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Rating: "Fathers And Sons": the aim is to pass the torch of blues from the veterans to the young without the "fathers" abdicating; they merely create new followers. And when the "fathers" are the legend Muddy Waters and pianist Otis Spann and the "sons" are Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Sam Lay, we might be facing a great album.
The expectations are fully met, the band revolves around the charismatic figure of the leader, who weaves the strings of his guitar with those of the then 23-year-old Bloomfield, an American talent already at the court of Paul Butterfield, Black Flag, and Al Kooper. The idea of relaunching Muddy Waters after the travesties of "Electric Mud" and "After The Rain", with half of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band plus a distinctively soul and funk bassist like Dunn (Booker T & The MG's), is surely successful: "Fathers And Sons" wipes away the recent failures of the bluesman, breathing new life into his music. Above all, the inspiration stands out from Butterfield himself, whose harmonica almost overpowers the other instruments and constantly fills the air, and the proven pianistic art of Otis Spann, in service of the American leader since '52. However, if the rhythm section lays solid foundations for the sound, Bloomfield's contribution is somewhat disappointing, limited by a certain reverential fear in the performances.
"All Aboard", the opening of the LP, with its frenzied harmonica, best introduces the main theme of the work, which alternates monolithic blues ("Forty Days And Forty Nights"), slow blues ("You Can't Lose What You Never Had"), and pieces that are funambulic, rocking, and purely diverting ("Walkin' Thru The Park"). Moreover, "Mean Disposition" and "Standin' Round Cryin'" slow down the tempo, giving the impression of being in front of the recording sessions of the album "Folk Singer", played this time in electric version instead of acoustic.
As if this weren't enough, the studio album is accompanied by a live one, where the bluesman, still supported by his band, performs some historic tracks: "Long Distance Call" becomes a beautiful electric piece without losing the feeling that made it one of the best episodes of "Folk Singer", while "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Got My Mojo Working (Part I & II)", with their compelling progression, make the audience and listener dance.
Blues from the first to the last note, and the baton passing is accomplished.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 All Aboard (02:53)
All aboard!
Mean old Frisco
takes my breath away
mean old Frisco
takes my breath away
well ive been howling ive been trusting
and now im lookin for the day.
Wake a man feel good
got me hold let me down
wake a man feel good
got me hold let me down
cos ive been howling ive been trustin
and now im gettin pushed around.
Can you show me
how the train goes round the bend
can you show me
how the train goes round the bend
and ive howling oh so long
and now im looking for the end.
Wake a man feel good
got me hold let me down
wake a man feel good
got me hold let me down
cos ive been howling ive been trustin
and now im gettin pushed around
Can you show me
how the train goes round the bend
can you show me
how the train goes round the bend
and ive howling oh so long
and now im looking for the end.
03 Blow Wind Blow (03:42)
When the sun rose this morning,
I didn't have my baby by my side.
When the sun rose this morning,
I didn't have my baby by my side.
I don't know where she was,
I know she's out with some another guy.
Don't the sun look lonesome
Shading down behind the trees?
Don't the sun look lonesome
Shading down behind the trees?
But don't your house look lonesome
When your baby's packed to leave.
Blow wind, blow wind, blow my baby back to me.
Blow wind, blow wind, blow my baby back to me.
Well you know if I don't soon find them,
I will be in misery.
Goodbye baby, that is all I have left to say.
Goodbye baby, that is all I have left to say.
But you have lost your good thing,
Go ahead and have your own way.
