Born in Jackson, Mississippi, United States, Spann became known for his distinct piano style.
Born to Frank Houston Spann and Josephine Erby. One of five children - three boys and two girls. His father played piano, non professionally, while his mother had played guitar with Memphis Minnie.[citation needed] Spann began playing piano by age of eight, influenced by his local ivories stalwart, Friday Ford. At the age of 14, he was playing in bands around Jackson, finding more inspiration in the 78s of Big Maceo Merriweather, who took the young pianist under his wing once Spann migrated to Chicago in 1946. Other sources say that he moved to Chicago when his mother died in 1947 playing the Chicago club circuit and working as a plasterer. Spann gigged on his own, and with guitarist Morris Pejoe, working a regular spot at the Tic Toc Lounge before hooking up with Muddy Waters in 1952.
Although he recorded periodically as a solo artist, Spann was a full-time member of the Muddy Waters band from 1952 to 1968. In that period he also did session work with other Chess artists like Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley.
Spann's own Chess Records output was limited to a 1954 single, "It Must Have Been the Devil" / "Five Spot", which featured B.B. King and Jody Williams on guitars. He recorded a session with the guitarist Robert Lockwood, Jr. and vocalist St. Louis Jimmy in New York on August 23, 1960, which was issued on Otis Spann Is The Blues and Walking The Blues. A largely solo outing for Storyville Records in 1963 was recorded in Copenhagen. A set for UK Decca Records the following year found him in the company of Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, and a 1964 album for Prestige followed where Spann shared vocal duties with bandmate James Cotton.
The Blues is Where It's At, Spann's 1966 album for ABC-Bluesway, sounded like a live recording. It was a recording studio date, enlivened by enthusiastic onlookers that applauded every song (Muddy Waters, guitarist Sammy Lawhorn, and George "Harmonica" Smith were among the support crew). A Bluesway encore, The Bottom of the Blues followed in 1967 and featured Spann's wife, Lucille Jenkins Spann (June 23, 1938 – August 2, 1994[5]), helping out on vocals.
In the late 1960s, he appeared on albums with Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac.
Several films of his playing are available on DVD, including the Newport Folk Festival (1960), while his singing is also featured on the American Folk Blues Festival (1963) and The Blues Masters (1966).
Following his death from liver cancer in Chicago in 1970, at the age of 40, he was interred in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois. Spann's grave laid unmarked for almost thirty years, until Steve Salter (president of the Killer Blues Headstone Project) wrote a letter to Blues Revue magazine to say "This piano great is lying in an unmarked grave. Let's do something about this deplorable situation". This lit a spark in the blues community on a world wide level. Blues enthusiasts from Alaska to Venezuela, from Surrey to England, and Singapore sent donations to purchase Spann a headstone. On June 6, 1999 the marker was unveiled during a private ceremony. The stone reads "Otis played the deepest blues we ever heard - He'll play forever in our hearts".
He was posthumously elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980.
Hungry Country Girl
Otis Spann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she just can't help herself.
Yes, my baby's a country girl,
And she just can't help herself.
And every time I tell her I'm gonna leave her,
She say I don't want nobody else.
I sat around and cried,
Yes, I sat around at night and cried,
'til the tears run down my cheek.
I said Baby, don't you worry,
I got you plenty milk and meat.
One day baby, you gonna think your dad's gone.
Oh, baby. Don't every think your daddy's gone.
Well, you know he right there with you,
Standing in blood and all.
Well, I buys her everything she need,
She don't even have to go nowhere.
My baby gets everything she needs,
She don't even have to go nowhere.
Now, God aughta bless me, aughta bless me
I even bought that girl some help.
Weren't for lipstick and powder,
No I don't know what my baby would do.
Weren't for lipstick and powder,
I don't know what in the world that girl would do.
But I love that woman in this story I'm tellin' you.
Baby, honey, do you feel alright?
Hey, baby, I wanna know do you feel alright?
I wanna love you baby,
If you tell me daddy you knew I ain't tired tonight.
The Otis Spann song "Hungry Country Girl" is a ballad that portrays the love of a man for his country girl. In the first verse, the man sings about his lover and her love for country life. He emphasizes her reluctance to go anywhere and her contentment in being in the country, with no one else but him. He further reiterates that every time he talks about leaving her, she replies that she does not want anyone else but him.
