Tag: Wilson Pickett

Car Songs…Part 3

It’s a lot of fun doing these Car Songs…I could probably do one on just Cadillac songs alone! I hope you enjoy these. I try to pick songs with a car title in them. That is why I haven’t done Drive My Car and others. But I’m breaking that today…I am including a bonus.

Blasters – Long White Cadillac

A perfect road trip song from the 1983 album Non-Fiction. You’ll want to go out and buy a long white Cadillac and drive it on a long-lost highway. Dave Alvin wrote this song….The song is about the night Hank Williams died in back of a car. He died somewhere between Bristol, Tenn., and Oak Hill on the way to a New Year’s Day 1953 show in Canton, Ohio.

Dwight Yoakum recorded a version of this song in 1989 for his first greatest hits package Just Lookin’ for a Hit.

The Tom Robinson Band – Grey Cortina

This song was on his fantastic album Power In The Darkness. If you want to know a little more about him…I posted a song by the singer-activist a few months ago with the song Up Against The Wall. He has some great music and this album is great through and through.

Tom DID get his Grey Cortina in real life but… unfortunately, he said: “I bought the Cortina and it lasted 1 day before somebody ran into it and wrote it off (my fault) :-(“

Clash – Long Black Cadillac

This was a great cover by The Clash. It was on the London Calling album released in 1979. They started off as a punk band but The Clash, unlike some other Punk bands, could really play and sing well…, especially Mick Jones. He was probably the best pure musician in the band.

The song was originally by Vince Taylor and released in 1959. It was the B side to a song called Pledging My Love. Taylor wrote the song but Tony Sheridan is credited with the cool guitar riff running through the song. The song’s riff reminds me of the original Batman riff…or really the other way around.

Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally

The music is in groove mode, but Pickett’s explosive voice drives it home. Mustang Sally was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The studio had a unique sound plus some of the best musicians anywhere. It started to get the attention of Atlantic Records and they sent Pickett to record there. Later on, a guitar player known as Duane Allman would end up as a studio musician and talked Pickett into recording Hey Jude.

As soon as they finished this take… the tape flew off the reel and broke into pieces everywhere. Producer Tom Dowd cleared the room and told everyone to return in half an hour. Dowd pieced the tape back together and saved what became one of the coolest songs of the decade.

Quiet Riot – Slick Black Cadillac

This one is for my friend Deke. The song originally appeared on Quiet Riot’s second album, Quiet Riot II, released in 1978. This album was only released in Japan. A re-recorded version of Slick Black Cadillac was included on their more widely known album, Metal Health, released in 1983.

In high school, this album was played and played by our local rock station.

Bonus today…

Cars – Gary Numan

This was suggested by glyn40wilton… This song was released in 1979  was one of many signs a change was coming in music. The song peaked at #9 in the Billboard 100,  #1 in the UK and #1 in Canada. The song was keyboard-driven with a synth riff.

Gary Numan on the inspiration of the song. “A couple of blokes started peering in the window and for whatever reason took a dislike to me, so I had to take evasive action. I swerved up the pavement, scattering pedestrians everywhere. After that, I began to see the car as the tank of modern society.”

Numan has stated that he has Asperger syndrome, which is a mild form of autism, but until he was diagnosed, he had a lot of trouble relating to other people.

Wilson Pickett – Land of 1000 Dances

This song has to have a world record attached to it… song most used in pep rallies. I heard the na na na parts from elementary to high school. It was high school before I heard the actual song.

The original version was by Chris Kenner, a New Orleans R&B singer and songwriter, first recorded and released “Land of 1000 Dances” in 1962 and it only made it to #77 on the Billboard 100. Kenner wrote the song as well. He promised Fats Domino a writing credit if he recorded it…Fats did but it didn’t go anywhere. On some copies, he is listed as a co-writer.

This song has been covered a lot. Secondhandsongs says it has 150 cover versions which is very good. Cannibal and The Headhunters covered it in 1965 and they peaked at #30 on the Billboard 100 but Wilson Pickett had the highest charting position for the song. It’s no telling how many times it’s been played live by famous and nonfamous artists.

Land of 1000 Dances peaked at #6 on the Billboard 100, #6 in Canada, and #22 in the UK in 1966 for Pickett. The sound of this record is great…it has a raw edge that only Stax had at the time.

Land of 1000 Dances

One, two, three
One, two, three
Ow! Uh! Alright! Uh!

Got to know how to Pony
Like Bony Moronie
Mash Potato
Do The Alligator
Put your hand on your hips, yeah
Let your backbone slip
Do the Watusi
Like my little Lucy

Ow! Uh!
Na, na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
Need somebody help me say it one time!
Na, na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na

Wow!
Ow!
Uh!
You know I feel alright?
Hah!
Feel pretty good, y’all
Uh-hah!

Na, na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
C’mon y’all, let’s say it one mo’ time!
Na, na-na na-na
Na-na na-na
Na-na na-na na-na
Na-na na-na

Ohh!

Dancin’ in the alley
With Long Tall Sally
Twistin’ with Lucy
Doin’ the Watusi
Roll over on your back
I like it like that
Do that Jerk, oh
Watch me work, y’all

Ow! Do it!
Wow! Do it!
Watch me do it
Ohh, help me!
Ohh, help me!
Ohh, help me!
Ohh, help me!

Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally

Motown and Stax were vital to the 1960s and 70s. This is just my opinion… but Motown had more hits but Stax had an edge that was hard to beat. I always thought their music had more of a groove to it.

