Paste's Best Music of 2009 (So Far)
Wilco - "Wilco (the song)"
Cory Chisel - "Born Again"
If You're Happy and You Know It: The 13 Best Songs with Handclaps
Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons- "Born Again"
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American blues and R&B are infamous for countless reasons, subtlety generally not being one of them. Here are some classic examples, many of which have been ripped off by more than a few longhaired rock 'n' rollers. But I won't mention any names (Robert Plant!).
1. Muddy Waters - “Tiger in Your Tank”
The Big Daddy of Chicago Blues, Muddy Waters (born McKinley Morganfield in Rolling Fork, Miss., in 1913), unleashes the, ah, beast on this stinging, fast-paced blues number. “I wanna put a tiger in your tank!” he sings on the chorus. Man ain’t talkin’ ’bout Exxon, if you know what I mean.
2. "My Ding-A-Ling" - Chuck Berry
After he was a dirty young man, and before he was a dirty old man, rock ’n’ roll pioneer and double-stoppin’ guitar hero Chuck Berry, was a dirty middle-aged man. Here, he leads a live sing-a-long based on Dave Bartholomew’s 1952 song “Little Girl Sing Ding-A-Ling,” which became Berry’s only #1 pop hit as “My Ding-A-Ling.” Here's a hint: It’s really not about his little silver bells. Of course, you can probably ring ’em anytime; just ask ol’ Chuck.
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There's also Lonnie Johnson's "Wipe it Off" ("Take your hands off my jelly roll, they been out in the cold"); Bo Carter's "Banana in Your Fruit Basket"; "Sam the Hot Dog Man," by Lil Johnson (whose name could even qualify); "He's Just My Size," by Lillie Mae Kirkman"; and Barrel House Annie's "If It Don't Fit (Don't Force It)."
Oops, just noticed you have "Banana in Your Fruit Basket." So I'll swap out that one for Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Black Snake Moan."
Let's not forget the ladies! "Black Snake Swing" by Victoria Spivey and "Hot Nuts" by Georgia White.
How about Lonnie Johnson's "Lead Pencil Blues." "Lead in my pencil but it just won't write..."