Over a career that spanned seven decades, he said he had written almost a thousand songs and had recorded hundreds of them. McCracklin recorded over 30 albums, and earned four gold records. Tom Mazzolini of the San Francisco Blues Festival said of him, "He was probably the most important musician to come out of the Bay Area in the post-World War II years."
McCracklin was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined the United States Navy in 1938, later settled in Richmond, California, and began playing at the local Club Savoy owned by his sister-in-law Willie Mae "Granny" Johnson. The room-length bar served beer and wine, and Granny Johnson served home-cooked meals of greens, ribs, chicken, and other southern cuisine. A house band composed of Bay Area based musicians alternated with and frequently backed performers such as B. B. King, Charles Brown, and L. C. Robinson. Later in 1963 he would write and record a song "Club Savoy" on his I Just Gotta Know album.
His recorded a debut single for Globe Records, "Miss Mattie Left Me", in 1945, and recorded "Street Loafin' Woman in 1946. McCracklin recorded for a number of labels in Los Angeles and Oakland, prior to joining Modern Records in 1949-1950. He formed a group called Jimmy McCracklin and his Blues Blasters in 1946, with guitarist Lafayette Thomas who remained with group until the early 1960s.
His popularity increased after appearing on the TV pop Dick Clark's American Bandstand in support of his self written single "The Walk" (1957), subsequently released by Checker Records in 1958. It went to No. 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 7 on the pop chart, after more than 10 years of McCracklin selling records in the black community on a series of small labels. Jimmy McCracklin Sings, his first solo album, was released in 1962, in the West Coast blues style. In 1962, McCracklin recorded "Just Got to Know" for his own Art-Tone label in Oakland, after the record made No. 2 on the R&B chart. For a brief period in the early 1970s McCracklin ran the Continental Club in San Francisco. He booked blues acts such as T-Bone Walker, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, and Etta James. In 1967, Otis Redding and Carla Thomas had success with "Tramp", a song credited to McCracklin and Lowell Fulson. Salt-n-Pepa made a hip-hop hit out of the song in 1987. Oakland Blues (1986) was an album arranged and directed by McCracklin, and produced by World Pacific. The California rock-n-roll "roots music" band The Blasters named themselves after McCracklin's backing band The Blues Blasters. Blasters' lead singer Phil Alvin explained the origin of the band's name: "I thought Joe Turner’s backup band on Atlantic records – I had these 78s – I thought they were the Blues Blasters. It ends up it was Jimmy McCracklin's. I just took the 'Blues' off and Joe finally told me, that’s Jimmy McCracklin’s name, but you tell ‘im I gave you permission to steal it.
McCracklin continued to tour and produce new albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Bob Dylan has cited McCracklin as a favorite. He played at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1973, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984 and 2007. He was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1990, and the Living Legend and Hall of Fame award at the Bay Area Black Music Awards, in 2007. McCracklin continued to write, record, and perform into the 21st century.
He died in San Pablo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, on December 20, 2012, after a long illness, aged 91.
The Walk
Jimmy McCracklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know you heard of the chicken too
I know you heard of the cha-cha-choo
Cause the walk is a dance that you can do
You just walk, you just walk,
Oh you walk, yes you walk,
Yeah you walk, it has to walk
Well I know you heard of the Texas Hop
I know you heard of the old Fox Trot
But when you do The Walk
You ride each car
You just shake your hips and close your eyes
And then you walk, yeah you walk
Then you walk, oh you walk, ah you walk
Oh yes you walk
Do the walk, boys!
Well I know you heard of the old mambo
And I know you heard of the old congo
But when you do the walk
You're startin to get close
And don't step on your partners toes!
You just walk, yeah you walk, then you walk
Yes you walk, oh you walk, just the walk
Now if you don't know what it's all about
Come to me and I'll show you how
Well do it fast, well do it slow
Then you'll know the walk everywhere you go
You can walk, and you walk, now you walk
You gonna walk, you gotta walk it
Just a walk
Just a walk
Just a walk
Just a walk
The song "The Walk" by Jimmy McCracklin is a homage to the popular dance of the same name in the 1950s. The song opens with a reference to Suzy-Q and the Chicken, popular dances of the era, as well as the Cha-Cha-Choo - a play on words that adds to the songs' flirtatious vibe. The walk itself is positioned as an accessible dance that anyone can do.
McCracklin then references the Texas Hop and old Fox Trot but emphasizes that the Walk offers something different - a chance to get closer to your partner and become intimate. The lyrics advise you to "shake your hips and close your eyes," which is a direct reference to the sensual nature of the Walk. The song encourages the boys to "do the walk" and assures the listener that it's both easy to learn and a great way to get close to someone.
