I first heard this song on the Shake Your Money Maker album that I had just bought. I loved this song but it reminded of another song and I couldn’t put my finger on it. It then came to me…a song named Sway by the Rolling Stones off of Sticky Fingers.
I’m not saying the Black Crowes stole anything from it but they probably were influenced by the song. Rich Robinson the guitar player played the same 5 string G tuning that Keith Richards made famous…and he really does it well. Like the Georgia Satellites before them the Black Crowes sound was a throw back to the early seventies and it worked well.
The Black Crowes album Shake Your Money Maker was released in 1990. This album shocked me when I heard it. After longing for something with that 70’s tone…here it was with this new band. I always thought they sounded like The Stones/Faces musically with a Rod Stewart type lead singer.
Sister Luck was not released as a single but remains a favorite album track of mine.
Sister Luck
Worried sick my eyes are hurting
To rest my head I’d take a life
Outside the girls are dancing
‘Cause when you’re down it just don’t seem right
Feeling second fiddle to a dead man
Up to my neck with your disregard
Like a beat dog that’s walking on the broadway
No one wants to hear you when you’re down
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else’s name
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else’s name
A flip of a coin
Might make a head turn
No surprise, who sleeps
Held my hand over a candle
Flame burnin’ but I never weep
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else’s name
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else’s name
What a shame
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Great track, super album
That album defined 1990 for me…
it was a refreshing album because it was such a throwback… if it had come out in’70, it would have been more at home, but also might not have had much impact for that very reason.
GNR changed the game a bit and the Black Crowes came in…it was refreshing…very for me.
What a stellar debut! All the tracks on SYMM are gems! This album was so good at meshing 70s and 80s hard blues rock
I can hear the similarities between these two songs.
This song strikes me as a Stones throwback with better singing ability.
That is a good way to put it.
I love the Black Crowes. Chris’s voice is outstanding. It is reminiscent of Stewart.
I listened to the two songs to make a comparison. The chords are close but, the Stones sound more like a Black Sabbath intro than the smooth playing of Rich. Couple that with Jeff Cease’s lead overlaying and you have great texture. Rich does list the Stones as an influence:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Robinson#Influence_and_sound
Oh Rich has to list them or Keith…he plays in the same tuning which sounds like Keith no matter who you are.
That tuning uses 5 strings and it’s super simple. I could teach you 5 stones songs and this one in 30 minutes…
I love the Black Crowes but they had to be influenced by this…which there is nothing wrong with that. I loved them because they were throwbacks…still do like them
Pffft. I’d have to have a damn guitar that was tuned and didn’t have rusty strings. *eye roll*
LOL…I bet I could…that tuning..it’s a chord when you strum it with out your other hand…it’s G open tuning…really easy.
That would be cool.
And, Chris mentioned The Faces as an influence:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Robinson_(singer)#Early_years
Steve Marriott I believe also influenced him
Hard to believe Chris used to be married to Kate Hudson and has a kid with her.
Yea…I like Kate a lot. Loved her in Almost Famous
I loved Raising Helen and The Skeleton Key. She had a smaller part in Deepwater Horizon.
Oh I saw Skeleton Key…forgot about that one.
She is such a cutie-pie. I can see why she has a thing for rockers considering who her dad is.
Yes she is…her mom was one of the downright cutest women ever around the time of Laugh In
She was. She’s not aging well, though, sadly.
No she is not bless her heart…she has some surgery done I believe on her lips or something…
I knew something was odd.
Her lips are like ballons. She would look better if she just looked old and not try to look young.
Oooo…the Meg Foster mistake.
Really like this cut and this band.
(I thought the Satellites should have reached their popularity.)
Yes…that is what I think. The Satellites debuted in 85-86 when hair metal ruled… just a little later would have helped.
They had a little of the Replacements thing going on with me. I guess it was the sense of humor and just the goodtime thing with rock n roll.