This is a song that our band never officially learned…it’s one of those songs where if you have played for a few years…you just know by instinct. We did this one from a request and also Midnight Hour we would play loud and intense.

The music is in groove mode, but Pickett’s explosive voice drives it home. Mustang Sally was recorded at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The studio had a unique sound plus some of the best musicians anywhere. It started to get the attention of Atlantic Records and they sent Pickett to record there. Later on, a guitar player known as Duane Allman would end up as a studio musician and talked Pickett into recording Hey Jude.

As soon as they finished this take… the tape flew off the reel and broke into pieces everywhere. Producer Tom Dowd cleared the room and told everyone to return in half an hour. Dowd pieced the tape back together and saved what became one of the coolest songs of the decade.

It was written by Mark Rice. In 1950, he moved with his family to Detroit, where he graduated from high school. After he served in the Army, he joined a group called The Falcons. He soon began singing with the Falcons, whose other members included Wilson Pickett, Joe Stubbs, and Eddie Floyd. But he would find real fame as a songwriter.

“Mustang Sally” began as “Mustang Mama,” which he was inspired to write by the newly introduced Ford Mustang sports car. It was Aretha Franklin, the pianist on Rice’s demo of the song, who persuaded him to rename it.

He recorded “Mustang Sally” as Sir Mack Rice in 1965, and it peaked at #15 on the Billboard R&B chart. Rice did a nice job but the song needed Wilson Pickett’s powerful voice.

Pickett’s version peaked at #23 on the Billboard 100, #6 on the R&B Charts, #28 in the UK, and #4 in Canada.

Mustang Sally

Mustang Sally, huh, huh, guess you better slow your Mustang down
Oh Lord, what I said now?
Mustang Sally, now baby, oh Lord, guess you better slow your Mustang down
Huh oh yeaah
You been running all over the town now
Oh! I guess I’ll have to put your flat feet on the ground
Huh, what I said now?

Listen
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride. Huh
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride

One of these early mornings, baby, you gonna be wiping your weeping eyes
Huh, what I said now?

Look it here.
I bought you a brand new mustang nineteen sixty five. Huh
Now you come around signifying a woman, you don’t wanna let me ride
Mustang Sally, now baby, oh Lord, guess you better slow that mustang down
Huh, oh Lord. Look here
You been running all over the town
Oh! I got to put your flat feet on the ground. Huh, What I said now?

Let me say it one more time ya’ll
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride

Wilson Pickett – 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)

This is probably my favorite Wison Pickett song. This song was written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper. This was recorded at Stax with Cropper playing guitar.

Cropper has said they beefed this recording up more than Pickett’s other recordings. He also said that he talked to producer Tom Dowd while writing this song…Dowd gave him some great advice. Cropper was wondering why Motown sold more records and Dowd told him to “start writing your lyrics on the downbeat, on the beat, you’ll get more of a singalong effect instead of just telling a story and singing it where the words fall.’” So when he wrote this he wrote the numbers of the song on the downbeat and it was pure gold.

Soulful and catchy… a great song. This song was written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper. The song peaked at #13 on the Billboard 100, #1 on the R&B Charts, and #36 on the UK Chart in 1966.

The song was on the album m The Exciting Wilson Pickett released in 1966. It peaked at # 21 on the Billboard Album Charts, and #3 on the R&B Charts. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. He passed away of a heart attack in 2006 at the age of 64.

Steve Cropper:  “We were so excited to have the song. Eddie and I went into the studio late and did a demo. I couldn’t hardly sleep waiting for Wilson Pickett to get to the airport. I went out and picked him up – usually when I pick up Wilson, we go straight to the hotel and I let him check in and we go to the studio, but this time I was so excited about the song I went straight to the studio. I had Eddie there and had the tape ready to play for him. We brought him into the control room, handed him a set of lyrics and played the tape.

Maybe a verse and a half in, Wilson wads up the piece of paper, throws it on the floor, and starts to walk out. About that time, I see Eddie flying across the room. He did a flying, block tackle on Wilson Pickett and there are these two big guys scuffling in the control room floor. I thought, I’m gonna get killed this day and I’ll never get out of here.And I couldn’t believe Wilson hated this great song. Well, come to find out that later, they had been putting me on, and that Wilson and Eddie had been doing antics for many, many years, scuffling on the road and stuff like that, so both of them were pulling my leg.”

634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)

If you need a little lovin’
Call on me….(alright)
If you want a little huggin’
Call on me baby….(mmhmm)

Oh I’ll be right here at home.
All you gotta do is pick up the telephone and dial now

6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9

And if you need a little huggin’
Call on me…(that’s all you gotta do now)
And if you want some kissin’
Call on me baby….(all right!)

No more lonely nights, when you’ll be alone.
All you gotta do is pick up your telephone and dial now…

6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9

Oh. I’ll be right there.
Just as soon as I can. (oh)
And if I’ll be a little bit late now,
I hope that you’ll understand (whoa-yah…allright)

And if you need a little lovin’
Call on me….(Lord have mercy)
And if you want some kissin’
Call on me baby….(that’s all you got to do now…)

No more lonely nights, when you’ll be alone.
All you gotta do is pick up your telephone and dial now…

6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9
6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9
6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9
6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9
6-3-4-5-7-8-9 (that’s my number!)
6-3-4-5-7-8-9