Sonny Boy Williamson II
Aleck "Rice" Miller (December 5, 1899 – May 25, 1965), also known as Sonny … Read Full Bio ↴Aleck "Rice" Miller (December 5, 1899 – May 25, 1965), also known as Sonny Boy Williamson II, was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter. He is not to be confused with the original Sonny Boy Williamson, also a blues musician but of no relation.
Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name Sonny Boy Williamson from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914. Whatever the methodology, Miller became known as Sonny Boy Williamson.
Williamson had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. In the 1960's he toured Europe during the height of the British blues craze, recording with The Yardbirds and The Animals. Accoring to the Led Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods", while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.
Some of his hit songs include "Fattenin' Frogs for Snakes", "Don't Start Me To Talking" ,"Keep It To Yourself", "Your Funeral & My Trial", "Bye Bye Bird", "Nine Below Zero", "Help Me", and the infamous "Little Village", with dialogue deemed 'unsuitable for airplay' by Leonard Chess. His song "Eyesight To the Blind" was performed by The Who as a key song in their rock opera Tommy (the only song in that opus not written by a band member) and it was later covered on the Aerosmith album Honkin' on Bobo. His recording og "One Way Out" was reworked from the Elmore James original and became popularized by The Allman Brothers Band in the early 1970s.
Sonny Boy Williamson II has had a big influence on modern day blues and blues rock artists and other legendary artists, as is shown by the number of his songs that are still covered. In interviews given in the concert documentary film The Last Waltz, members of the rock & roll group The Band recount jamming with Miller prior to their initial fame as Bob Dylan's electric backing band, and making plans to hook up with Williamson as his backing band. Unfortunately, Williamson's death prevented any such plans from ever being fulfilled.
Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name Sonny Boy Williamson from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914. Whatever the methodology, Miller became known as Sonny Boy Williamson.
Williamson had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. In the 1960's he toured Europe during the height of the British blues craze, recording with The Yardbirds and The Animals. Accoring to the Led Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods", while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator.
Some of his hit songs include "Fattenin' Frogs for Snakes", "Don't Start Me To Talking" ,"Keep It To Yourself", "Your Funeral & My Trial", "Bye Bye Bird", "Nine Below Zero", "Help Me", and the infamous "Little Village", with dialogue deemed 'unsuitable for airplay' by Leonard Chess. His song "Eyesight To the Blind" was performed by The Who as a key song in their rock opera Tommy (the only song in that opus not written by a band member) and it was later covered on the Aerosmith album Honkin' on Bobo. His recording og "One Way Out" was reworked from the Elmore James original and became popularized by The Allman Brothers Band in the early 1970s.
Sonny Boy Williamson II has had a big influence on modern day blues and blues rock artists and other legendary artists, as is shown by the number of his songs that are still covered. In interviews given in the concert documentary film The Last Waltz, members of the rock & roll group The Band recount jamming with Miller prior to their initial fame as Bob Dylan's electric backing band, and making plans to hook up with Williamson as his backing band. Unfortunately, Williamson's death prevented any such plans from ever being fulfilled.
