The Mississippi Sheiks consisted mainly of the Chatmon family, who came from Bolton, Mississippi and were well known throughout the Mississippi Delta. The father of the family had been a "musicianer" (someone with good technical ability on his or her instrument adept at sight-reading written music) during slavery times, and his children carried on the musical spirit. Their most famous (although by no means permanent) member was Armenter Chatmon - better known as Bo Carter - who managed a successful solo career as well as playing with the Sheiks, which may have contributed to their success.
When the band first recorded in 1930, the line-up consisted of Carter with Lonnie and Sam Chatmon, and Walter Vinson. Charlie McCoy (not to be confused with Charlie McCoy, a later American musician) played later, when Bo Carter and Sam Chatmon ceased playing full time. It was Lonnie Chatmon and Vinson who formed the real center of the group.
Bo Carter's solo work is notable for being sexually suggestive in songs and this is carried on to an extent with the group. They primarily earned their income like Robert Johnson and Skip James. They toured throughout the Southern United States, but also reached as far north as Chicago and New York.
Their first and biggest success was "Sitting on Top of the World" (1930), later to be recorded by Bob Wills (numerous times), Howlin' Wolf, Nat King Cole, Bill Monroe, Harry Belafonte, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Cream, Grateful Dead, Jeff Healey, John Lee Hooker, Bill Frisell and Jack White, and re-done by Robert Johnson, as "Come On in My Kitchen". The song was also the theme to the film A Face in the Crowd (1957) produced by Elia Kazan and starring Andy Griffith. Throughout their five active years, the Mississippi Sheiks recorded over seventy songs for the Okeh, Paramount and Bluebird labels.
Their last recording session as the Mississippi Sheiks was in 1936. Bo made a few more sessions on his own, but by 1938 he too was dropped. When the band dissolved, the Chatmon brothers gave up music and returned to farming.
The Sheiks and related groups under other names, such as Mississippi Mud Steppers and Blacksnakes, recorded about a hundred sides in the first half of the 1930s, among them original compositions (probably by Vinson) like "The World is Going Wrong" and "I've Got Blood in My Eyes For You" (1931) - both recorded by Bob Dylan - or the topical "Sales Tax" (1934).
Sam Chatmon made more recordings in the 1960s and Walter Vinson contributed three selections (using the Mississippi Sheiks band name) to Riverside's 1961 series, Chicago: The Living Legends.
In 2004, they were inducted in the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. Their 1930 blues single "Sitting on Top of the World" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 1978 Rory Gallagher recorded a tribute song "The Mississippi Sheiks" for his Photo Finish album.
In 2009, Black Hen Music released Things About Comin' My Way, a tribute album to the Mississippi Sheiks. The album's seventeen artists include Bruce Cockburn, Bill Frisell, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Geoff Muldaur, Kelly Joe Phelps and John Hammond.
In 2013 Jack White's Third Man Records teamed up with Document Records to reissue The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Charley Patton, Blind Willie McTell and The Mississippi Sheiks.
Hitting The Numbers
Mississippi Sheiks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thought about that black woman and I played the line
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
I'll be sitting on top of the world
I played yesterday and the day before
Going back tomorrow, gonna play some more
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
Laid down last night, didn't close my eyes
Just thinking of playing three, four and five
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
I'll be sitting on top of the world
Played the three, four and five, thought about the six
But the seven and eight woulda brought my money back quick
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
I'll be sitting on top of the world
Sometime I skip back, thirty, twelve and ten
Playing policy once, you have to play again
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
I'll be sitting on top of the world
They will take the last dime out of the nation sack
Write me up some numbers, three-way slides and back
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
I'll be sitting on top of the world
"Hitting The Numbers" by Mississippi Sheiks is a song about the singer's obsession with playing the lottery, specifically the numbers game. The lyrics portray the singer's fixation on seeking fortune through gambling. The opening lines suggest that the singer couldn't sleep due to thoughts about a black woman and playing the numbers. This connection implies that playing the numbers game may be associated with a romantic pursuit or desire to impress someone. The repeated phrase, "If I hit the numbers, I won't worry," emphasizes the hope and optimism that winning the lottery can bring. It implies that success in the numbers game would elevate the singer's status and alleviate any financial concerns, allowing them to feel on top of the world. Overall, the lyrics depict the singer's longing for a life of abundance and the belief that hitting the right numbers would lead to their desired outcome.
Line by Line Meaning
Laid down last night, something on my mind
I couldn't sleep last night because I was preoccupied with something
Thought about that black woman and I played the line
I was thinking about a particular black woman and the strategy I should employ
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
If I guess the correct numbers, I won't have any concerns
I'll be sitting on top of the world
I'll feel extremely successful and fortunate
I played yesterday and the day before
I placed bets on consecutive days
Going back tomorrow, gonna play some more
I am planning to return tomorrow to continue gambling
Laid down last night, didn't close my eyes
I stayed awake all night without sleeping
Just thinking of playing three, four, and five
I was solely focused on choosing the numbers three, four, and five
Played the three, four, and five, thought about the six
I selected and bet on the numbers three, four, and five, but also considered including the number six
But the seven and eight would've brought my money back quick
However, if the numbers seven and eight had been chosen, I would have recovered my lost money rapidly
Sometime I skip back, thirty, twelve, and ten
Occasionally, I switch to playing the numbers thirty, twelve, and ten instead
Playing policy once, you have to play again
If you have played the policy game once, you feel compelled to play it again
They will take the last dime out of the nation sack
The policy game organizers will take every last cent from your pocket
Write me up some numbers, three-way slides and back
Please give me a ticket with several number combinations, including three-way slides and backs
If I hit the numbers, I won't worry
If my chosen numbers are correct, I won't have any concerns
I'll be sitting on top of the world
I'll feel extremely successful and fortunate
Contributed by Emma N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.