In the second verse, the man is seen crying and assuring his lover that he will always take care of her by providing dairy products and meat. He emphasizes his love and devotion to her, even in tough situations. In the third verse, he relates a story of how he takes care of her by buying all that she needs, and how this has made God owe him a blessing.
Overall, the song "Hungry Country Girl" is a narrative of a sincere love that exists between a man and his country girl. It highlights the theme of devoted love and provides a glimpse into the lifestyle of individuals living in rural America.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, my baby's a country girl,
My significant other is from the countryside and embodies its unique qualities.
And she just can't help herself.
She cannot resist her natural tendencies originating from her country background.
Yes, my baby's a country girl,
I acknowledge and reaffirm her rural upbringing.
And every time I tell her I'm gonna leave her,
When I convey my intention to end the relationship,
She say I don't want nobody else.
She assures me that she doesn't desire anyone else but me.
I sat around and cried,
I brooded over my situation,
'til the tears run down my cheek.
So much so that tears streamed down my face.
Yes, I sat around at night and cried,
I repeated this behavior throughout the night,
I said Baby, don't you worry,
I reassured her,
I got you plenty milk and meat.
that I would provide for her in terms of sustenance.
One day baby, you gonna think your dad's gone.
At some point in the future, you may feel like I'm no longer around.
Oh, baby. Don't every think your daddy's gone.
But don't ever think that I have left you completely.
Well, you know he right there with you,
In fact, I am always here with you,
Standing in blood and all.
Even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Well, I buys her everything she need,
I provide everything that she requires,
She don't even have to go nowhere.
Ensuring that she doesn't need to seek anything elsewhere.
My baby gets everything she needs,
She never lacks anything in terms of necessities,
She don't even have to go nowhere.
because I have already provided everything for her.
Now, God aughta bless me, aughta bless me
I firmly believe that God should bless me,
I even bought that girl some help.
As I have gone to the lengths of hiring help for her.
Weren't for lipstick and powder,
If it weren't for makeup,
No I don't know what my baby would do.
I'm unsure of how my partner would cope without makeup.
Weren't for lipstick and powder,
If it weren't for cosmetics,
I don't know what in the world that girl would do.
I cannot fathom how she would manage without them.
But I love that woman in this story I'm tellin' you.
Despite everything, I wholeheartedly love the woman in this narrative.
Hey, baby, I wanna know do you feel alright?
Hey, my love, I want to check if you're feeling fine,
I wanna love you baby,
I want to express my affection for you,
If you tell me daddy you knew I ain't tired tonight.
As long as you assure me that you're not exhausted this evening.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OTIS SPANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sweet Drahthaar
I’ve been listening to this stuff since 1969. In Chicago was all done in six days I believe. A huge variety of guest musicians that were already old men and stars in their own right. A bunch of British kids that were worthy of playing blues with the masters. It amazes me to this day. I love Fleetwood Mac in Chicago👍🏻
reggiep671
One of my father's favorite blues songs. I have a 45 of this in a box not five feet away. When I was old enough to know who Fleetwood Mac was, I wondered if they were one and the same as on the 45's credits. Amazing they made a pilgrimage here to Chicago to record with Otis Spann. Stone cold classic, and yet not well known.
DonnaJo
Love it!
Suman Duarah
Lucky and talent too, along with the Great Otis. Thanks 💙🎶
Marcus Cross
I was yet young in the early Seventies, and I loved listening to this song late at night on WDIA-AM in Memphis. Back then, I assumed Fleetwood Mac must have been some ancient Blues singer who loved Cadillacs! Otis Spann's spoken intro just spoke to me about rural sensibilities; "She betta not act like she hungry; else, a cow dead."; "She'll have pork chops all week". Them country boys sure took care of their wimminfolk! 🐷
Craig McCauley
Smooth blues!
Daniel Rogers
PURE BLUES.
Michael Moore
My moms love this and also my aunt good music
Next Play Records
Cool!
ANTONIO IVAN
Cha accoppiata otis spann fleetwood mac blues sanguigno da brividi