Johnny Shines (April 26, 1915 – April 20, 1992) was an American blues singe… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Shines (April 26, 1915 – April 20, 1992) was an American blues singer and guitarist.

He was born John Ned Shines in Frayser, Tennessee. He spent most of his childhood in Memphis playing slide guitar at an early age in local “jukes” and for tips on the streets. His first musical influences were Blind Lemon Jefferson and Howlin’ Wolf, but he was taught to play the guitar by his mother. Shines moved to Hughes, Arkansas in 1932 and worked on farms for three years putting his musical career on hold. But it was a chance meeting with Robert Johnson, his greatest influence, that gave him the inspiration to return to music. In 1935, Johnny Shines began traveling with Robert Johnson, touring the south and heading as far north as Ontario. There, they both appeared on a local radio program. The two went their separate ways in 1937, one year before Johnson’s death.
Johnny Shines played throughout the U.S. South until 1941 when he decided to head back to Canada and then to Africa. He never made it past Chicago. In Chicago, Shines found work in the construction trade and continued to play in local bars.
He made his first recording in 1946 for Columbia Records, but the takes were never released. He later recorded for Chess and was once again denied. He kept playing with local blues musicians in the Chicago area for several more years. In 1952, Johnny Shines recorded what is considered his best work for the J.O.B. Records label. The recordings were a commercial flop and Shines frustrated with the music industry, sold his equipment and returned to construction.
In 1966, Vanguard records found Shines taking photographs in a Chicago blues club. He recorded with the label takes for the 3rd installment of Chicago/The Blues/Today!. The album has since then become a blues classic and it brought Johnny Shines into to mainstream music scene.
Shines toured with the Chicago All Stars alongside Lee Jackson, Big Walter Horton and Willie Dixon. In the late sixties and seventies, Johnny Shines toured with Robert Johnson’s step-son, Robert Junior Lockwood as the last remaining original delta blues musicians. In 1980, Shines’ music was brought to a standstill when he suffered a stroke. He would later appear in the documentary “Searching for Robert Johnson” and manage to release one last album, Back To The Country. Johnny Shines Died on April 20, 1992 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
In 1989, Johnny Shines met a Minnesota born young blues player named Kent Duchaine, and the two of them toured for the next several years until Shines' death.

Hot Tamale
Johnny Shines Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em for sale
Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em right here
It's one for a nickel
And it's two for a dime
I would sell you more
But they ain't none of mine

Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
Baby got 'em for sale

Red tomato, red ripe
Baby got 'em for sale
Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em right here
One for a nickel
And it's two for a dime
I would sell you more
But they ain't none of mine
Red tomato, red ripe
Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
Baby got 'em for sale

Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em for sale
Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em right here
I got a gal
She's six feet tall
Her head's in the kitchen
And her feet's in the hall
Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
Baby got 'em for sale

Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em for sale
Hot tomale, red hot
Baby got 'em right here
One for a nickel
And it's two for a dime
I would sell you more
But they ain't none of mine
Hot tomato, red hot

Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
Baby got 'em for sale

Overall Meaning

The song "Hot Tomale" by Johnny Shines is a classic blues song that talks about a certain type of food that is often sold by street vendors in the Southern United States. Hot tamales are a traditional Latin American dish made from masa and meat, wrapped in corn husks and steamed. However, in the context of this song, the "hot tomale" is being used as a metaphor for a sexually attractive woman.

The song is upbeat and catchy, featuring a repeated refrain of "Hot tomale, red hot, baby got 'em for sale." Shines sings about a woman who is attractive and seductive, selling her wares on the street corner. The song includes several references to the price of the hot tamales, with the line "One for a nickel and it's two for a dime" repeated throughout.

While the lyrics may seem straightforward, there is a deeper commentary on the realities of life for African Americans in the South during the time period when the song was written. The street vendor selling hot tamales was a common sight in many Southern cities, and often these vendors were black. The song both celebrates and critiques this aspect of Southern culture, highlighting the economic struggles faced by many African Americans while also acknowledging the resilience and ingenuity of these communities.

Line by Line Meaning

Hot tomale, red hot
The hot and spicy tomato-based dish is hot and fiery

Baby got 'em for sale
The seller is offering hot tamales to buy

Hot tomale, red hot
The hot and spicy tomato-based dish is hot and fiery

Baby got 'em right here
The seller has the hot tamales available to buy right now

It's one for a nickel
One hot tamale can be purchased for five cents

And it's two for a dime
Two hot tamales can be purchased for ten cents

I would sell you more
The seller would gladly sell more hot tamales

But they ain't none of mine
The seller does not own any more hot tamales

Hot tomale, red hot
The hot and spicy tomato-based dish is hot and fiery

Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
The seller is emphasizing the availability of the hot tamales

Baby got 'em for sale
The seller is offering hot tamales to buy

Red tomato, red ripe
The tomatoes used in the hot tamales are ripe and red

Baby got 'em for sale
The seller is offering hot tamales to buy

Hot tomale, red hot
The hot and spicy tomato-based dish is hot and fiery

Baby got 'em right here
The seller has the hot tamales available to buy right now

One for a nickel
One hot tamale can be purchased for five cents

And it's two for a dime
Two hot tamales can be purchased for ten cents

I would sell you more
The seller would gladly sell more hot tamales

But they ain't none of mine
The seller does not own any more hot tamales

Hot tomato, red hot
The hot and spicy tomato-based dish is hot and fiery

Baby got 'em for sale, I mean
The seller is emphasizing the availability of the hot tamales

Baby got 'em for sale
The seller is offering hot tamales to buy

I got a gal
The singer has a girlfriend

She's six feet tall
The singer's girlfriend is very tall

Her head's in the kitchen
The singer's girlfriend is preparing food in the kitchen

And her feet's in the hall
The singer's girlfriend is standing in the hall