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Sonny Boy Williamson II Lyrics
0 Yeah, ain't that a pity People ain't that a cryin' shame Ain…
All My Love in Vain My heart has been broken And all of my love's in…
Better Cut That Out A-now-now, when you see a drunk man It made-a you mad When…
Blue Bird Blues My bluebird, bluebird, please take this letter down south fo…
Blue Bird Blues Pt. 2 Now, bluebird, bluebird Please take this letter down south f…
Blue Goose Blues Yeah, what my baby told me What tonight looks like Oh, what…
Born Blind You talk about your woman, I wish you could see…
Bring It on Home Baby, baby I'm gonna bring it on home to you I done…
Bye Bye Bird No one here can love or understand me Oh, what hard…
Checkin Yeah I'm checking on my baby Find out what she's puttin' dow…
Christmas Morning Blues Well, it was on one Christmas morning Peoples, Chrismas is c…
Coal and Iceman Blues Lord, I would love to be yo' iceman But I would…
Cross My Heart If you cross your heart to someone You're not supposed to…
Deceitful Friend Blues Now, but I'm goin' back south And start my life brand…
Decoration Blues Lord, I had a woman She was nice lovin' in ev'ry…
Don Well, I'm goin' down to Rosie's, stop at Fannie Mae's…
Down Child Listen downchild Please take a fool's advice Listen downch…
Drink On Little Girl Now, an I know'd you didn't love me Babe you didn't…
Dust My Broom I'm a get up in the mornin' I believe I'll dust…
Early In The Morning Now, when a little girl becomin' twelve years old Beginin' t…
Elevator Woman Elevate me mama Mama, five or six stories on down Elevate me…
Eyesight To The Blind You've talking about your woman, I wish to God, man,…
Fattening Frogs And Snakes It took me a long time, to find out my…
Good Evening Everybody Good evening, everybody, tell me how do you do Good evening,…
good morning little schoolgirl Good mornin' 'lil school girl, can I go home, can I…
Got The Bottle And Gonh Well, I don't run no fillin' station I don't sell no…
Help Me You got to help me I can't do it all by…
I Have Got To Go Now, an I want you to gather 'round boys We've all…
Keep It To Yourself Baby, do me a favor, keep our business to yourself Please,…
Key To Your Door It's just one thing baby I'm asking you to do It's…
Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide Hold up your head, and don't let your conscience get…
Little Girl Blues Now, an I know'd you didn't love me Babe you didn't…
Lonesome Cabin In my one room little cabin, just me and my…
Memory Of Sonny Boy When my baby left me My baby left me a mule…
Mighty Long Time Oh been so long, been a mighty mighty long time Been…
My Little Baby Yeah I'm checking on my baby Find out what she's puttin' dow…
My Little Cabin (Rice Miller Williamson) In my one room little cabin, Just m…
My Little Machine Oh yes, somethin's gettin' wrong with my little machine Oh y…
My Younger Days In my younger days, I wished I knowed then like…
New Early In The Morning Now, when a little girl becomin' twelve years old Beginin' t…
Night Time Is the Right Time You know the night time, oh, is the right time To…
Nine Below Zero Yeah, ain't that a pity People ain't that a cryin' shame Ain…
Ninety Nine Darling you know exactly what happened, last year just about…
No Friend Blues Lord, I had a woman She was nice lovin' in ev'ry…
No Nights by Myself Hmm I'm not going to spend another night by myself Lord, I'm…
One Way Out Raise your window I ain't goin' out that door Raise your win…
Penitentiary Blues Pt. 2 Now, bluebird, bluebird Please take this letter down south f…
Pontiac Blues Yeah, what my baby told me What tonight looks like Oh, what…
Rainy Day Blues Lord, I had a woman She was nice lovin' in ev'ry…
Sad To Be Alone It's so sad to be lonesome, too much inconvenient to…
Santa Claus My baby went shopping yesterday, Said, "I'm gonna buy what y…
Shake That Boogie Now, an my baby went out An' stayed out all night…
She Brought Life Back To The Dead When I first heard about it I didn′t believe what you…
She's My Baby Yeah I'm checking on my baby Find out what she's puttin' dow…
Somebody Help Me You got to help me I can't do it all by…
Sonny Boy's Jump When my baby left me My baby left me a mule…
Stop Breaking Blues Stop breakin' down Baby, ple-ease stop breakin' down Stop br…
Stop Now Baby Oh baby now, baby now I'm getting so tired You keep on…
Sugar Mama Sugar mama, sugar mama, sugar mama please come back to…
Temperature 110 Nine below zero on the outside, But I brought my baby's…
The Key It's just one thing baby I'm asking you to do It's…
The Skies Are Crying The sky is crying, Can you see the tears roll down…
This Old Life This old life, I just can't stand to live it…
Too Close Together Well back in the year of nineteen and forty four I…
Trust My Baby I have a right to trust my baby She always looks…
Wake Up Baby Yeah I'm checking on my baby Find out what she's puttin' dow…
War Time Blues Uncle Sam is gonna give me a Thunderbolt, he want…
Welfare Store Blues Now me an my baby we talked late last night An…
Willow Tree Gal Lord, I believe she been lookin' for me in Mama late…
Win The War Blues Uncle Sam is gonna give me a Thunderbolt, he want…
You're An Old Lady You're An Old Lady Track number four 3:10 Sonny Boy Williams…
Your Funeral And My Trial Please come home to your daddy, and explain yourself to…