An awesome blues song that shows what Boz Scaggs was all about before the hits came. He had been playing with Steve Miller and in 1969 he made this self-titled album Boz Scaggs. He spent some time down south getting this together. He also made a self-titled album (Boz) in 1967 and released it in Europe for the record.
Jann Wenner, the founder of Rolling Stone magazine, was producing Boz’s first U.S. solo album, and he took him to Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, who suggested recording in the South. They had a choice of studios…Stax in Memphis, Phil Walden’s studio in Macon, or Muscle Shoals Sound, a new studio founded by the rhythm section from FAME Studios. Boz and Jann listened to everything that was coming out of those studios and they soon knew they wanted the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, and they wanted Duane Allman.
Boz didn’t know a lot about Duane, but he got a good sense of his stature by spending that week with him at Muscle Shoals Sound. Duane’s work with Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin had preceded him, but Boz was most struck by who Duane was to the players at the studio. They lit up when Duane walked in the room…their respect for him was clear.
Boz Scaggs: “Duane had a profound effect on that album. One of the real revelations to me was Duane’s character, seeing him in the South hanging out with those guys. In his appearance, he looked like he was from New York or L.A., with long hair. It was a brave statement in itself in redneck America. You could get in trouble just driving around in his car. It was an occasion and a homecoming. They held him in very high esteem. He was the dude. He was the natural leader, and he made everyone laugh. It was a side I didn’t see in Macon, where he was much more serious and focused.”
Duane set up his amp in the bathroom at the studio on this recording. He liked to do that so his guitar wouldn’t bleed through on the other instruments. This song has some of Allman’s best playing.
Scaggs and his girlfriend Carmella settled into Macon Georgia and were part of the Allman Brothers Band extended family for a time, enjoying the musical energy and experience in Macon. By this time Macon was host to a lot of different musicians. Boz went fishing and played poker with the Allmans late into the night, drinking beer, and telling stories.
This song is usually listed in the top 5 of Boz Scaggs’s songs. It is not as well known but a great blues track. The track was written by Fenton Robinson.
Boz Scaggs: “The first time we did it, it lasted twenty-five minutes and everyone thought it was such a gas, they trouped back in and did it again and we ended up with about forty minutes of ‘Loan Me a Dime’ and we wanted to use at least twenty minutes of it, but we had to use the shorter version, but that music is in the can somewhere in Muscle Shoals, and Duane was really rockin’ out.”
Loan Me A Dime
Somebody loan me a dime
I need to call my old time used to be
Somebody loan me a dime mmm
I need to call my old time that used to be
Little girl’s been gone so long
You know it’s worrying me
Hey it’s worrying worrying me
I know she’s a good girl
But at that time I just didn’t understand
I know she’s a good girl
But at that time I just didn’t understand
Oh no I didn’t
Somebody loan me a dime
You know I need.. I need a helping hand
Oh… she’s a good girl
But at that time I just didn’t understand
Ooooh I know she’s a good girl
But at that time I just could not understand
Oh no
Somebody better loan me that dime
To ease my worried worried mind.. oh
Now I cry.. I just cry
Just like a baby all night long.. oooh
You know I cry I just cry
Just like a baby all night long.. oooh
Somebody better loan me that dime
I need my baby
I need my baby here at home.. oooh YES
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Boz Scaggs is one of my favorite artists, although I’m probably well in the minority of folks who like him more for his non-blues stuff than the blues music he’s done. Saw him in concert. Great performer and musician.
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It’s interesting to see his roots on this one. I loved The Lido Shuffle and his hits as well. I was surprised on how high this one in particular is ranked by people.
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Boz is from Plano, Texas, the small one red light town that lived for 40 years. I didn’t know him well, but I was in a band and he was a fan of local bands. He hung out at the Dairy Queen a lot. He wound up at Saint Marks Catholic school in Dallas where he teamed up with Steve Miller and they formed a group. I can’t recall the name but they did play a dance at Plano High School and were pretty darn good. His younger brother Mark became a musician and played in a few Dallas bands and tried to live off Boz’s limelight for a while. I enjoyed his early music and the Lido Shuffle, but after that, I couldnt dig his schtick. As always Max, good stuff.
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That Dairy Queen seemed like the popular hang out in that day. Thanks Phil!
Have you ever been to Archer City, Texas? I just wondered if it was still small. Everytime I watch The Last Picture Show I want to go there.
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Back in the 60s, that’s all Plano Texas had that was considered “fine dining.” Everyone went to the Dairy Queen; pull in the drive thru, get your cone, or burger, circle once and burn rubber as you pull out on to Ave K. It was a ritual, and required behavior. We even took John Sebastian of the Lovin Spoonful to the DQ. He was amazed at the little cone with the squiggle on top. They don’t have DQs in New York. I have been to Archer City about 10 years ago; it ain’t much. The downtown is full of antique shops and a few pinky finger restaurants. McMurtrys pressance kept the town alive. Now that he is gone, it may struggle. The town (Thalial) looks similar to the movie, and would be perfect if it was painted in shades of grey. I recently read, again, The Last Picture Show, and man, what a book. The movie is as close as it could be because LM was involved. Also just read “Rhino Ranch” and am now reading ” Ned and Zeke,” his first collaboration with Diana Ossana. Happy to know you are a McMurtry fan. Texas is still grieving his loss.
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I didn’t know that about DQ not in New York… I need to read the book… That movie is spectacular and that town just feels real. Ben Johnson is just outstanding.
