After a short stint with Ry Cooder in folk-blues band The Rising Sons, Taj Mahal hit Studio 3 at Columbia Records to record his dynamic downhome David Rubinson-produced debut LP with Jesse Ed Davis (lead guitar), Ry Cooder (rhythm guitar), Gary Gilmore (bass) and Chuck Blakwell (drums).It’s “Leaving Trunk,” the ruthless Sleepy John Estes penned opening track that will hit you straight in the gut like a barbwire-wrapped sledgehammer. The gritty delta jam immediately invokes a vivid portrait of bandits hotfooting it into town, swilling Mexican wine, armed to the teeth with groo-vay electricity.
The tune lures you in with a pair of twin devils – a stormy harmonica line blown out by Taj Mahal and Jesse Ed Davis’ filthy lick that surely hasn’t bathed in days. Once Taj’s tenacious holler kicks in you will be sure to be clapping yer hands and stomping yer feet.
Clocking in at nearly five minutes, this relentlessly powerful littly ditty brings true meaning to the saying, the blues had a baby and they named it Rock ‘n Roll.
“Leaving Trunk”
Written by: Sleepy John Estes
I went upstairs to pack my leavin' trunk
I ain't see no blues, whiskey made me sloppy drunk
I ain't never seen no whiskey, the blues made me sloppy drunk
I'm going back to Memphis babe, where I'll have much better luck
Lookout Mama you know you asked me to be your King
She said you kiddin' man, if you want it, keep it hid
But please don't let my husband, my main man catch you here
Please don't let my main man, my husband catch you here
The blues are mushed up into three different ways
One said go the other two said stay
I woke up this mornin' with the blues three different ways
You know one say go "baby I want to hang up", the other two said stay
Lead 1
Wake up mama I got something to tell you
You know I'm a man who love to sing the blues
Now you got to wake up baby, mama now, I got something; I got something to tell you
Well you know I'm the man, oh yes and I love to sing the blues
Come on Davis
Come on, come on
Lead 2
I went upstairs to pack my leavin' trunk, you know
I ain't see no blues or whiskey made me sloppy drunk
I ain't never seen no whiskey, the blues made me sloppy drunk
I go home baby and I lay down on the lawn
Take Up Thy Rock 'N Roll Stethoscope and Walk,
Enjoy this single cc of Taj…
MP3: “Leaving Trunk”
5 comments:
Welcome back good Doctor! Love the new look!
The Doctor is IN!! Praise Jeebus. Your musical prescriptions are much appreciated. Glad you are back in bidness.
Glad to be of service. Good to be back. Come on back now, ya hear.
Be sure to check out Johnny Jenkins' version of this tune (from his 1970 album Ton-Ton Macoute!). For my money, an even better groove than the Taj version (and that's saying something, no disrespect intended toward Taj's version).
@Anonymous, love Ton-Ton Macoute! Agreed. Some great playing from D.Allman on that LP. Planning on putting something together on that album sometime soon. Thanks for stopping through!
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