'Memphis Heat' Album Review

Memphis Heat documents Chicago blues pia… Read Full Bio ↴'Memphis Heat' Album Review

Memphis Heat documents Chicago blues piano legend Memphis Slim's studio collaborations with the rock group Canned Heat in France on September 18, 1970, and July 11, 1973. The results are tasty indeed. Slim's voice and piano are well matched by Henry Vestine's electric guitar, Canned Heat's rockin' rhythm section, and (on six out of 13 tracks) the Memphis Horns, a solid wind quintet of trumpet, trombone, two tenors, and a baritone sax.

Memphis Slim tried on a lot of different styles and instrumental combinations during the 1970s. His Canned Heat sessions have been both praised and panned over the years, a state of affairs that often revealed more about the reviewers than the music itself. A fair assessment should take into account the blues and rock scene of the early '70s, the pianist's artistic intentions as he capped a long and eventful career, and perhaps most importantly the positive effect that this music is likely to have upon any listener who loves a good jumpin' electric blues band.

Source: AllMusic Review by Arwulf Arwulf

Mother Earth
Memphis Slim & Canned Heat Lyrics

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You may not have me all the time
You may never go my way
Mother earth is laying for you
Cuz of all the debts you got to pay

Don't care how great you are
Don't care what you worth
When it all ends up you got to

Go back to mother earth

You may own a half a city
Even diamonds and pearls
You may buy that plane baby
And fly all over this world

Don't care how rich you are
Don't care what you worth
When it all ends up you got to
Go back to mother earth

You may play race horses
You may own that race track
You may have enough money baby
To buy anything you like

Don't care how great you are
Don't care what you worth

When it all ends up you got to
Go back to mother earth

Overall Meaning

In Memphis Slim's song Mother Earth, the lyrics are a reminder of the inevitable cycle of life and death. The opening lines acknowledge the uncertainty of life, the fact that we may not always be together, and may not always find ourselves on the same path. The chorus brings the message home like a sledgehammer - no matter how great or wealthy we are, we all have to return to the earth eventually.

The verses are written in a form of address, as if Memphis Slim is singing to a specific person, warning them that Mother Earth is waiting for them to pay the debt they owe. The metaphor of debt is apt and reflective of the truth that we are all indebted to the natural world for the resources that sustain our lives. The second verse focuses on material possessions, highlighting that even the richest person will eventually be brought to their knees and be forced to face mortality. The final verse brings in the world of sport, with the image of racehorses being played, and the idea that money can buy anything, but it can't buy extra time on this earth.

Overall, this song is an impassioned plea to recognise our place within nature and to live in a way that respects and honours the planet. It's a reminder that our lives are finite, and we should make the most of them while we can, but always remember that everything we have is borrowed and must be returned eventually.

Line by Line Meaning

You may not have me all the time
I may not always be available to you

You may never go my way
You may not choose to follow my path

Mother earth is laying for you
The earth is waiting for you

Cuz of all the debts you got to pay
Due to the debts you owe

Don't care how great you are
It doesn't matter how accomplished you are

Don't care what you worth
Your net worth is insignificant

When it all ends up you got to
When everything is said and done, you must

Go back to mother earth
Return to the earth from whence you came

You may own a half a city
You may possess half of a metropolis

Even diamonds and pearls
You may have precious jewels

You may buy that plane baby
You may purchase your own aircraft