Muddy
Waters
Muddy Waters is truly one of
the kings of blues music and he left behind a treasure of recordings
to enjoy. There is excellent acoustic and electric material, as well as
studio and live recordings.
There have been a lot of
great Chicago bluesmen. Muddy Waters would be my favorite. There is
a great quote in the liner notes of The
Chess Box. From a 1979 interview, when talking about
contemporary bluesmen, Muddy said "Some of these young ones,
now, can PLAY, maybe as good as me sometimes, but they can't FEEL.
My blues is the real blues, the deep blues, because I can FEEL it
when I sing it." That quote is a big part of why I enjoy
Muddy's music so much, along with such great piano accompaniment.
Too, that feeling really comes in his live recordings.
While the studio Muddy
Waters recordings are classics, the live performances have an energy
and flow to them that is not captured in the studio. I personally
like this material the best. The live Muddy Waters live records
that I am most familiar with are all highly recommended, At
Newport, The Lost Tapes,
and especially Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live. Below
are comments, track lists, and other details of some great live
Muddy Waters.
Muddy
Waters studio recordings
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| Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live |
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Disc: 1
1. Mannish Boy
2. She's Nineteen Years Old
3. Nine Below Zero *
4. Streamline Woman
5. Howling Wolf *
6. Baby Please Don't Go
7. Deep Down In Florida *
Disc: 2
1. After Hours/Stormy Monday Blues
2. Trouble No More
3. Champagne & Reefer
4. Corrina, Corrina
5. Hoochie Coochie Man
6. She Moves Me
7. Kansas City
8. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie
9. Mad Love (I Want You To Love Me)
10. Everything's Gonna Be Alright
11. Got My Mojo Working
Remastered edition includes a second disc of
previously unreleased material. An excellent booklet is included
with essays by Robert Gordon and Bob Margolin, credits,
photos, and more.
Single
disc (if you must)
Harry Hope's
Cary, IL
8/25 and 26, 1977
Muddy Waters - guitar, vocals
Luther "Guitar Jr. Johnson - guitar
Bob Margolin - guitar
Calvin Jones - bass
Pinetop Perkins - piano
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - drums
Joe Portnoy - harmonica
*Masonic Auditorium
Detroit, MI
3/18/1977
Muddy Waters - guitar, vocals
Luther "Guitar Jr. Johnson - guitar
Bob Margolin - guitar
Charles Calmese - bass
Pinetop Perkins - piano
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - drums
Johnny Winter - guitar
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Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live |
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Single disc
Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live |
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| At Newport |
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1.
I Got My Brand On You
2. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
3. Baby, Please Don't Go
4. Soon Forgotten
5. Tiger In Your Tank
6. I Feel So Good
7. I've Got My Mojo Working
8. I've Got My Mojo Working, Part 2
9. Goodbye Newport Blues
Bonus tracks
10. I Got My Brand On You
11. Soon Forgotten
12. Tiger In Your Tank
13. Meanest Woman |
At Newport |
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| All Night Long: Live |
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1. Country Boy
2. Baby Please Don’t Go
3. (I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
4. Tiger In Your Tank
5. She’s Nineteen Years Old
6. County Jail
7. Long Distance Call
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Trouble No More
10. Rosalie
11. Rollin’ And Tumblin’
12. I Feel Like Going Home
13. Can’t Get No Grindin’ (What’s The Matter With The Mill)
14. Honey Bee
15. The Blues Had A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll
16. Got My Mojo Working
From Amazon:
The postwar Chicago blues scene without the magnificent contributions of Muddy Waters is absolutely unimaginable. From the late ’40s to the time he passed away in 1983, he eloquently defined the city’s aggressive, swaggering, Delta-rooted sound with his declamatory vocals and piercing slide-guitar attack.
This is one of the best live collections of Muddy Waters ever assembled. His songs have been recorded by such artists as The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, The Animals, Van Morrison, George Thorogood, and Canned Heat.
All Night Long Live! features such classics as "(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man," "Rollin’ And Tumblin’," "Honey Bee," and "Got My Mojo Working."
This live collection features Muddy Waters at three distinct periods in his career: 1964, 1966, and the late 70s. His band from May 1964 and 1966-67 includes Otis Spann on piano. The late 70s recordings feature his regular touring band, including piano player Pinetop Perkins and drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.
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All Night Long: Live |
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| The
Lost Tapes |
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1. Honey Bee
2. Hoochie Coochie Man
3. Walking Thru the Park
4. Trouble No More
5. Just to Be with You
6. Intro to "19 Years Old"
7. She's 19 Years Old
8. Long Distance Call
9. Mannish Boy
10. Crawlin' Kingsnake
11. Got My Mojo Working
Muddy Waters, guitar, vocals
George "Harmonica" Smith, harmonica Pinetop Perkins, piano
Sammy Lawhorn, guitar
Pee Wee Madison, guitar
Calivn "Fuzz" Jones, bass
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, drums.
Tracks recorded live 1971 with tracks 1-7 at Washington University; the remainder at Oregon University.
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The
Lost Tapes |
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| Hoochie Coochie Man [LIVE] |
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From
what I've read, the sound quality is so-so and performance is
strong from this live 1964 Muddy Waters line-up. Last I
checked, this release was very reasonably priced.