by McKinley Morganfield
06 Forty Days and Forty Nights (03:09)
Forty days and forty nights
Since my baby left this town
Sunshinin' all day long
But the rain keep comin' down
She's my life I need her so
Why she left I just don't know
Forty days and forty nights
Since I set right down and cried
Keep rainin' all the time
But the river is runnin' dry
Lord help me it just ain't right
I love that girl with all-a my might
Forty days and forty nights
Since my baby broke my heart
Searchin' for her in a while
Like a blind man in the dark
Love can make a poor man rich
Or break his heart I don't know which
Forty days and forty nights
Like a ship out on the sea
Prayin' for her each night
That she would come back-a home to me
Life is love and love is right
I hope she come back home tonight
08 I'm Ready (03:40)
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
I got an axe handle pistol on a graveyard frame
That shoot tombstone bullets, wearin' balls and chain
I'm drinkin' TNT, I'm smokin' dynamite
I hope some screwball start a fight
'Cause I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
All you pretty little chicks with your pretty little hair
I know you feels like I ain't nowhere
But stop what your doin' baby come overhere
I'll prove to you baby, that I ain't no square
Because I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
I been drinkin' gin like never before
I feel so good, I want you to know
One more drink, I wish you would
I takes a whole lotta lovin' to make me feel good
'Cause I'm ready, ready as anybody can be
Now I'm ready for you, I hope you're ready for me
09 Twenty Four Hours (04:50)
Oh I mistreated my baby last night
Woman from holding you here in my arms
Oh I mistreated my baby last night
Woman from holding you here in my arms
Now you know she been gone 24 hours
And that's 23 hours too long
You know if I had a million dollars
I would give every dime to bring her back home
Oh, how my poor heart bleeds peoples
It's so sad to be alone
Now you know she been gone just about 24 hours
And that's 23 hours too long
Oh, my baby's so pretty
This little girl she looks just like a charm
I love this woman
This woman, she looks just like a charm
Now you know she been gone 24 hours
And that's 23 hours too long
10 Sugar Sweet (02:20)
I'm gonna tell you about my baby
I speak of her with pride
She go all the way to make me satisfied
Oh she's my baby, she's my baby, don't you see
I can't call her sugar 'cause sugar never was so sweet
It ain't no suprise, she serve me in the bed
She manicure my nails, scratch dandruff from my head
She's my baby, she's my baby, don't you see
I can't call her sugar 'cause sugar never was so sweet
When I say what I want, that's the way it's gonna be
She fall over backwards to go right on pleasin' me
Oh she's my baby, she's my baby, can't you see
I can't call her sugar 'cause sugar never was so sweet
11 Long Distance Call (06:37)
You say you love me darlin'
Please, call me on the phone sometime
You say you love me darlin'
Please, call me on the phone sometime
When I hear your voice
Ease my worried mind
One of these days
I'm gonna show you how nice a man can be
One of these days
I'm gonna show you just how nice a man can be
I'm gonna buy you a brand, new Cadillac
If you only speak some good words about me
Hear my phone ringin'
Sound like a long distance call
Hear my phone keep ringin'
Sound like a long distance call
When I picked up my receiver
The party said another mule kickin' in your stall
12 Baby Please Don't Go (03:03)
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go, down to New Orleans
You know I love you so
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
I get you way'd out here, and let you walk alone
Turn your lamp down low
Turn your lamp down low
Turn your lamp down low
I beg you all night long, baby, please don't go
You brought me way down here
You brought me way down here
You brought me way down here
'bout to Rolling Forks, you treat me like a dog
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go
Baby, please don't go, back the New Orleans
I beg you all night long
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
Before I be your dog
I get you way'd out here, and let you walk alone
You know your man down gone
You know your man down gone
You know your man down gone
To the country farm, with all the shackles on
13 Honey Bee (03:58)
Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on
Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on
You gonna keep on sailing till you lose your happy home
Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on
Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on
I don't mind you sailing, but please don't sail so long
All right little honey bee
I hear a lotta buzzing, sound like my little honey bee
I hear a lotta buzzing, sound like my little honey bee
She been all around the world making honey
But now she is coming back home to me
14 The Same Thing (06:03)
What makes a man go crazy when a woman
wears her dress so tight
What makes a man go crazy when a woman
wears that ol' dress so tight
Must be the same ol' thing
that make a tom cat fight all night
Now, why do all the big men
try to run a big-legged woman down
Now, why do all the big men
try to run a big ol' woman down
Must be the same ol' thing that
makes a bulldog a huggling 'round
It's that ol' same thing,
now tell me who's to blame
The whole world is fighting
about that ol' same thing
What make you feel so good
when your baby's in her evening gown
What make you feel so good
when your baby's in her evening gown
Must be that same ol' thing
that makes a preacher lay his bible down
It's that ol' same thing,
now tell me who's to blame
The whole world is fighting
about that ol' same thing
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