Although critically acclaimed, John Hammond has had only moderate commercial success. Nonetheless, he enjoys a strong fan base and has earned respect from the likes of John Lee Hooker, Roosevelt Sykes, Duane Allman, Robbie Robertson, and Charlie Musselwhite, all of whom have contributed their musical talents to Hammond's records. In addition, he is the only person who ever had Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix in his band at the same time, even if it was only for five days in the 1960s when Hammond played the Gaslight Café in New York. To his regret, they never recorded together.
John Hammond has had a longstanding friendship with songwriter Tom Waits, and has performed Waits' songs on occasion. In 2001, he released Wicked Grin, an album entirely of Tom Waits compositions. Waits himself provided guitar work and backing vocals as well as producing the project.
2. John Hammond was a old time banjo player from the 1920's. He recorded the bluegrass classic 'Little Birdie' in 1925.
Seventh Son
John Hammond Lyrics
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In the whole wide world there is only one
And I'm the one, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I can tell your future, it will come to pass
Look in the sky, predict the rain
Tell when a woman's got another man
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
Heal the sick, raise the dead
Make the little girls talk outta their heads
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
The song "Seventh Son" by John Hammond embodies blues music in its truest form. It is a song about self-praise and self-identity, where the singer claims to be the only seventh son in the entire world and boasts about his supernatural abilities. The song derives its name from a superstition that the seventh son of a seventh son is gifted with extraordinary powers, like being able to heal the sick and sense the future. The lyrics emphasize the singer's prowess as he exclaims, "I can tell your future, it will come to pass." He also claims to have control over women saying "Tell when a woman's got another man" and having the ability "to make the little girls talk outta their heads." The song stresses his influence as he believes he can also predict the weather, predicting rain.
The lyrics of "Seventh Son" by John Hammond reflect the larger-than-life persona of blues musicians, which often involved embracing myths and legends. However, it also indicates the power of music as a means to elevate one's self-esteem and confidence. The blues is, after all, a genre of music that has its roots in slavery and the African-American experience, where self-expression was often suppressed. Hence, the song epitomizes a celebration of freedom, individuality, and self-expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody talkin' 'bout the seventh son
The concept of the seventh son is popular and known to many.
In the whole wide world there is only one
Despite its popularity, there can only be one true seventh son.
And I'm the one, I'm the one
The singer is asserting himself as the true seventh son.
I can tell your future, it will come to pass
The artist possesses the ability to predict the future.
I can do things to you make your heart feel glad
The artist can bring happiness to others through his abilities.
Look in the sky, predict the rain
The singer can use his abilities to predict weather patterns.
Tell when a woman's got another man
The singer can use his abilities to detect when a woman is cheating on her partner.
I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
The artist has a way with words and can speak them in an alluring manner.
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
The words spoken by the artist can have a profound effect on others.
Heal the sick, raise the dead
The artist possesses the ability to perform seemingly miraculous acts.
Make the little girls talk outta their heads
The singer's charms can have a powerful effect on young girls.
I'm the one, oh I'm the one
The artist again asserts himself as the true seventh son.
Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.