Muddy's band:Otis Spann on piano, George Smith on saxophone, Sammy Lawhorn on guitar, Luther Johnson on bass, and Frances Clay on drums.
The listed songs on the release are said to
have four mistakes --. replace Sittin' and Thinkin', Sweet Little Angel, All Night Long, and Early
Mornin' Blues with Tiger in Your Tank, Trouble No More, Rollin' and
Tumblin', and I Feel Like Going Home, respectively.
1. Country Boy
2. Baby Please Don't Go
3. Hoochie Coochie Man
4. Sittin' and Thinkin'
5. 19 Years Old
6. County Jail
7. Long Distance Call
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Sweet Little Angel
10. Rosalie
11. All Night Long
12. Early Morning Blues
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Hoochie Coochie Man |
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| Live Recordings (1965-73)
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1. Rock
Me
2. Going Down Slow
3. Blow Wind
4. Long Distance Call
5. Walkin' Thru The Park
6. Honey Bee
7. Trouble No More
8. Hoochie Coochie Man
9. Howling Wolf
10. Baby Please Don't Go
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Live Recordings (1965-73) |
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| Mojo: The Best of Muddy Waters Live!, 1971-1976
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1. Rollin' And Tumblin'
2. Walkin' Blues
3. Hoochie Coochie Man
4. Can't Get No Grindin'
5. Howlin' Wolf
6. Dust My Broom
7. Goin' Down Slow
8. Walking Thru The Park
9. Just To Be With You
10. She's Nineteen Years Old
11. Crawlin' King Snake
12. Honey Bee
13. Mannish Boy
14. Got My Mojo Working (1 & 2)
Tracks 1-7 were recorded in Switzerland,
April 1976.
Tracks 8,9,10,& 12 were recorded at
Washington University in 1971.
Tracks 11,13,& 14 were recorded at
Oregon University. The songs selection is outstanding, with
liner notes.
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Mojo: The Best of Muddy Waters Live!, 1971-1976 |
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| Big Mama Thornton |
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Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, vocals, drums (track 5), harmonica (tracks 14, 17); with the Muddy Waters Blues Band: Muddy Waters, guitar; James Cotton, harmonica; Otis Spann, piano; Samuel Lawhorn, guitar; Luther Johnson, bass; Francis Clay, drums.
1. I'm Feeling Alright
2. Sometimes I Have A Heartache
3. Black Rat (Take 4)
4. Life Goes On
5. Everything Gonna Be Alright
6. Big Mama's Bumble Bee Blues
7. Gimme A Penny
8. Looking The World Over
9. I Feel The Way I Feel
10. Guide Me Home
11. Black Rat (Take 2)
12. Wrapped Tight
13. Gimme A Penny (Take 5)
14. Big Mama's Shuffle
15. Since I Fell for You
16. I'm Feeling Alright (Fast Version)
17. Big Mama's Blues (My Love)
Recorded in San Francisco on April 25, 1966.
This sound quality is so-so. |
Big Mama Thornton With the Muddy Waters Blues Band |
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| As a
Muddy Waters fan, you may also enjoy some of the CD's
mentioned below. |
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| Derek and the
Dominoes
We have more details about this release in
our Eric Clapton section. Duane Allman plays on all but the
first three songs of this classic.
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Review
| Order
| SACD
The Layla Sessions: 20 Anniversary Edition
(box-set)
Review
| Order
On the box-set, Duane plays on some of the outtakes, and
some jams. The review provide the details of which tracks.
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1. I Looked Away
2. Bell Bottom Blues
3. Keep On Growing
4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
5. I Am Yours
6. Anyday
7. Key To The Highway
8. Tell The Truth
9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
10. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
11. Little Wing
12. It's Too Late
13. Layla
14. Thorn Tree In The Garden
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Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs |
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| King Curtis
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1. The Honey Dripper-Part 2
2. Soul Twist
3. Soul Serenade
4. Wiggle Wobble
5. Boss
6. Spanish Harlem
7. Soul Theme
8. In The Pocket
9. I've Been Loving You Too Long
10. Ode To Billie Joe
11. Memphis Soul Stew
12. I Was Made To Love Her
13. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
14. Makin' Hey
15. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
16. This Is Soul
17. The Weight
18. Foot Pattin'
19. Instant Groove
20. Let It Be
21. Sing A Simple Song
22. Soulin'
23. Get Ready
See also The Best of King Curtis
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Instant Soul: The Legendary King Curtis |
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| Wilson Pickett
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1. Save Me
2. Hey Jude
3. Back in Your Arms
4. Toe Hold
5. Night Owl
6. My Own Style of Loving
7. Man and a Half
8. Sit Down and Talk This Over
9. Search Your Heart
10. Born to Be Wild
11. People Make the World
Duane Allman plays on the whole album.
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Hey Jude |
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| Boz Scaggs
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1. I'm Easy
2. I'll Be Long Gone
3. Another Day (Another Letter)
4. Now You're Gone
5. Finding Her
6. Look What I Got
7. Waiting For A Train
8. Loan Me A Dime
9. Sweet Release Boz Scaggs'
debut album.
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Boz Scaggs |
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