Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy - ChicagoFest 1981

gravityworld.tv...
In August of 1981, when the undisputed king of Chicago blues headlined ChicagoFest -
then the Windy City's top outdoor music festival - for two nights, his loyal subjects mobbed Navy
Pier on the lakefront to hear one of the greatest innovators the idiom had ever produced.
Muddy Waters led the charge in the late 1940s and early '50s to electrify Delta blues in an
urban setting. His peerless combo would include such future stars as ace guitarist Jimmy Rogers,
harmonica virtuoso Little Walter and piano wizard Otis Spann. But Muddy was always at the center
of the action. His gruff, authoritative vocal delivery and slashing slide guitar define the purest form
of postwar Chicago blues. Waters' charisma was as immense as his musical vision.
Born April 4, 1915, in Issaquena County, Mississippi, McKinley Morganfield learned the
blues while sharecropping on Stovall Plantation. One guitarist particularly influenced him. "I never
seen a man could play at that time as good as Son House, to me. With that big voice he had, he could
sing," said Muddy. "He was preachin' the blues then, and I thought he was the best in the world."
In late August of 1941 musicologists Alan Lomax and John Work rolled into Coahoma
County in search of rural gospel and blues talent. They made field recordings of Muddy, with Lomax
returning the next year to cut more. But those were for the Library of Congress. It was only after
Muddy migrated north in 1943 that he pursued a career as a professional bluesman.
"As soon as I decided to leave, my mind said, 'Go to Chicago!'" he recounted. "So I
came." Pianist Sunnyland Slim introduced Muddy to Leonard Chess, then with the fledgling
Aristocrat label, in 1947. Waters cut a few small combo sides for the label before reverting to his
Delta slide attack the following year on "I Can't Be Satisfied" and "I Feel Like Going Home," his
first hit. "When I did them two sides, that's the sides they went nuts over," said Waters.
"I had a band in less than a week," Muddy remembered. "Mojo Buford - he was with
me before, the harp player - said, 'I'll get you some boys that'll cook just like that.' He called in
about two or three days. He said, 'I'm gonna bring 'em over and let you listen to 'em.' Just that fast,
I had a band!" Buford was joined by guitarists John Primer and Rick Kreher, pianist Lovie Lee,
bassist Earnest Johnson and drummer Ray Allison. They all instinctively understood Muddy's
groove.
After "Mannish Boy" gets the festivities off to a rousing start, Muddy counts off romping
shuffles for the ChicagoFest throng, rolling through Jimmy Reed's "You Don't Have To Go," Big
Joe Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go," Slim Harpo's "I'm A King Bee" and his own 1955 gem
"Trouble No More." For the luxuriantly downbeat "They Call Me Muddy Waters," he peels off a
slide solo that makes the hair on the nape of your neck stand up in silent salute.
In the midst of his rollicking "Walking Thru The Park," Muddy brings out fleet-fingered
guitar wizard Johnny Winter, producer of his 1977 "comeback" album Hard Again. "We met back
in the '60s in Austin, Texas," recalled Muddy. "He was one of the young white kids who was really
deep into it." Johnny sings "Going Down Slow" before Waters blasts out a swaggering "She's
Nineteen Years Old," boasting another jaw-dropping slide ride. Winter takes over again vocally for
a grinding "You've Got To Love Her With A Feeling" that morphs into "Five Long Years" when
local luminary Mighty Joe Young strolls up to the mic, Big Twist following that with a few special
lyrics for the occasion. Muddy brings it all to a close with a rousing "Got My Mojo Working."
"To stay with this music, you got to live with it. Sometimes you might be a little hungry,
but you got to stay with it. I've been where I couldn't get the right food a lot of times. My icebox
wasn't full, you know?" said Muddy, who passed away not long after this show on April 30, 1983.
"I'm glad it was like that. So when I got to the point that I could get what I want, I think I enjoyed it
better."
It's hard to tell who enjoyed those two evenings at ChicagoFest more - the crowd, his
pals onstage or Muddy himself.
- Bill Dahl
Research Materials
Can't Be Satisfied: The Life And Times Of Muddy Waters, by Robert Gordon
(Boston & New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2002)
Spinning Blues Into Gold: The Chess Brothers And The Legendary Chess Records, by Nadine Cohodas
(New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000)
The Complete Muddy Waters Discography, by Phil Wight and Fred Rothwell
(Cheshire, England: Blues and Rhythm Pub.)
Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Singles 1942--1988, by Joel Whitburn
(Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research Inc., 1988)
The Official Muddy Waters Web site: www.muddywaters....

[@Uperis]

It's not only a song, it's a FEELING! It was not only a performance, it was MANNISH LIFE on stage!