Overall, "The Walk" is a rhythmic and catchy track that embodies the fun, upbeat spirit of the 1950s dance scene.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I know you heard of Suzy-Q
I am aware that you have knowledge of the dance move Suzy-Q
And I know you heard of the chicken too
Additionally, I am aware that you know of the dance move called The Chicken
I know you heard of the cha-cha-choo
Furthermore, I am confident that you have heard of the cha-cha-choo dance move
Cause the walk is a dance that you can do
The Walk is a dance move that is easy for anyone to learn and perform
You just walk, you just walk,
In performing The Walk, the primary move is walking, just walking
Oh you walk, yes you walk,
The key to The Walk is walking or striding along with the rhythm of a piece of music
Yeah you walk, it has to walk
The Walk is specifically about taking steps or walking, without any other movements
Well I know you heard of the Texas Hop
I know you possess knowledge of the Texas Hop dance move
I know you heard of the old Fox Trot
It is also certain that you know of the Fox Trot dance move
But when you do The Walk
However, when performing The Walk dance move
You ride each car
One should move with fluidity and ease, almost like gliding on a track
You just shake your hips and close your eyes
While doing The Walk you should also shake your hips and close your eyes
And then you walk, yeah you walk
After shaking your hips, then one should continue walking along with the rhythm
Then you walk, oh you walk, ah you walk
The Walk is all about the simple movement of walking; there are no complex or intricate movements involved - straight-walking strides
Oh yes you walk
Truly, the Walk is all about walking, just walking
Do the walk, boys!
I encourage you all to perform The Walk dance move, boys!
Well I know you heard of the old mambo
I know that you possess knowledge and awareness of the old mambo dance move
And I know you heard of the old congo
It is also a fact that you know of the congo dance move
But when you do the walk
But when performing The Walk dance move
You're startin to get close
The Walk dance move involves being closer to your partner
And don't step on your partners toes!
One must be careful not to step on their partner's toes while performing The Walk dance move
Now if you don't know what it's all about
In case you don't understand the specifics of The Walk dance move
Come to me and I'll show you how
You can come to me, and I'll teach you how it's done
Well do it fast, well do it slow
I'll teach you to perform The Walk dance move at any pace for future performances
Then you'll know the walk everywhere you go
After learning how to do it, you will be able to perform The Walk dance move at all times, anywhere you go
You can walk, and you walk, now you walk
Once learned, you can perform The Walk anywhere, anytime
You gonna walk, you gotta walk it
If you plan to perform The Walk, then you have to be prepared to walk it, to walk the walk
Just a walk
The Walk dance move is simply a walk
Just a walk
The Walk dance move is simply a walk
Just a walk
The Walk dance move is simply a walk
Just a walk
The Walk dance move is simply a walk
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMMY MCCRACKLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BuSaniTV
Hi. This is Sue, the daughter of Jimmy McCrackln. I know it's been a while since my father's passing in Dec. 2012. I just wanted to take the time out to thank each and every one of you for the kindness shown to my dad and his music. And gone but not forgotten, I am in the process of working on a tribute cd to my father. It's time a legend gets to be honored for his many contributions to the music industry for 67 years. RIP daddy.
@Jordie0001
hi Sue, so nice to see your comment and have the chance to say much your Dad's song meant to me back in the days when i was just sixteen (i am nearly 70 now) i used to love to dance and was very shy but 'the walk' impelled me to ask all the best lookin girls on to the floor, no problem.. =p they were happy innocent times and your Dad's voice brings it all back so fresh. peace in abundance .. Jordie
@gaqr7232
Hi. If you are really Jimmy's daughter, then I would just like to tell you that I have been enjoying this tune since I was 14 or 15. I'm 48 right now. Humming and/or singing this song to myself has helped me get through many cold winter days up here where I live. And hopefully, this song will help me get through 15, 20, 30 more winters. If not more.
@barbarahyatt7485
Your daddy was sensational.
@mr.warmth1511
your dad was cool
@mr.warmth1511
we had a special dance we did for this
@THEDV13
Rest-In-Peace BIG Jimmy McCracklin...not many ROCKED or WALKED the earth like you did Old School!!!It was real rock'n'rollers like you that helped to inspire many of US 1970s first generation Punk Rockers to bring the music back to where it should be...D.I.Y. For LIFE!!!
@SmileyLane2945
I just heard this today on my Apple Oldies station. It made me feel so happy on my 45 minute drive to school. I kept it looping… over and over again. THANK YOU !
@robotgoose225
Just been spinning this one now (45 on London '1958') my fathers record from when he was 17.. such a big sound comes off that needle. Beautiful.
@frankmorgan6173
Absolutely adore this - first heard it in 1972 when I was 16 and discovered how amazing 50s R&B was and led me to so many other great artists. That riff!