Born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, Texas, when she was an adolescent, her parents divorced, and she was forced to divide her time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Because she was brought up singing in church, she was hesitant to enter a talent contest at a local blues club, but her sister insisted and she complied. A mature singer at age fourteen, she won the amateur talent contest in 1949 at the Barrelhouse Club owned by Johnny Otis. Otis was so impressed that he recorded her for Modern Records and added her to his traveling revue, the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, billed as 'Little Esther Phillips' (she reportedly took the surname from a gas station sign).
Her first hit record was Double Crossing Blues, recorded in 1950 for Savoy Records. After several hit records with Savoy, including her duet with Mel Walker on Mistrusting Blues, which went to number one that year, as did "Cupid Boogie". Other Phillips records that made it onto the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in 1950 include "Misery" (number 9), "Deceivin' Blues" (number 4), "Wedding Boogie" (number 6), and "Faraway Blues" (number 6). Few female artists, R&B or otherwise, had ever enjoyed such success in their debut year. Phillips left Otis and the Savoy label at the end of 1950 and signed with Federal Records.
But just as quickly as the hits had started, they stopped. Although she recorded more than thirty sides for Federal, only one, Ring-a-Ding-Doo, charted; the song made it to number 8 in 1952. Not working with Otis was part of her problem; the other part was her drug usage. By the middle of the decade Phillips was chronically addicted to drugs.
In 1954, she returned to Houston to live with her father to recuperate. Short on money, she worked in small nightclubs around the South, punctuated by periodic hospital stays in Lexington, Kentucky, stemming from her addiction. In 1962, Kenny Rogers re-discovered her while singing at a Houston club and got her signed to his brother Lelan’s Lenox label.
Phillips ultimately got well enough to launch a comeback in 1962. Now billed as Esther Phillips instead of Little Esther, she recorded a country tune, Release Me, with producer Bob Gans. This went to number 1 R&B and number 8 on the pop listings. After several other minor R&B hits on Lenox, she was signed by Atlantic Records. Her cover of The Beatles' song And I Love Him nearly made the R&B Top Ten in 1965 and the Beatles flew her to the UK for her first overseas performances.
She had other hits in the 1960s on the label, but no more chart toppers, and she waged a battle with heroin dependency. With her addiction worsening, Phillips checked into a rehab facility. While undergoing treatment, she cut some sides for Roulette in 1969, mostly produced by Lelan Rogers. On her release, she moved back to Los Angeles and re-signed with the Atlantic label. A late 1969 gig at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper club produced the album Burnin'. She performed with the Johnny Otis Show at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1970.
One of her biggest post-1950s triumphs was in 1972 with her first album for Kudu Records. The song penned by Gil Scott-Heron, Home Is Where the Hatred Is, - an account of drug use — was lead track on From a Whisper to a Scream which went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award. When Phillips lost to Aretha Franklin, the latter presented the trophy to Phillips, saying she should have won it instead.
Taylor continued to cut albums with her until in 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since "Release Me" with a disco-style update of Dinah Washington's What a Diff'rence a Day Makes. It reached a high of a Top 20 chart appearance in the U.S., and Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. On November 8, 1975 she performed the song on an episode of NBC's Saturday Night hosted by Candice Bergen. The accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet, with arranger Joe Beck on guitar, Michael Brecker on tenor sax, David Sanborn on alto sax, and Randy Brecker on trumpet to Steve Khan on guitar and Don Grolnick on keyboards.
She continued to record and perform throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, completing a total of seven albums on Kudu and four with Mercury Records, for whom she signed in 1977. In 1983, she charted for the final time on a tiny independent label, Winning with Turn Me Out, which reached #85 R&B. She completed recording her final album a few months before her death, but it was not until 1986 that the label (Muse) released the record.
Phillips died at UCLA Medical Center in Carson, California in 1984, at the age of 48 from liver and kidney failure due to drug use. Her funeral services were conducted by Johnny Otis, and she was buried in the Morning Light section, at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles. The bronze marker recognizes her career achievements, as well as quoting a Bible passage, "In My Father's House Are Many Mansions" - St. John 14:2
Mojo Hannah
Esther Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thingal Vanthu Kaayum Pothu Enna Vannamo Ninapula
Vanthu Vanthu Poguthamma, Ennamellam Vannamamma
Ennagalukku Aethapadi Vannamellam Maarumamma
Unmaiyamma
Unmayai Naanum Sonnen
Ponnamma Chinna Kanne
Evarum Sollaamale Pookkalum Vaasam Veesuthu
Uravum Illaamale Iru Manam Aetho Paesuthu
Oda Neeroda Intha Ulagam Athu Pola
Odum Athu Odum Intha Kaalam Athu Pola
Nilaiyaa Nillaathu
Ninaivil Varum Nirangale
Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu Enna Vannamo Manasula
...
