Crawling King Snake
| "Crawling King Snake" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Big Joe Williams | |
| B-side | "Meet Me Around the Corner" |
| Released | 1941 |
| Recorded | Chicago, March 27, 1941 |
| Genre | Blues |
| Length | 2:51 |
| Label | Bluebird |
| 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]- ^ 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.
- ^ OKeh Records 8338 (1926)
- ^ OKeh Records 8455 (1926)
- ^ Usually a jug or washtub bass.
- ^ 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.
- ^ OKeh Records 06350
- ^ Gioia, Ted (2008). Delta Blues (Norton Paperback 2009 ed.). New York City: W. W. Norton. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-393-33750-1.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Palmer, Robert (1982). Deep Blues. New York City: Penguin Books. p. 244. ISBN 0-14006-223-8.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1988). "John Lee Hooker". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 194. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman Q&A and Performance. Event occurs at 17:25. Retrieved April 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (15 April 2021). "The Black Keys Blues Covers Album, Share "Crawling Kingsnake": Listen". Pitchfork.
