Crawling King Snake

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"Crawling King Snake"
Single by Big Joe Williams
B-side"Meet Me Around the Corner"
Released1941 (1941)
RecordedChicago, March 27, 1941
GenreBlues
Length2:51
LabelBluebird
Songwriter(s)Unknown

"Crawling King Snake" (alternatively "Crawlin' King Snake" or "Crawling/Crawlin' Kingsnake") is a blues song that has been recorded by numerous blues and other artists. It is believed to have originated as a Delta blues in the 1920s[1] and be related to earlier songs, such as "Black Snake Blues" by Victoria Spivey[2] and "Black Snake Moan" by Blind Lemon Jefferson.[3]

As "Crawling King Snake", it was first recorded by Big Joe Williams on March 27, 1941. The song is a country-style blues, with Williams on vocal and nine-string guitar and William Mitchell providing imitation bass[4] accompaniment. On June 3, 1941, Delta bluesman Tony Hollins recorded "a markedly different version",[5][6] which served as the basis for many subsequent versions.

John Lee Hooker versions[edit]

John Lee Hooker began performing "Crawling King Snake" early in his career and included it in his sets after arriving in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1940s.[7] In an interview, Hooker explained that he adapted Tony Hollins' song: "I got that 'Crawling King Snake' from him [Hollins]".[8] Hooker first recorded the song in Detroit on February 18, 1949 for producer Bernard Besman.[9] When it was released by Los Angeles-based Modern Records, "Crawling King Snake" became one of Hooker's most successful singles, reaching number six on the Billboard R&B chart in 1949.[10] Hooker recorded several subsequent versions of the song, including one with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards for Hooker's 1991 album Mr. Lucky.

Other recordings[edit]

"Crawling King Snake" has been recorded by numerous musicians[1] and the song "became a concert staple for dozens of blues-rock bands".[11] In 1971, the Doors recorded a rock adaptation of "Crawling King Snake".[12] Band drummer John Densmore recalled that the group often listened to the song during their early years; vocalist Jim Morrison suggested they record it, which the Doors eventually did for their sixth album, L.A. Woman.[13] For the recording, additional instrumentation was provided by Jerry Scheff on bass and Marc Benno on rhythm guitar.[14]

In April 2021, a version by the Black Keys was released as a single ahead of the release of their tenth studio album Delta Kream.[15] The group's singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach came upon it by way of a recording by Junior Kimbrough. He explained:

This is basically folk music on a certain level, and a lot of this music is like hand-me-downs from generation to generation ... I’m singing lyrics that are like third-generation wrong lyrics. I’m singing a certain version that Junior recorded where maybe he messed up a line, but that’s the only one I know. So we were really just kind of flying by the seat of our pants.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Crawling King Snake". Encyclopedia of the Blues. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. p. 443. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
  2. ^ OKeh Records 8338 (1926)
  3. ^ OKeh Records 8455 (1926)
  4. ^ Usually a jug or washtub bass.
  5. ^ Young, Alan (1997). Woke Me Up This Morning: Black Gospel Singers and the Gospel Life. University Press of Mississippi. p. 292. ISBN 978-0-87805-944-7.
  6. ^ OKeh Records 06350
  7. ^ Gioia, Ted (2008). Delta Blues (Norton Paperback 2009 ed.). New York City: W. W. Norton. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-393-33750-1.
  8. ^ O'Neal, Jim; van Singel, Amy (2002). The Voice of the Blues: Classic Interviews from Living Blues Magazine. Routledge. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-415-93654-5.
  9. ^ Palmer, Robert (1982). Deep Blues. New York City: Penguin Books. p. 244. ISBN 0-14006-223-8.
  10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1988). "John Lee Hooker". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 194. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
  11. ^ Dicarre, David (1999). Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century. McFarland & Company. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7864-0606-7.
  12. ^ Allen, Jim (April 19, 2016). "The Story Behind the Songs of the Doors' Last Hurrah, L.A. Woman". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  13. ^ Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman Q&A and Performance. Event occurs at 17:25. Retrieved April 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ Weidman, Richie (2011). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 162. ISBN 978-1617131141.
  15. ^ a b Strauss, Matthew. "The Black Keys Blues Covers Album, Share "Crawling Kingsnake": Listen". Pitchfork.
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