ELangaathu veesudhey
isai poala paesudhey
vaLaiyaadha moongilil
raagam vaLainchu oadudhey
maegham muzhichu kaetkudhey
karum paaRai manasula
mayil thoagai virikkudhey
mazhai chaaral theLikkudhey
pul veLi paadhai virikkudhey
vaanavil kudaiyum pudikkudhey
maNiyin oasai kaettu
mana kadhavu thiRakkudhey
puthiya thaaLam poattu
udal kaatril midhakkudhey
ELangaathu veesudhey
isai poala paesudhey
vaLaiyaadha moongilil
raagam vaLainchu oadudhey
maegham muzhichu kaetkudhey
...
pinni pinni chinna ezhaiyoadum
nenjai aLLum vaNNa thuNi poala
oNNukkoNNu dhaan eNanji irukku
uRavu yellaam amanji irukku
aLLi aLLi thandhu uRavaadum
annamadi indha nelam poala
silarukku dhaan manasu irukku
ulagam adhil nilaichu irukku
naethu
thanimaiyila poachu,
yaarum
thuNai illai
yaaro
vazhi thuNaikku vandhaal
yaedhum
iNai illai
ulagathil edhuvum
thanichu illaiyae
kuzhalil raagam malaril vaasam saerndhadhu poala
ELangaathu veesudhey
isai poala paesudhey
vaLaiyaadha moongilil
raagam vaLainchu oadudhey
maegham muzhichu kaetkudhey
This is not Esther Phillips's song Mojo Hannah, but instead seems to be the lyrics of the Tamil song Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu from the movie Avatharam. Therefore, below is the interpretation of the lyrics of the Tamil song:
The song Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu talks about the beauty of nature that fills our mind and soul with happiness. The lyrics start with the poet's mind being filled with joy as a cool breeze blows through and his heart asks what is this beauty that he sees in his mind. He talks about how flowers are blooming without anyone telling them to and how they are spreading their fragrance without any motive. He feels that the world is like a river, and it flows in its own rhythm, just like time does.
The second part of the song talks about how nature brings people together, and it can be a solution to many of the problems people face in life. The poet says that just like the rain falls equally on everyone and gives life to all living things, love and caring for one another can be just like the rain, which will help bring people closer. He feels that people can find happiness in each other, just like a bird in a tree or a flower in the fields. In the end, the poet feels that music is like the wind, which touches the soul and brings people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu Enna Vannamo Manasula
When the breeze comes and goes, what does it bring to our minds?
Evarum Sollaamale Pookkalum Vaasam Veesuthu
The flowers emit fragrance without speaking, just like people communicate without speaking.
Uravum Illaamale Iru Manam Aetho Paesuthu
There is something being whispered in the heart without any relationship.
Oda Neeroda Intha Ulagam Athu Pola
Like the way the waves move, things change in this world too.
Odum Athu Odum Intha Kaalam Athu Pola
Like the way time passes, things keep changing.
Nilaiyaa Nillaathu Ninaivil Varum Nirangale
Values disappear, and new shades are created in our thoughts.
ELangaathu veesudhey isai poala paesudhey
Whistling like the wind, singing like music.
vaLaiyaadha moongilil raagam vaLainchu oadudhey
Melodies are mixed in the silence of the bamboo grove.
maegham muzhichu kaetkudhey
The raindrops are falling and melodiously mingling.
karum paaRai manasula mayil thoagai virikkudhey
The peacock dances in the mind amidst black rocks.
mazhai chaaral theLikkudhey
The rain drips and creates patterns.
pul veLi paadhai virikkudhey
A path is created amidst the greenery.
vaanavil kudaiyum pudikkudhey
The sky and earth meet and attract each other.
maNiyin oasai kaettu mana kadhavu thiRakkudhey
Listening to the sound of bell, the doors of the heart open.
puthiya thaaLam poattu udal kaatril midhakkudhey
Setting a new beat, the body starts swaying.
pinni pinni chinna ezhaiyoadum nenjai aLLum vaNNa thuNi poala
Like a colorful scarf that tightly ties the heart with small knots.
oNNukkoNNu dhaan eNanji irukku uRavu yellaam amanji irukku
The relationship is envious and all connections are infected.
aLLi aLLi thandhu uRavaadum annamadi indha nelam poala
Multiplying and strengthening the bond, the earth appears like a cow.
silarukku dhaan manasu irukku ulagam adhil nilaichu irukku naethu
Some have a heart, and the world exists because of them.
thanimaiyila poachu, yaarum thuNai illai
Other than loneliness, there is no one, no support.
yaaro vazhi thuNaikku vandhaal yaedhum iNai illai
If someone comes to help, there are no barriers.
ulagathil edhuvum thanichu illaiyae
Nothing in this world is completely solitary.
kuzhalil raagam malaril vaasam saerndhadhu poala
Like fragrance emanating from flowers in a melody from a flute.
Writer(s): CLARENCE PAUL, FAY HALE, BARBARA PAUL
Contributed by Zoe D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@thedivinemrm5832
This is the best version!
@crdrinkingcompanion
Absolutely Cookin'. Smokin' Hot! Feel the heat comin' off this one!
@altonbeckert506
Mojo Hannah sung by Little Esther Phillips, written by Andre Williams and Clarence Paul and released in 1964 on Atlantic Records. Mojo Hannah is a super-tough woman who can match and better most men on about...anything. Phillips herself is a little nasal, but that voice rocks and swings (unfortunately she started hard drugs and drinking early, dying at age 48). The song really percolates, and like one of its lyrics it'll "make a dead man jump and shout". Nough said.
@reuireuiop0
Must've been one of the first Atlantic Soul records, sounds a bit ahead of it's time.
Didn't Johnny Otis pay for her funeral ?
@ganazby
Gimme that raw Stax sound! Wonderful.
@Kuntyful
I think it is an Atlantic record.... but yeah...
@TheGrandmasterMan
Someone's giving the bass a good work out thats for sure
@czahnie
Damn! She just the werked the shut outta that number.
@DeeDeeWarwickMusic
Background vocals by Dee Dee Warwick and Cissy Houston
@wendypope37
Best version I agree !!