The two are easy to distinguish. Williamson I played the harmonica acoustically and was essentially a pre-War artist. Williamson II was entirely an electrified harpist, in the style of Little Walter, reflecting the advent of the jukebox and electrified instruments following World War II.
(Compare the albums Sonny Boy Williamson I ~~ Sonny Boy Williamson II)
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Sonny Boy Williamson I (30 March 1914 - 1 June 1948)
also known as John Lee Curtis Williamson, was an American blues harmonica player, born in Jackson, Tennessee, whose first record Good Morning little School Girl was a hit in 1937. He was widely popular throughout the whole southeast of the U.S., and was practically synonymous with the blues harmonica for the next decade, making his a commonly used stage name by the time he was murdered in 1948. He is buried at the Old Blairs Chapel Church, south west of Jackson, Tennessee.
more on wikipedia
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Sonny Boy Williamson II (11 March 1908 - 25 May 1965) also known as Willie Williamson, Willie Miller, Little Boy Blue, The Goat and Footsie.
Aleck "Rice" Miller was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.
Born as Aleck Ford to Millie Ford on the Sara Jones Plantation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, his date and year of birth are a matter of uncertainty. He claimed to have been born on December 5, 1899, but one researcher, David Evans, claims to have found census record evidence that he was born around 1912. His gravestone lists his date of birth as March 11, 1908.
He lived and worked with his sharecropper stepfather, Jim Miller, whose last name he soon adopted, and mother, Millie Ford, until the early 1930s. Beginning in the 1930s, he traveled around Mississippi and Arkansas and encountered Big Joe Williams, Elmore James and Robert Lockwood, Jr., also known as Robert Junior Lockwood, who would play guitar on his later Checker Records sides. He was also associated with Robert Johnson during this period. Miller developed his style and raffish stage persona during these years. Willie Dixon recalled seeing Lockwood and Miller playing for tips in Greenville, Mississippi in the 1930s. He entertained audiences with novelties such inserting one end of the harmonica into his mouth and playing with no hands.
In 1941 Miller was hired to play the King Biscuit Time show, advertising the King Biscuit brand of baking flour on radio station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas with Lockwood. It was at this point that the radio program's sponsor, Max Moore, began billing Miller as Sonny Boy Williamson, apparently in an attempt to capitalize on the fame of the well known Chicago-based harmonica player and singer John Lee Williamson (Sonny Boy Williamson I). Although John Lee Williamson was a major blues star who had already released dozens of successful and widely influential records under the name "Sonny Boy Williamson" from 1937 onward, Aleck Miller would later claim to have been the first to use the name, and some blues scholars believe that Miller's assertion he was born in 1899 was a ruse to convince audiences he was old enough to have used the name before John Lee Williamson, who was born in 1914 (this is made somewhat less likely, however, by the fact that Miller was certainly older than Williamson even if one does not accept the 1899 birthdate.) Whatever the methodology, Miller became commonly known as "Sonny Boy Williamson", and Lockwood and the rest of his band were billed as the King Biscuit Boys.
In 1949 he relocated to West Memphis, Arkansas and lived with his sister and her husband, Howlin' Wolf (later, for Checker Records, he did a parody of Howlin' Wolf entitled "Like Wolf"). Sonny Boy started his own KWEM radio show from 1948 to 1950 selling the elixir Hadacol.
Sonny Boy also brought his King Biscuit musician friends to West Memphis: Elmore James, Houston Stackhouse, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Robert Nighthawk and others, to perform on KWEM Radio.
In the 1940s Williamson married Mattie Gordon, who remained his wife until his death.
Williamson's first recording session took place in 1951 for Lillian McMurry of Jackson, Mississippi's Trumpet Records (three years after the death of John Lee Williamson, which for the first time allowed some legitimacy to Miller's carefully worded claim to being "the one and only Sonny Boy Williamson"). McMurry later erected Williamson's headstone, near Tutwiler, Mississippi, in 1977.
When Trumpet went bankrupt in 1955, Sonny Boy's recording contract was yielded to its creditors, who sold it to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. Sonny Boy had begun developing a following in Chicago beginning in 1953, when he appeared there as a member of Elmore James's band. It was during his Chess years that he enjoyed his greatest success and acclaim, recording about 70 songs for Chess subsidiary Checker Records from 1955 to 1964.
In the early 1960s he toured Europe several times during the height of the British blues craze, recording with The Yardbirds and The Animals, and appearing on several TV broadcasts throughout Europe. According to the Led Zeppelin biography 'Hammer of the Gods', while in England Sonny Boy set his hotel room on fire while trying to cook a rabbit in a coffee percolator. Robert Palmer's "Deep Blues" mentions that during this tour he allegedly stabbed a man during a street fight and left the country abruptly.
Sonny Boy took a liking to the European fans, and while there had a custom-made, two-tone suit tailored personally for him, along with a bowler hat, matching umbrella, and an attachรฉ case for his harmonicas. He appears credited as "Big Skol" on Roland Kirk's live album 'Kirk in Copenhagen' (1963). One of his final recordings from England, in 1964, featured him singing "I'm Trying To Make London My Home" with Hubert Sumlin providing the guitar. Due to his many years of relating convoluted, highly fictionalized accounts of his life to friends and family, upon his return to the Delta, some expressed disbelief upon hearing of Sonny Boy's touring across the Atlantic, visiting Europe, seeing the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and other landmarks, and recording there.
