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.
Think
Jimmy McCracklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in return, you give up yours, before we think
What would we do later on
What kind of life would we have, just in case we both were wrong
I could give up my woman, you could give up your man
But it don't make sense to, take the chance, before we think
What would we do later on
Horn Solo
They say love is a gamble, and we know that's true
So why gamble on me and and, why should I on you before we think
What would we do later on
What kind of life would we have, just in case we both were wrong
The song "Think" by Jimmy McCracklin is a cautionary tale about the dangers of acting impulsively in relationships without considering the potential consequences. The lyrics speak to the idea that giving up one's current partner to be with someone else might seem like a good idea in the moment, but in the long run, it could lead to regret and a less fulfilling life.
The first verse sets the stage for this theme, with McCracklin singing about the importance of thinking things through before making any rash decisions. He acknowledges that his friends might encourage him to give up his woman for someone new, but he resists that temptation, recognizing that it's better to carefully consider the ramifications of such a move. The second verse reinforces this idea, with McCracklin suggesting that his partner could do the same thing, but again cautioning against acting on impulse without considering the consequences.
The refrain, "What would we do later on? What kind of life would we have, just in case we both were wrong" reinforces the idea that acting impulsively without considering the fallout can lead to regret and long-term unhappiness. The song ends with a horn solo that punctuates this message, driving home the idea that careful consideration and thought are key when it comes to making important decisions in our personal lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if I give up, my friends I know
If I were to surrender, I would lose all the people I care about
And in return, you give up yours, before we think
Similarly, if you were to surrender, you would lose everyone you care about, without us even contemplating the consequences
What would we do later on
It is crucial to consider our circumstances in the future
What kind of life would we have, just in case we both were wrong
We must reflect on the potential for a bleak future in case we make an incorrect decision
I could give up my woman, you could give up your man
We could relinquish our romantic relationships for this venture
But it don't make sense to, take the chance, before we think
However, it would be foolish to risk losing someone we care about without adequately considering things
They say love is a gamble, and we know that's true
We understand that love carries an element of chance
So why gamble on me and and, why should I on you before we think
Therefore, why should we gamble with one another without first analyzing the situation?
What would we do later on
It is critical to think about what the future holds
What kind of life would we have, just in case we both were wrong
We must contemplate the possibility of an unfavorable future in case we make an erroneous decision
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ST MUSIC LLC., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CURTIS MAYFIELD, RONALD ISLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BuSaniTV
This is Jimmy McCracklin's daughter Sue. It's been a while since dad passed but just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for the outpouring of love for my dad and his music. And just because he passed does not mean he will be forgotten. I am in the process making of a tribute cd for my dad. It's time to pay honor to a legend who was in the business for 67 years. RIP daddy.
GG Amos
Hi there Sue.. Nice surprise seeing you here! Can't wait to help you with your project! xoxo
gitfiddlejimagain
Hi Sue, Such a great voice, I still play he early blues sides, as Im sure you know he did some which I believe he played both piano and harmonica on, excellent recording quality big open sound, vastly underated, vastly underplayed records here in UK BBC blues show never has played enough of his great records, made late 40,s, well before The Walk, another classic.
Al Evan
Same here!
rupert hedley
I am from the UK and have loved this track and The Walk since I was at school in the 80s. Jimmy was a cool cat.
Michael Roberts
Jimmy McLegend....!!
Jillian Jake
R.I.P Jimmy McCracklin....your music will live on x
Dekyiful
Farewelling another great! Thank you Jimmy!
David Taylor
Why doesn't anyone make music like this anymore?
Rico T
It's a crying shame. Class, great music and timeless. Musicians and singers who have REAL talent and QUALITY.