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Monday, December 13, 2010

Fannie Mae!

Here's another overlooked masterpiece from Booker T. and the MG's. Yeah, I called it a "masterpiece".
"But", you protest, "it's just a simple 12 bar blues workout!" Then I say it sure is, and it's better than anything the Beatles ever did, and then we either agree to disagree or the whole thing escalates into physical violence.
This version of Buster Brown's "Fannie Mae" was originally on the flipside of "Mo' Onions" and was later pulled in favor of "Tic Tac Toe", a move that to my mind is a little like trading Sandy Koufax in his prime for Pedro Martinez in his. Anyhow, this "Fannie Mae" is slower and a little more loping and dirty than the (also great) different take issued on the Stax CD Soul Men, a collection of covers of hits which you should go get right now if you don't already have it, it's got killer versions of Harlem Shuffle, Day Tripper and Baby, Scratch My Back, among other gems.
Steve Cropper's solo here says pretty much everything that needs to be said, and he only takes one time thru the changes to say it. So, in all its scratchy glory, direct from the 45 RPM record to your home typewriter, here it is:
Booker T. and the MG's - Fannie Mae

8 Comments:

blankemon said...

Al Jackson, Jr. is my hero.

But oh you and your Beatles put-downs...explain the McLemore Avenue album, Sunny Jim!

Matt Fiveash said...

Don't get me wrong, I love the Beatles (almost as much as I hate them. It's complicated).

Dan_invader said...

Oh God, I love this tune too!! Thanks for these gems you discover us!!

BB said...

Thanks-those four definitely make the Beatles look like the copycats they were. I have the same love/hate thing going, preferring "Baby Youre A Rich Man" and "Hey Bulldog" to most of Paul's corn. Ringo tried to copy Jackson...BOOMING BASSLINES

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but is it better than anything the Stones ever did?
: D

Maybe if you were in Hamburg in late 1960 and happened upon the Beatles doing one of their all nighter blues sessions (they used to do a mean Three-30 Blues for ex.) you might have changed your mind. Most of their good material was never recorded, according to Klaus Voormann. I tend to agree...

Anonymous said...

I can't understand the words.




-andy

BB said...

That's not fair- The Stones emasculate the little beatles- at the height of their powers The Stones were untouchable- BB

Anonymous said...

While I appreciate your passion for these legends of disco, there is one Beatles song that is way better than anything by Booker T. It is their 1970 hit "Lucky Man" and you can find it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=129uSUEN-8w

I'm pretty sure it was on Abbey Road.

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