[@FuryBrazil]

Now this is real music.

[@sheepstittydiddle1222]

This was his last great concert. He enjoyed himself so much here, I have rarely seen him happier

[@jakerandall123]

The Godfather of rock and roll himself.............Man he is the God of Rock.

[@MrBluesbillie]

I just love how he laughs at the beginning. He enjoyed his whole life creating awesome blues music and you can feel it. I got a lot of respect for this guy. RIP Muddy Waters

[@rakoczi29]

often imitated, but never duplicated! your man mckinley morganfield the undisputed greatest bluesman ever to grace this earth! no question about that.

[@bluesoulady]

he will always be, forever, the greatest blues forerunner amongst those of his forefathers! oh yes , join the many....

[@Mrtiguan09]

Wasn't into Muddy as a teenager growing up in The Rock N Roll town of Cleveland, Ohio back in the day. It was all Motown and other like artist. Saw the Movie Caddilac Records and was drawn in by the Portrail of "Muddy" by Geo Wright. Started my research and now believe Muddy is the Greatest Blues man "ever".

[@stoprejectingmynames]

No comments, I can't believe it. This is a classic!

[@slambo239]

This is so heavy it hurts. Thank you Muddy.

[@HomeBasedCardBiz]

He was born McKinley Morganfield-Muddy Waters is a nickname given him in childhood-in the tiny hamlet of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on April 4, 1915, but from the age of three, when his mother died, was raised by his maternal grandmother in Clarksdale, a small town one hundred miles to the north.

[@WeTalk440]

Hard to believe this was only two years before he died.....

[@kelvinbremont1341]

Moist Wazowski very! 😕

[@ramonsanchez7961]

Great concert with this song mannis boy the best of the best Bluesman Mr Muddy Waters bsnd 🎹🎸🎸🥁

[@skullhelmet1944]

I saw this live! Best time of my life!!!

[@mickfunny4185]

Were you a Mannish Boy back in the day?

[@skullhelmet1944]

Mick Failure Good name for you Failure...

[@mickfunny4185]

Funny how? Am I a clown?

[@rolorolffitty]

thumbs up for my grandpa, who made the best song for Maffia II !!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bluesoulady]

yes i would love to have been there, but i have had the privilege of meeting and hearing his son Mud Morganfield and hes his fathers son alrite, and a gentleman too.

[@bluesoulady]

god i love this man and his music. There will never be another

[@dionb21]

One of the best songs ever!!!!!!!!

[@411poboy]

wow what a song love it

[@levonpoe]

this is BEYOND PIMP! One of the GREATEST SONGS ever recorded. The MACHO, THe SWAGGER! Not much can top this. THE REALIST of THE REAL SHIT!

[@pasion9585]

+Levon Peter Muhammad Salah Setyowan Poe mke encanta muddi waters y su ascendencia, gracias por darnos esa musica tan linda como es el blues de los afroamericanos

[@GoogleSuckMyCockk]

That's Sugar Blue blowin!!

[@BobisYard]

The greatest Blues song ever by the greatest Bluesman ever. Great!

[@mrshenda]

God, I adore this man. He is the coolest dude I have ever known. Thanks again to NavajoIsUnstoppable

[@AntonioNavarroGtz]

The "Father of the Blues"

[@tataso]

Muddy vive por que el blues vive !!

[@birdstuckinchimney]

Yea I agree, and that's what makes it so freaking brilliant. Not a whole lot happening musically, but it still takes ones emotions on a roller-coaster ride

[@cucumber0022]

Timeless

[@Missouriman37]

muddy saved my soul

[@TheFrozenNipNips]

Muddy Waters is a god.

[@MuddyG]

Go Muddy. Love you, brotha!

[@mistervicenteblues]

this is why I live for!!!!

[@Penandroll]

back when real artists use to perform...like a boss

[@jacknash711]

Thanks Muddy for showing us how it is! Love this! You are the Man!

[@TheDanielHarris]

Oh man! what a legend

[@thesuzukisan1]

Muddy is a GOD!

[@vretenartyler123]

I'm in love with MUSIC :)

[@LemonMerigueTie]

my little brother heard this song a while ago and now all he does is run around the house saying "IMA FULL GROWN MANN". its pretty damn funny :D

[@bluesoulady]

god i love this guy!

[@Missouriman37]

Muddy is bad ass!

[@TheOromus]

B.B King is amazing guitarist but Muddy Waters is my fav BluesMan

[@sugarmamaaa]

Ain't nobody like the great Muddy Waters!!

[@TheNerdyVixen]

This just made my morning! AWESOME performance!