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DQ was primarily a “southern thang.” Some towns in Alabama or Georgia called them Dairy Freeze, but they were still DQ inspired. I remember my first trip to Memphis TN in 1964 with my buddy Jarry and his parents. They were “old south” from TN and Missisippi. I had my first Mountain Dew at a mom and pop service station in Arkansas ( we didn’t have that drink in Texas until the 70s) and I thought it was the best thing ever. Once we got to Memphis, we made a trip to Tunica MS where Jarry’s aunt and uncle had a cotton plantation. I’m talking big rambling house, shacks for the poor pickers, a man that rode herd on the help and a foreman that sat atop a big bay, holding a shotgun. I thought I was in Cool Hand Luke or Gone With The Wind. The south hadn’t changed much from what Jarrys cousin Danny explained. Danny played in a band called The Gentry’s ” Keep On Dancing” a one time hit and they were done. Best part of the trip was going to the Memphis Colosium and seeing Dick Clarks Caravan of the Stars with The Animals, BJ Thomas, Peter and Gordan and I think, LuLu and maybe Hermans Hermits. Of course the Animals made the other acts look like amatures. There was a DQ in Tunica and we ate lunch there everyday for a week. Cheesburger and shake. So, to shorten the story a bit, DQ has been in my life for a while, and still is. I had a lovely cone a few weeks ago.
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We had one in Nashville that I remember when I was a kid…in my small town (Ashland City TN) though…they didn’t like chains and refused to let them in until around 1983 or so. You got me wanting to go now.
Oh yes The Gentrys… I had a single by them…them doing a cover of Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young… also wasn’t a guy tied to wrestling in that band? Oh Jimmy Hart I believe.
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I recently finished “Texasville,” which is the follow up to Last Picture Show, thirty years later. All the same characters are in the book, Daune, Sonny, Jacy, Ruth and a cast of others. They still lived in Thalia and some became oil rich and some remained poor. Darn good read. McMurtry is a Texas treasure.
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I’ll check it out Phil.
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That’s a good tune. I can’t get the image out of my mind of a vase of flowers sitting in a lush garden, with Boz as the vase of flowers. Nothing against him personally!
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Yea that image is hard for me!
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A new one to me, just listening to it now, starts well… Interesting back story. I had no idea Wenner actually produced records. And it was interesting to see Scaggs comments on Duane Allman in the studio. No one questions his ability, but I think lots of us have a picture of all the Allmans being full-time partiers who probably didn’t take things all that seriously in the studio or elsewhere. I only heard of Boz first with Silk Degrees, which I think is a really good pop album.
BTW, I posted mine really early today in case you were wondering.
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When it came to music they worked hard…and Duane was everywhere. I couldn’t believe how many sites listed this one in his best songs. It surprised me because it’s not in the commercial ones…it’s a good showing where he came from…
Thanks Dave! I always wait for you to start commenting…that way I know you posted…
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So good, Max, I can hear a bit of Peter Green in here, who in my book was one of the greatest white blues guitarists. And, of course, Duane Allman who’s just killing it on this tune! No wonder the other musicians at FAME had so much respect for this long-haired dude!
Frankly, this is a very new side of Boz Scaggs for me. I primarily had known him for “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle” – like this tunes as well. But “Lone Me a Dime” takes it to a new level. I gotta check out the rest of that album!
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This is another side of him that many don’t know about. The playing on this made my jaw drop.
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Seriously! I’ve checked out the rest of the album in the meantime – not working today, so had the time.
I liked the other tunes as well, but “Loan Me a Dime” is the highlight. It’s really a killer tune!
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That is the highlight of the album…I would love to hear the 25 mnute version lol.
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Is there a Dead version?🤣
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LOL… yea but in the studio….Allman wanted that version to come out I believe.
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A real mood piece this one, it just lingers like cigar smoke on a hot still day. Love that ‘loan me a dime/old time used to be line.’
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No…now it would be loan me a calling card…not the same ring to it…no pun intended this time!
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Pun landed right side up anyway!
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I like his 1970s hits (Lido Shuffle came on random on Spotify the other day, probably because my seven year old keeps playing Rosanna), but this is excellent.
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Rosanna! I remember that one in Jr High. Yea this one is in many people’s lists as one of his best songs…I’m not disagreeing but it surprised me since it’s not exactly well known.
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Lido Shuffle and Rosanna have a lot of crossover – both written by David Paich, both have rhythm section of Jeff Porcaro and Hungate, both have a shuffle.
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I didn’t know that! They do connect then.
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I think “Loan Me A Dime” was writtten by Otis Rush… This was on one of the Duane Allman anthologies, and I remember sitting and listening over and over and wondering how someone could sound that good on guitar…
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I’ve looked it up again John…it does say Robinson…after you said that I thought maybe he adpated it but everywhere I find that he wrote it.
Oh his guitar is breathtaking on this. In his daughters book…she said he was happy about this recording…many times he was very critical on himself but this one he was happy.
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Wasn’t sure on the author of the song. Thanks for looking it up.
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I wanted to be sure… those blues songs are hard to track down at times. Like the one I did on the Grateful Dead…Don’t Ease Me In… I think they are still tracking down the origin.
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You find the most interesting music to write about Max! That and your outgoing personality have made your blog one of the most popular of any I’ve seen. Regarding this song, I’d not heard it before, but it’s terrific. I didn’t become aware of Boz Scaggs until his ‘Moments’ album in 1971, with it’s beautiful single “Near You”, which got a lot of airplay on San Francisco radio. I loved “Dinah Flo” too, and became a fan of his with his album “Silk Degrees”, which I nearly wore out playing it so much.
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Thank you Jeff! I appreciate that.
Silk Degrees is where I first heard of Boz…he made some smooth great sounding music.
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A masterful composition of southern blues .
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