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This one goes back before the beginning, the minor third cry of that riff is primordial. I originally thought the lyrics were written by Howlin’ Wolf (born Chester Burnett, June 10, 1910) based on his childhood experiences. He’s quoted saying “We used to sit out in the country and see the trains go by, watch the sparks come out of the smokestack. That was smokestack lightning.” But they go back further than that. It seems very likely he was speaking of a widely shared experience, but someone else’s inspiration.
I was reminded of much of the song’s early history in a recent Facebook conversation with Jontavious “Quon” Willis on the Real Blues Forum. If you get the chance to hear him play, do so. He’s a real bluesman. He’ll be playing at the New River Blues Festival in Grassy Creek, NC on Sunday, September 4. He’s playing Charlie Patton’s “Pony Blues” here.
Thanks and credit also to Stefan Wirz and his invaluable blues and related American music website for names and dates. http://www.wirz.de
I’ve been selective in my presentation, a more complete history and list of musicians who’ve covered this song can be found at the Wikipedia page for the “Smokestack Lightning.”
Here’s YouTube user Jerry S.’s “Smokestack Lightning” playlist.
There was also a West Coast band in the ’60s that named themselves for the song as well as covering it on their first album. They didn’t live up to their name, and when I get around to it, that’s one of the albums that’s going on ebay (didn’t want to end on a bum note, so I put this here).
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It may go back before this, but the first recorded precursor was Tommy Johnson’s “Big Road Blues” (1928 or ’29).
The Mississippi Sheiks’ version of “Stop and Listen” developed the themes in “Big Road Blues.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FeeiZHJa2o&feature=youtu.beHowlin’ Wolf grew up near the Sheiks (the Chatmon family and their friends), hung out and played music with them, and he also knew Charley Patton in the ’30s. Here’s Charley Patton’s “Moon Going Down” (1930).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d-rneclCIQHere’s Howlin’ Wolf’s first version, called “Crying at Daybreak,” recorded October 2, 1951 at KWEM Radio Station, West Memphis, AR. Howlin’ Wolf, vocals, harmonica; Ike Turner, piano; Willie Johnson, gittar; Willie Steel, drums.
Here’s another twist on “Stop and Listen,” Horace Sprott’s 1954 “Smoked Like Lightning,” recorded near Cahaba River, Perry County, Alabama, April 10, 1954.
Here’s the original 1956 version of “Smokestack Lightning.” Howlin’ Wolf, vocals, harmonica; Hubert Sumlin and Willie Johnson, gittars; Hosea Lee Kennard, piano; Willie Dixon, bass; Earl Phillips, drums. Hubert Sumlin is widely thought to be the author of the signature gittar line developed out of “Crying at Daybreak.”
Soon after its release, Sanford Clark used the main riff in his “The Fool,” with excellent gittar work by Al Casey.
This is the one, if you don’t listen to any other. Live in 1964 at the American Folk Blues Festival. Howlin’ Wolf, vocals, harmonica; Hubert Sumlin, gittar; Sunnyland Slim, piano; Willie Dixon, bass; Clifton James, drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09j6vMdKi3EFrom Five Live Yardbirds, recorded live in 1965 at the Marquee Club, London. Keith Relf, vocals, harmonica; Chris Dreja, Eric Clapton, gittars; Paul Samwell-Smith, bass; Jim McCarty, drums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IOilqWhE58The Animals version (they also used the riff in their version of “See See Rider”).
Quicksilver Messenger Service (1968). What a great band, not surprising how many covers of this you’ll find by them.
I’ve read that Dale Hawkins’ “Suzy-Q” was written under the influence of “Smokestack Lightning”; it sounds like it was. It’s also “common knowledge” that James Burton (Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley) is responsible for the distinctive gittar lines that resemble “Smokestack” (I’ve been looking for statements from either of them about this for years and years and haven’t found any, one way or the other).
About two minutes into Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first top 40 hit, their version of “Susie Q” (1968), they quote “Smokestack Lightning.”
Don D.
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