It was back on a winter’s night in a friend’s (Chris) house that I first heard and saw Stevie Ray Vaughan in the mid-1980s. His house had a sunken living room and a rise that the kitchen table sat on at the end. I was on the rise with my amp, and he called me over to the television. He pushed in an old VHS tape of SRV on Austin City Limits that he recorded. It knocked me out…not since seeing clips of Hendrix did I see such an aggressive guitar player. He was even more aggressive than Hendrix.
This two-minute burst of pure energy was a hell of a single. SRV played guitar not by numbers but by precise feel. Like Neil Young, he played by feel but without the wandering…just powerful, precise notes. In this song, I can hear a lot of Jerry Lee Lewis as well. It was written by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Doyle Bramhall and recorded in Memphis.
This song is on the 1989 In Step album. Vaughan had just gotten sober, and this was his first record at the time. This is the last solo album to be released during his lifetime. He made an album with his brother called Family Style, and it was released a month before his death.
This song peaked at #18 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts in 1989. The album peaked at #33 on the Billboard 100. Tragically, Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash just over a year after In Step was released. But “The House Is Rockin’” still stands as one of his top singles.
I could watch this man play all day long. His playing was so inspired and electric. I play guitar, but not really big solos as much. He took licks and solos to a new level.
The House Is Rocking
Well, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’If the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother, come on in
Kick off your shoes, start losin’ the bluesThis old house ain’t got nothing to loseSeen it all for years, you start spreading the newsWe got room on the floor, come on, baby, shake something loose
Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother, come on in
Well, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother, come on in
Walking up the street you can hear the soundOf some bad honky tonker’s really layin’ it downWe’ve seen it all for years, and got nothin’ to loseSo get out on the floor, shimmy ’til you shake somethin’ loose
Well, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Well, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother knockin’Yeah, the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother, come on inI said the house is a-rockin’, don’t bother, come on in
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Any SRV is great by me, this in particular is fantastic. He really was something playing live. I know he did well but still very underrated and under appreciated in his time.
He was underrated in his time…you are right. He was the only one I looked at that was near Hendrix.
It’s the one I know best by SRV. I see Doyle Bramhall, Doyle II’s dad, co-wrote it. I wish you would do a long post on Doyle Sr., how he connected with SRV, and how Doyle II came into it, then went off to the Arc Angels and beyond.
I’ll look into him…I knew nothing about him…I’ll check it out!
Doyle (dad) was a VERY talented dude but I don’t think he quite hit stardom, more in the shadows of stars. I think Doyle II has been much more successful, as part of the Arc Angels, a sidekick of Eric Clapton (he was in that Jeff Beck Tribute Concert that CB posted John McLaughlin song from) with Eric. He’s also done session work and toured with Roger Waters. He’s cut at least a few solo albums as well (I have listened the grooves off of Rich Man.) I really don’t know a lot about Doyle Sr. though. If you can find some stuff I’d be grateful. I think Phil might know about him but not sure (he’s from TX iirc.)
A somewhat underrated guitarist
Yes he was…he should be rated higher in most polls but yea…he was great.
My roommate in the Coast Guard who is 8 years older than I am turned me onto Stevie Ray in ’84 & I stayed a big fan until his death. Tragic loss, what a soulful blues/rock musician & singer. I always turn my car stereo up loud when his stuff comes on.
Yea when I saw him in the mid 80s on video…I was floored. I remember when it happened…such a sad day and week.
Good morning…ya’, I remember too…ya’.
Good morning dude! Damn electricity just went out
Sorry to hear that…
Finally came back on
Great track from a great album. SRV could do no wrong, all his studio releases are classic! Still kick myself for not going and seeing the Fire Meets The Fury tour he did with Beck back in late 89 in Toronto. SRV/Beck were at the Skydome in Nov and I was there a month later to see Macca!
Yea I’m with you as well…there were times I could have seen him and missed it…that is a huge list with me!
That would have been a concert to see.
Excellent guitarist that really knew how to rock and left us much too early. Great videos, Max.
No disputing his playing, he was a great. Even David Bowie realized that, though he may not have treated Vaughn as well as he should
I forgot how short this single was…just a little over 2 minutes. Oh yea…he was one of the best guitarists of his generation.
but was he Joni Mitchell-good? LOL
and, checking your actual site, I see you had a second blog today that wasn’t showing up here. Will go have a boo at that in a moment
I was late this morning because our electricity went off for a while…but Dave…you have the same problems on Saturdays with me….unsubscribe from me and resubscribe…that might do it.
Oh no! He was many slots away from Joni! LOL
SRV has always been an enigma for me, I understand the admiration, but he didn’t really grab my attention until I heard him on Jennifer Warnes’ First we Take Manhattan……a gunslinger among other gunslingers for sure, like Randy Rhodes gone way too soon.
His aggressive guitar playing is what won me over…he attacks the thing like a power hitter swinging for the fences.
What a loss. I’m a great admirer of his brother Jimmie too.
Yes it was…just awful. His brother is really cool and they had what seemed like a great relationship.
The title of “The House Is Rockin'” already says it – it rocks! I’ve yet to hear a song by Stevie Ray Vaughan that sucks. I pretty love everything the man did during his tragically cut short life and career. I’m best familiar with his second album “Couldn’t Stand the Weather,” which I got on CD a couple of years after it had come out. It all was prompted by a short stint as a bassist in the first band I joined, which was a blues group. We covered “Tin Pan Alley” and “Scuttle Buttin'” off that album.
Oh cool! I’ve never been in a band that covered him. He really dominated a guitar…so aggressive. The one I remember is The Sky Is Crying…of course that was the one he was working on.
Love the title track of that album. SVR really had it all – great guitar chops and a voice that perfectly fit his songs!
Stevie is a rocker. Love it.
Yeah he packed a lot into that 2 minute plus time frame.
I know little of the technical ways of playing a guitar, I just go with what I like the sound of. I do like a player who , after soloing off in their own zone and then can segue sweet and easy back into the basic structure of a song. This has that retro feel but still felt modern. And, yet again, an early death.
Yea that sucked…he was just getting huge. I agree…it takes talent to do what you said. Many guitar players will stop and let the rhythm guitar player take over.
Good stuff!
Thanks Dana!
He is missed, but his music is forever