[@rangers11000]

excellent song

[@2000Bateman]

Fantastic.

[@patricioedv]

maestro....

[@MrBluesbillie]

Legend !!!

[@rmurbach1961]

The Muddy Waters Band lost 3 members last year. Mojo Buford, Willie"Big Eye" Smith and Pinetop Perkins all passed within months of one another.

[@SkalaJoker]

Feel the blues...

[@downhill240]

Man, if this doesn't rock you, you must be dead!

[@zheka777se]

it is Real MUSIC baby))

[@thepivotman999]

*dadow dadow da* That's the real blues!

[@amparoospina562]

Fabuloso

[@AllBobsAllTheTime]

I was there for this - it sucked when Mayor Washington cancelled ChicagoFest a couple of years later.

[@chrichri105]

omg i have been look for this song for a week im at peace now

[@NYGMA8]

respect

[@gtabigfan34]

'Father of the Chicago Blues' - Rolling Stones Magazine True Storry BRO!

[@LeonBlack666]

perfect

[@OSBURNnanu]

greatest man alive

[@1blastman]

Muddy - the best that ever was

[@llobill3967]

I love Muddy Waters.

[@CrystaliiCode]

I like it!

[@ace69er]

Dis is THE Shit man! Nothing beats it!

[@Kisuke323]

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@vivalakakarot]

i think im bout to pass a kidney stone!

[@redfordforpresident]

I just turned a hundred shades blacker and I was pure white at the beginning of this song -- a Michael Jackson thing.

[@Lolitu94]

@Vpower13 man..i am only 17,but still this is...........

[@arkee71]

@tinymorte well...the greatest bluesman of all time imho...son house said" they aint but one kind of blues...and that consists of whats between a man and a woman thats in love"

[@jakerandall123]

@mrshenda You said it. The Daddy of it all......

[@Cambrensis]

Listen!

[@werkis2]

Wow he have :D nice harmonica holders i always wanted like that, never knew til lthis day now that some one really had that thing :D and he has lol .. so coool kwelll....

[@DanFindling]

@majoros44 aint that a party pooper??? crowd: yeahh!!!

[@deadmanwalking7001]

thats the best best beast beast ftw man!!!!

[@Ibrahimovich1999]

awesome :D

[@PeterSnodwind]

@appassionato90 nice one! :)

[@bluesoulady]

@airbaron1 i wish i could have - awesome!

[@myboint]

cool dude

[@pareidolights]

Teardrops.best Song ever

[@MultiCgp]

Muddy died a year later? Last night on tv I saw Muddy & The Stones at the Chicago Ckeckerboard Lounge, of course this was it. The Stones were on their 1981 tour then.

[@Mydsgardk]

Heads Heads

[@pinnychet2681]

He's the man, spelled M A N

[@ElwoodBlogs]

@Bomaniful Thatd be the Great Mojo Buford- passed away this year sadly.

[@bluesoulady]

cant help it , yea love that man, wish i didnt , havent even met i=hi. damn.

[@HEADBANGRR]

Coool!

[@thepivotman999]

@ThatDian No the H&M commercial is from this!

[@azinov13]

good

[@dianeroblinmusic]

Work with me Muddy!

[@TheJ0026]

H&M!!!

[@duffrose22]

I think people who apprisiate real & good music, should get over pop music. 'Cause pop will never so significant like this music. Or even Smoke on the water :-) Sorry for my bad english and misspelling 'cause we had a band practice event wich is a cover for drink. ;-)

[@AntonioNavarroGtz]

@tazzboy77 mmm "The grandfater of the Blues" don't Take It Literally :)

[@tinymorte]

Whoever you are . Whatever you are . STOP . Next time you are with your woman , feel your pulse . Next time you are Having a few beers with your friends and a fine woman walks by , feel your pulse . And next time you are making love to woman , hear your breath and feel your pulse . If that aint a Blues drum and a slide guitar, ill be a son of a gun . You dont have to love blues music to feel it pumping thru your life .

[@capjoartist1200]

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH I AM A MAN PAST 49

[@GoodYoungMusic]

sick harmonica bullet strap

[@rollingstopp]

ohhh yyaaa

[@majoros44]

@WiiGamerof1995 for sure ;)

[@genaro192]

never change the riff...

[@8Dona]

:)))))thanks!

[@pepi560]

jimmi hendrix was jesus of guitar muddy was the god of music

[@grandbbq]

Wuz there

[@SAVANNAH1352]

this is like garder music :P

[@MrJimmyoc00]

YEA IT WAS THE BLUES STAGE...DID TAJ MAHAL OPEN UP?? everything was a bit foggy back then,actually thought it was more like 1979??? : )