Reed was born in Dunleith, Mississippi, in 1925, learning the harmonica and guitar from Eddie Taylor, a close friend. After spending several years busking and performing in the area, Reed moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1943 before being drafted into the US Navy during World War II. In 1945, Reed was discharged and moved back to Mississippi for a brief period, marrying his girlfriend, Mary "Mama" Reed, before moving to Gary, Indiana to work at an Armour & Co. meat packing plant. Mama Reed appears as an uncredited background singer on many of his songs, notably the major hits "Baby What You Want Me to Do", "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights, Big City".
By the 1950s, Reed had established himself as a popular musician and joined the "Gary Kings" with John Brim, as well as playing on the street with Willie Joe Duncan. Reed failed to gain a recording contract with Chess Records, but signed with Vee-Jay Records through Brim's drummer, Albert King. At Vee-Jay, Reed began playing again with Eddie Taylor and soon released "You Don't Have to Go", his first hit record. This was followed by a long string of hits.
Reed maintained his reputation despite his rampant alcoholism; sometimes his wife had to help him remember the lyrics to his songs while recording. In 1957, Reed developed epilepsy, though the condition was not correctly diagnosed for a long time, as Reed and doctors assumed it was delirium tremens.
In spite of his numerous hits, Reed's personal problems prevented him from achieving the same level of fame as other popular blues artists of the time, though he had more hit songs than many others. When Vee-Jay Records closed down, Reed's manager signed a contract with the fledgling ABC-Bluesway label, but Reed was never able to score another hit.
In 1968 he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival.
Jimmy Reed died in Oakland, California in 1976, of respiratory failure, eight days short of his 51st birthday. He is interred in the Lincoln Cemetery in Worth, Illinois.
In 1991 Reed was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rolling Stones have cited Reed as a major influence on their sound, and their early set lists included many of Reed's songs, including tracks like "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby", "The Sun is Shining" (also played at the Stones' 1969 Altamont concert), "Bright Lights, Big City" and "Shame, Shame, Shame" ; the B-side of their February 1964 hit single "Not Fade Away" was a pastiche of "Shame, Shame, Shame" entitled "Little by Little". Their first album, The Rolling Stones, (subtitled England's Newest Hit Makers in America), released in April 1964, featured both "Little by Little" and their cover of Reed's "Honest I Do".
The Yardbirds recorded an instrumental dedicated to him entitled "Like Jimmy Reed Again", which was released on the "definitive edition" of their album Having a Rave Up.
Van Morrison's group Them covered "Bright Lights, Big City" and "Baby, What You Want Me To Do", both of which can be found on The Story of Them Featuring Van Morrison.
"Big Boss Man" was sung regularly by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan with the Grateful Dead during the 1960s and early 1970s and appears on their live album Skull and Roses. It was revived a few times by Jerry Garcia with the Dead during the 1980s. Bob Weir of the Dead also played it a few times with Kingfish in the mid 70s, and more recently with Ratdog. Phil Lesh also plays it with Phil & Friends. The Grateful Dead have also performed Baby What You Want Me to Do with Brent Mydland on vocals.
Elvis Presley recorded several of Reed's songs, scoring a 1967 hit with "Big Boss Man" and recording several performances of "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" for his 1968 Comeback TV Special. (However, Presley's 1964 hit, "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" is a different song than that recorded by Reed.) The song "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" was also covered by Wishbone Ash on their 1972 live album, Live Dates. "Baby What You Want Me to Do" was also frequently performed by Etta James and Hot Tuna. Johnny and Edgar Winter performed the song live in 1975 and included it on Johnny and Edgar Winter Together.
Reed's recordings of "Big Boss Man" and "Bright Lights, Big City" were both voted onto the list of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Noted Austin, Texas musicians, Omar Kent Dykes and Jimmie Vaughan released an album entitled On the Jimmy Reed Highway as a tribute to Reed.
Bill Cosby covered 4 of Reed's songs – "Bright Lights, Big City", "Big Boss Man", "Hush Hush" and "Aw Shucks, Hush Your Mouth" – on his 1967 album Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings.
Steve Miller Band covered 5 of Reed's songs – "You're So Fine" on his 1968 album Sailor; "I Wanna Be Loved (But By Only You)", "Big Boss Man", "Caress Me Baby" and "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" on his 1986 album Living in the 20th Century.
Neil Young historically plays Reed's music to his audience before his shows.
British punk pioneer Billy Childish and his band Thee Headcoats released an EP of Reed covers entitled The Jimmy Reed Experience on Get Hip Records in 1997.
Hush Hush
Jimmy Reed Lyrics
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Baby don't believe a word
Hush, hush
Honey don't believe a word
Well, you don't know nothin'
But believe everything you heard
Hush, hushYakkyyak' all the time
Hush, hush
Yakkyyak' all the time
Well, if you don't stop yakkin'
You're goin' to drive me out of my mind
Hush, hush
Didn't hear a word you said
Hush, hush
Didn't hear a word you said
If you don't stop talkin'
I'm gonna leave and I'm mighty 'fraid
Hush, hush
Hush, hush
Hush, hush
Hush, hush
The Jimmy Reed song "Hush Hush" is a cautionary tale about not believing everything you hear and keeping quiet when there's nothing important to say. The repeated refrain of "Hush, hush" is a plea to the subject of the song to stop talking and spreading rumors that may not be true. The lyrics warn that the more someone talks, the less credible they become and that if they don't stop talking, they might alienate the people around them.
Reed's simple, bluesy melody underscores the frustration in the lyrics, and his raw, soulful voice adds to the song's overall feeling of anger and betrayal. The repetition of the phrase "Hush, hush" at the end of each verse is a reminder that sometimes the best thing to do is to simply be quiet and not add to the noise.
The song is a classic example of the Chicago blues, and it showcases Reed's distinctive style and musical prowess. It's a cautionary tale that is still relevant today, reminding us that sometimes the best thing we can do is to listen more than we speak.
Line by Line Meaning
Hush, hush
Quiet, quiet
Baby don't believe a word
My love, don't trust rumors
Hush, hush
Shush, shush
Honey don't believe a word
Darling, don't believe everything you hear
Well, you don't know nothin'
It seems you lack knowledge
But believe everything you heard
Yet, you believe all the rumors
Hush, hush
Quieter, quieter
Yakkyyak' all the time
You talk endlessly
Hush, hush
Silent, silent
Yakkyyak' all the time
You can't stop talking
Well, if you don't stop yakkin'
If you keep talking incessantly
You're goin' to drive me out of my mind
You might make me go crazy
Hush, hush
Hush, hush
Didn't hear a word you said
I didn't listen to what you said
Hush, hush
Silent, silent
Didn't hear a word you said
I ignored everything you said
If you don't stop talkin'
If you don't stop talking
I'm gonna leave and I'm mighty 'fraid
I may have to leave and I'm scared
Hush, hush
Shush, shush
Hush, hush
Quiet, quiet
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MOLLY E. REED, JOHNNY GATES, JASON WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind