perhaps none quite as memorable as The Blues Brothers, the Chicago tough guys with a penchant for classic R&B music of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. I once had a T-shirt with just their faces on it in silhouette – no ID or explanation required.

But a funny thing happened to Jake and Elwood Blues after their introduction on SNL – art began to imitate life as the late John Belushi and Canadian Dan Ackroyd rode an unexpected wave of popularity into a spin-off franchise of their own, including movies, albums, and concert tours.

But while the fictional brothers were colourful (notwithstanding their signature black and white suits and dark sunglasses), they were also good ¬– damn good. Creditable musicians in their own right (Ackroyd on mouth harp, Belushi the vocalist), they surrounded themselves with a top rate band of legendary session musicians, such as Steve Cropper, who had played with Otis Redding among others.

They also hitched their soul train to an infectious, beloved style of rock, rhythm and blues, covering songs like “Gimme Some Lovin’,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” and “Soul Man.” Framed in classic Blues Brothers schtick – among them Elwood’s briefcase-opening routine to reveal his prized harmonica, and his classic “hot feet” dancing; plus Belushi’s improbable cartwheels – and backed by an all-star band who would become familiar to fans in the classic Blues Brothers movie, their performances were enthusiastic, familiar, and fun.

And while later iterations of the Blues Brothers (after Belushi’s death) were laughable (and lamentable), it doesn’t detract from the legacy of the initial enterprise, which even in the late ‘70s served to pay homage to and re-kindle interest in musical greats like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, James Brown, and Cab Calloway (all of whom had cameos in the 1980 movie).

Similarly, their cover songs, like this one: “Soul Man,” a vintage Sam & Dave hit from 1967/68, performed here on SNL a decade later.

Lyrics

Comin’ to you on a dust road
Good lovin’, I got a truck load
And when you get it, you got something
So don’t worry, ’cause I’m coming

I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man
I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man, I’ve got it all

Got what I got the hard way
And I’ll make it better each and every day
So honey, don’t you fret
‘Cause you ain’t seen nothing yet

I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man, play it Steve
I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man

I was brought up on a side street, listen now
I learned how to love before I could eat
I was educated at Woodstock
When I start lovin’, oh, I can’t stop

I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man
I’m a soul man, I’m a soul man

Well, grab the rope and I’ll pull you in
Give you hope and be your only boyfriend
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I’m talkin’ about a soul man

I’m a soul man, and you’re a soul man
I’m a soul man, oh no, soul man
I’m a soul man, and you’re a soul man