His parents, who were farmers, died when McDowell was a youth. He started playing guitar at the age of 14 and played at dances around Rossville. Wanting a change from ploughing fields, he moved to Memphis in 1926 where he worked in a number of jobs and played music for tips. He settled in Como, Mississippi, about 40 miles south of Memphis, in 1940 or 1941, and worked steadily as a farmer, continuing to perform music at dances, and picnics. Initially he played slide guitar using a pocket knife and then a slide made from a beef rib bone, later switching to a glass slide for its clearer sound. He played with the slide on his ring finger.
A pure hill country blues musician, he played "just the straight, natural blues," and he "do not play no rock and roll." McDowell initially played the recognizable resonator guitar but, during tours and recordings beginning in the 1960s, he adopted the use of electric guitar and was probably the first original delta- or country blues musician to do so. McDowell's style is distinctive and recognizable; perhaps the dirtiest sounding guitarist ever and one of the most influential. The slide guitar styles of Bonnie Raitt as well as Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, as well as Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys are all heavily influenced by McDowell's technique.
McDowell died of cancer in 1972 and is buried at Hammond Hill M.B. Church, between Como and Senatobia. On August 6, 1993 a memorial was placed on the gravesite of Mississippi Fred McDowell at the Hammond Hill Baptist Church cemetery by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund.
Shake
Mississippi Fred McDowell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stand around you know we
Somewhere, baby, Lord, mama
Shakin' em on down
Lordy, must I low
(guitar)
If you come to my house
You don't find me around
You know we somewhere, baby
Lord, mama, shakin' em on down
Lordy, must I low
(guitar)
Put yo knees together
Baby, let yo backbone move
It t'aint a woman in town
Can shake 'em down like you
Lordy, must I low
(guitar)
Oh, lower 'um
Lord, I went up on a hill, baby
Lord, to get some ice
'Fore we got back, Lord
We shook 'em down twice
Lordy, must I low.
(guitar to end)
The opening lines of Mississippi Fred McDowell's "Shake 'Em on Down" speak of searching for his baby; the repeated line "somewhere, baby" suggests that she is not easily found. The lyrics then move into a celebration of dancing and movement as a way of finding joy even in difficult circumstances. The line "shakin' em on down" is a euphemism for dancing, and McDowell asserts that he and his baby are experts at it.
The second verse offers an explanation of why the singer and his baby might be hard to find: they are too busy shakin' em on down to be at home. This carefree attitude is contrasted with the earlier search for the baby; it seems that once she has been found, the two can focus on dancing and enjoying life.
The final verse includes some playful instruction for the baby to "put yo knees together" and let her "backbone move." This is followed by a boast that no other woman in town can dance as well as she can. The final line suggests that the singer has been partying so hard that he needs to "low" or rest.
Overall, "Shake 'Em on Down" is a joyful celebration of dance and movement as a way of transcending life's difficulties. It suggests that even when times are tough, there is always room for joy and celebration through music and dance.
Line by Line Meaning
If you see my baby, Lordy
Asking if the audience has seen his significant other.
Stand around you know we
He is always close to his significant other.
Somewhere, baby, Lord, mama
They are at a specific location, likely moving to music.
Shakin' em on down
They are dancing or moving to the music.
Lordy, must I low
He is asking if he has to explain further as the meaning should be understood.
If you come to my house
If the audience stopped by his home.
You don't find me around
He is not always at his home.
You know we somewhere, baby
He and his significant other move around a lot.
Lord, mama, shakin' em on down
They are always dancing and enjoying the music wherever they go.
Put yo knees together
He is instructing his significant other to dance with specific moves.
Baby, let yo backbone move
He is asking her to loosen up and dance freely.
It t'aint a woman in town
No other woman dances as well as his significant other.
Can shake 'em down like you
His significant other is the best dancer around.
Lordy, must I low
He is asking if he has to explain further as the meaning should be understood.
Oh, lower 'um
He is encouraging his significant other to dance in a particular style or form.
Lord, I went up on a hill, baby
He reminisces about a past experience on a hill.
Lord, to get some ice
He went to gather some ice.
'Fore we got back, Lord
Before they returned from getting ice.
We shook 'em down twice
They danced twice while they were away.
Lordy, must I low.
He is asking if he has to explain further as the meaning should be understood.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED MCDOWELL, ALAN LOMAX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@doughboy8821
His playing is infectious. Makes that guitar sound like a freight train
@davisworth5114
That's where blues guitar comes from, trains.
@dirtylikaratfpv6088
Horse trotting and scratching
@NickOLarse999
repetitive, but never boring
@dillonsoileau3234
i hope you'll reply because i wanted to know about your profile picture, something about that is just so cool.
@brettldouglas
This guy is so underrated it's unbelievable. They don't rank him in the top 100 guitarists or the top 30 blues guitarists. I'm put him near the top of each list.
@deriktofil
couldn't agree more mate. lots of the old bluesmen get overlooked. skip James was amazing too. fucked around with weird tunnings.
@EliezerPennywhistler
Who doesn't rank him in the top?
@terrymasters1176
Brett Douglas He is my favourite blues artist, mate. I can't believe how underrated he is. Best bluesman of all time!
@mikevargas4812
Exactly