Taylor was born as Cora Walton on a farm just outside Memphis, Tennessee. In 1954, Taylor left Memphis for Chicago with her husband, truck driver Robert "Pops" Taylor. In the late 1950s she began singing in Chicago blues clubs and was spotted by Willie Dixon in 1962, leading to wider performances and her first recording contract. In 1965, Taylor was signed by Chess Records, for which her single Wang Dang Doodle (written by Dixon, and a hit for Howlin' Wolf five years earlier) became a major hit, reaching number four on the R&B charts in 1966 and selling a million copies. Taylor recorded many versions of this Dixon-penned song over the past several decades and added more material, both original and covers, but never repeated that initial chart success.
National touring in the late 1960s and early 1970s improved her fan base, and she became accessible to a wider record-buying public when she signed with Alligator Records in 1975. Recording over a dozen albums for that label (many nominated for Grammy awards), she came to dominate the female blues singer ranks, winning 24 W. C. Handy Awards -- more than any other artist. After her recovery from a near-fatal car crash in 1989, the 1990s found Taylor in movies such as Blues Brothers 2000. She opened a blues club on Division St. in Chicago in 1994, but closed it in 1999. Taylor released a new album in 2007 called "Old School."
Koko Taylor influenced such musicians as Bonnie Raitt, Shemekia Copeland, Janis Joplin, Shannon Curfman, and Susan Tedeschi.
Koko Taylor died on the afternoon of June 3rd 2009 (at the age of 80), while recovering from surgery to repair gastrointestinal bleeding. Koko Taylor is still referred to by fellow blues musicians and her fans as the "Queen of the Blues".
Flamin' Mamie
Koko Taylor Lyrics
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FROM "Queen of the Blues" by KOKO TAYLOR
Call me Flamin' Mamie
'Cause I'm the hottest gal in town
When it come to lovin' I'm a human oven
And I know how to mow 'em down
Every time I shimmy
Every time I shake
I can do more damage
Than a San Francisco quake
Yes, I told old Cooder Red
That I can love a man 'til he fall dead
Yes, I told old John and Jack
That I can love 'em all 'til I break their backs
They call me Flamin' Mamie
'Cause I'm the hottest gal in town
And when it come to lovin' I'm a human oven
And I know how to mow 'em down
They call me Flamin' Mamie
'Cause I'm the hottest gal in town
And when it come to lovin' I'm a human oven
And I know how to mow 'em down
Yes, I loved a fireman
You know the fireman, he had to retire
Yes he tried to rest but I'm the best
'Cause I'm hotter than Chicago's fire
Yes, I loved my way to hell
I loved the devil and I loved him well
Little devils runnin' up and down the wall saying
"Do something, daddy, before she loves us all"
They call me Flamin' Mamie
'Cause I'm the hottest gal in town
And when it come to lovin' I'm a human oven
And I know how to mow 'em down
They call me Flamin' Mamie
Whoa, I'm that Flamin' Mamie
Look out, here come Flamin' Mamie
You know I'm that Flamin' Mamie
And I really can mow 'em down
Oh, yeah
The song Flamin' Mamie by Koko Taylor is about a woman who is proud of her sexual prowess and is confident in her ability to satisfy men. She calls herself Flamin' Mamie, the hottest gal in town, and boasts about her ability to love a man until he falls dead. She compares the damage she can do to a San Francisco quake and claims to be a human oven. She has loved a fireman, who had to retire because of her, and even loved the devil himself. The little devils run up and down the wall, asking their daddy to do something before she loves them all.
The song is full of innuendo and suggestive lyrics, indicating a sexually liberated and confident woman. Koko Taylor's powerful and soulful voice adds to the intensity of the song, making it a classic blues number. The lyrics are a reflection of the times when women were breaking free from societal norms and expressing themselves in unprecedented ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me Flamin' Mamie
Address me as Flamin' Mamie
'Cause I'm the hottest gal in town
I am currently the most attractive woman in this city
When it come to lovin' I'm a human oven
I am a master of sexual activities
And I know how to mow 'em down
I can easily win over and seduce men
Every time I shimmy
Each time I perform a shimmy dance
Every time I shake
Each time I shake my body
I can do more damage
I can have a greater impact
Than a San Francisco quake
Than an earthquake in San Francisco, known for its destructive earthquakes
Yes, I told old Cooder Red
I informed Cooder Red
That I can love a man 'til he fall dead
I have the ability to passionately love a man until he collapses from exhaustion
Yes, I told old John and Jack
I also informed John and Jack
That I can love 'em all 'til I break their backs
I have the capacity to love every man until they are physically unable to continue
Yes, I loved a fireman
I have had a romantic relationship with a firefighter
You know the fireman, he had to retire
The firefighter had to retire from his job
Yes he tried to rest but I'm the best
Even when the firefighter tried to rest, I continued to pursue him and satisfy him sexually
'Cause I'm hotter than Chicago's fire
I am more sexually attractive than the Great Chicago Fire, a devastating fire that swept through Chicago in 1871
Yes, I loved my way to hell
I have loved so passionately it has felt like a trip to hell
I loved the devil and I loved him well
I have also had an intimate relationship with the devil
Little devils runnin' up and down the wall saying
Small demons running along the wall that can only be heard by me
"Do something, daddy, before she loves us all"
The demons are urging the devil to intervene and prevent me from seducing them all
Whoa, I'm that Flamin' Mamie
I am the exact person being referred to as Flamin' Mamie
Look out, here come Flamin' Mamie
Be cautious, as I am about to enter the scene as Flamin' Mamie
And I really can mow 'em down
I am truly capable of seducing and pleasing men
Oh, yeah
Expressing excitement or agreement
Writer(s): Willie Dixon, Penny Page
Contributed by Caden R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.