Story Behind The Song
I made it up for a contest
Song Description
A young man claims his grandpa's farm and takes on the blues legacy of his grandfather
| Song Length |
3:39 |
Genre |
Blues - Delta, Blues - General |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Welcoming, Engaging |
Subject |
Famous People, Déjà Vu |
| Similar Artists |
B.B. King, John Lee Hooker |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
Wailin' Willie
Larry Carr, Perry Weeks, David Whipple (c) 2007
He came down from Kansas City
To claim his grandpa's farm
Near Greensville Mississippi
While goin' through the barn
In a box he found a clip of news
That told him all about
A farmer who would play the blues
At juke joints in the south
Standin' there with Robert Johnson
With a blues harp to his lips
The young man closed his eyes
and heard Grandpa Willie play a riff... like this
(harmonica solo)
So he dug a little deeper
Found a harp ol' Willie played
Some old and scratchy records
Spun 'em 'round at seventy-eight
Then hour after hour
He'd sit and play along
Until he mastered every riff
To all his favorite songs
The harp went in his pocket
But he never passed the chance
To sit in with the fellas
Playin' blues that made 'em dance.... oh man
(Harmonica solo)
He was blowin' out in Clarksdale
When an old man stopped to say
"Man I ain't heard a harp like that
Since Robert Johnson's day
They called him Wailin' Willie
Lord I swear I see a ghost
Like you he had a heart for blues
And a pocket full of soul
You don't need to stand at the crossroad
Sell your soul to be on top
Cause you done beat the devil
Blowin' hell out dat harp"
(Harmonica solo)