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.
Tell Me More
John Hammond Lyrics
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One who would love you and give you the world.
Then you find, babe, that you've been misused,
Come to me, honey, I'll do what you choose.
She'd embarrass you anywhere,
She'd make her friends think that she didn't care
And I just want to take care of you and I want you to
Tell Mama, all about it, tell Mama, what you need
Tell Mama, what you want and I'll make everything alright
The girl you had didn't have no sense,
She wasn't worth all the time that you spent
Had another man throw you out the door,
Now that same man is wearing your clothes
I want you to
Tell your Mama, what you want, tell your Mama, what you need
Tell your Mama, what you got to have
The song "Tell Me Mama" by John Hammond is a blues classic that speaks to the pain of being in love with someone who is not treating you right. In the opening verse, Hammond sings about a man who thought he had found the perfect woman but soon realizes that she has been misusing him. The woman in question is described as someone who would embarrass him in public and make her friends believe that she didn't care about him. Hammond offers himself as a solution, telling the man to come to him, and he will do what he chooses.
In the second verse, Hammond continues to describe the shortcomings of the man's previous girlfriend, stating that she didn't have any sense and wasn't worth the time that he spent on her. Furthermore, she had another man throw him out of the door, and now that same man is wearing his clothes. The pain and rejection in this verse are palpable, and Hammond again offers comfort, urging the man to tell his mama what he wants and needs and promising to make everything alright.
Line by Line Meaning
You thought you had found yourself a good girl,
You believed that you had found a woman who would love you and give you everything.
One who would love you and give you the world.
A woman who would love you unconditionally and provide everything that you desired.
Then you find, babe, that you've been misused,
You later realized that the woman had mistreated you in some way.
Come to me, honey, I'll do what you choose.
You can come to me so that I can help you choose what to do next.
She'd embarrass you anywhere,
The woman humiliated you no matter where you went.
She'd make her friends think that she didn't care
The woman's behavior made it seem like she didn't care about you in front of her friends.
Give me the chance and I'd been begging
If you give me the opportunity, I will beg for your love and affection.
And I just want to take care of you and I want you to
I only desire to look after you and want you to know.
Tell Mama, all about it, tell Mama, what you need
Share everything with me, tell me what you require to feel better.
Tell Mama, what you want and I'll make everything alright
Let me know what you want, and I'll make everything perfect for you.
The girl you had didn't have no sense,
The woman you were with didn't have any sense to be with you.
She wasn't worth all the time that you spent
The woman didn't deserve all the time and effort you spent on her.
Had another man throw you out the door,
Another man was the reason you were kicked out of your old relationship.
Now that same man is wearing your clothes
That man is now in your place and is wearing your old clothes.
I want you to
I want you to know.
Tell your Mama, what you want, tell your Mama, what you need
You can share all your wants and needs with me.
Tell your Mama, what you got to have
Share what it is necessary for you to have.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CHESTER BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rick Reese
Problems in the air
People everywhere
Looking for some space
[?] on a place
Tell me what to do
Flying [?]
Trying hard to sleep
Tell me what to do
Tell me what to do
Tell me what to do
Tell me what to do
Baby, answers my prayers
Oh baby, answer my prayers
Check out the sound
[Musical interlude]
Flying [?]
Trying hard to sleep
Tell me what to do
Flying [?]
Trying hard to sleep
Tell me what to do
Flying [?]
Trying hard to sleep
Tell me what to do
Tell me what to do
Greg C
This whole album start to finish is a freaking masterpiece
chris tofa
A
Self-Law
The whole album is of biblical proportions. One of the best.
Andy MacMichael
Bought this album in my late teens over 25 years ago. For my money this was and remains the benchmark Jazz-Funk album, it bears all the hallmarks of the seemless professionalism of a Mizzell brothers production exemplified by their work with Donald Byrd but reached its zenith with this collaboration with Johnny Hammond the whole album is 24ct Gold
Neil Loughran
me too bro! Got the BGP release in 1992... changed my world.
Andy MacMichael
Truly an album for life!
Himansu Patel
Here, here i have to agree with you, a benchmark for the music and era of the time that I love and will forever. This LP has to be at the top shelf and still is with the timeless groove that still makes me tick .
Thurgood Jones
This track is so damn awesome!! Those Mizells were super dope!!
Original-Steve
Still get exactly the same emotional pang listening to this as I did on first hearing it all those years ago. That Rhodes solo in the middle is sublime. Like the man says "Check out the sound".......
UBZUKKI
+Mr223P You KNOW that.....