Mannish Boy
"Manish Boy" | ||||
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Blues | ||||
Length | 2:55 | |||
Label | Chess | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | ||||
Muddy Waters singles chronology | ||||
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"Mannish Boy" (or "Manish Boy" as it was first labeled) is a
Although the song contains sexual boasting, its repetition of "I'm a man, I spell M, A child, N" was understood as political. Waters had recently left the South for Chicago. "Growing up in the South, African-Americans [would] never be referred to as a man – but as 'boy'. In this context, the song [is] an assertion of black manhood."[4]
Recordings and releases
Waters recorded the song in Chicago on May 24, 1955.[3] It is his only recording between January 1953 and June 1957 that did not feature Little Walter on harmonica (who was on tour supporting his then-number one hit "My Babe" and thus unavailable for the recording session) and is one of few studio recordings with Junior Wells.[3] Also accompanying Muddy Waters are Jimmy Rogers on guitar, Fred Below on drums, and an unidentified female chorus.[3]
Waters recorded several versions of "Mannish Boy" during his career. In 1968, he recorded it for the
Charts and recognition
The song reached number five during a stay of six weeks in the
In 1986, Muddy Waters' original "Mannish Boy" was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame "Classics of Blues Recordings" category.[3] It was also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".[8] "Mannish Boy" is ranked number 425 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[9] The early David Bowie band, the Mannish Boys, took its name from the song.[10]
References
- ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 4 - The Tribal Drum: The rise of rhythm and blues. [Part 2]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
- ^
Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "I'm a Man". Encyclopedia of the Blues. Fayetteville, Arkansas: ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
- ^ a b c d e Blues Foundation (November 10, 2016). "1986 Hall of Fame Inductees: Manish Boy – Muddy Waters (Chess, 1955)". The Blues Foundation. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "Mannish Boy". Muddy Waters Official website. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
- ^
ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
- ^ "Muddy Waters – Singles". Official Charts. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
- ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll (Artists W-Z)". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009.
- ^
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (2021)". Rollingstone.com. September 15, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-906582-52-4.