Upon his return to the U.S., he resumed playing the King Biscuit Time show on KFFA, and performed around Helena, Arkansas. As fellow musicians Houston Stackhouse and Peck Curtis waited at the KFFA studios for Williamson on May 25, 1965, the 12:15 broadcast time was closing in and Sonny Boy was nowhere in sight. Peck left the radio station and headed out to locate Williamson, and discovered his body in bed at the rooming house where he'd been staying, dead of an apparent heart attack suffered in his sleep the night before.
Williamson is buried on New Africa Rd. just outside Tutwiler, Mississippi at the site of the former Whitman Chapel cemetery.
more on wikipedia
Come on baby and take a walk
Sonny Boy Williamson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee)
(Sonny Boy Williamson I)
Sonny Boy Williamson - vcl and hca
With Blind John Davis - piano, Big Bill Broonzy - gtr
Alfred Elkins - imitation bass
Recording: Chicago, July 30, 1942
Album: Vol. 4 Document Records DOCD5058
Well, now got a li'l whiskey
You know we got a little a this, too
Big Bill an Sonny Boy
They play the blues for you
But c'mon baby n' take a walk
C'mon baby n' take a walk
C'mon baby n' take a walk
A-rock this old joint, now
A-c'mon babe
An let's go out an have some fun
A-go down a Mr. Sife
And get a quart-a 51
But c'mon baby an take a walk
C'mon baby an take a walk
C'mon baby an take a walk
A-rock this old joint, now
'Swing Bill!'
'Ooo-Wee!'
'Bill, now where you got your honey headin', now?'
(piano)
'Mr. John, I wanna see you have a good time'
'Give me some ivory, you know what I mean'
'Yeah, yeah'
Ev'ry morn' before breakfast
I don't her awake from nine to ten
Lacey, look 'cross the table
An I have a quart of 51, again
But c'mon baby take a walk with me
C'mon baby n' take a walk
C'mon baby n' take a walk
Around this old joint, now
I drink a quart in the mo'nin
I drink a quart late at night
If I don't get a quart three times a day
I don't sleep right
But c'mon baby an take a walk
C'mon baby n' take a walk with me
C'mon baby n' take a walk
Around this old joint, now
'Come on Mr. & Mrs. Bass Bob, Joe you got it'
'Yes, shake-shake-shake-shake'
'That's why you got your pocket always hidden'
'Bill, now let me blow my blues a little'
(harp & instrumental to end)
~
note- Mr. Sife's or liquor store name may be off.
A 'quart of 51' might be a brand name, 'Fifty One' (or proof).
The song "Come On Baby And Take A Walk" by Sonny Boy Williamson features a simple blues structure and lighthearted lyrics about having fun, drinking whiskey, and playing music. In the song, Sonny Boy sings about the joys of drinking and playing music with his friends, inviting his partner to join him for a walk around town, with the aim of having a good time. The lyrics convey a carefree and happy-go-lucky mood that invites the listener to join in the fun. The upbeat melody and piano solos by Blind John Davis also add to the overall festive atmosphere of the song.
The opening lines of the song introduce the central theme of whiskey-drinking and music-making with the line "Well, now got a li'l whiskey, You know we got a little a this, too, Big Bill an Sonny Boy, They play the blues for you". The subsequent lyrics then describe the different things that Sonny Boy and his partner could do "to have some fun" such as "go down to Mr. Sife and get a quart-a 51" (a type of whiskey), or take a walk and "rock this old joint". Sonny Boy and his friends seem to be living the good life, enjoying each other's company and the simple pleasures of life.
"Come On Baby And Take A Walk" is a classic blues song that provides a sense of joyful decadence and carefree living. The lyrics make use of witty and humorous phrases such as "let's go out an have some fun" or "A-rock this old joint, now". The song has a lively melody and features excellent harmonica and piano solos. It was recorded in Chicago on July 30, 1942, and was part of Sonny Boy Williamson's fourth album, released in 1991 by Document Records.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, now got a li'l whiskey
We have some whiskey now.
You know we got a little a this, too
We also have something else (probably illicit) to enjoy as well.
Big Bill an Sonny Boy
Big Bill Broonzy and Sonny Boy Williamson are here with me.
They play the blues for you
We will play some blues music for you.
But c'mon baby n' take a walk
Let's go for a walk together.
A-rock this old joint, now
And let's liven up this place while we're at it!
A-c'mon babe
Hey, come on babe.
An let's go out an have some fun
Let's go out and have a good time.
A-go down a Mr. Sife
Let's go to Mr. Sife's place (a liquor store).
And get a quart-a 51
And get a quart of 51, a type of alcohol.
'Swing Bill!'
Start swinging Big Bill!
'Ooo-Wee!'
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm.
'Bill, now where you got your honey headin', now?'
Where is your sweetheart going, Bill?
(piano)
Instrumental music plays.
'Mr. John, I wanna see you have a good time'
Mr. John, I want you to enjoy yourself.
'Give me some ivory, you know what I mean'
Play some piano keys for me, you know what I'm saying.
'Yeah, yeah'
An expression of agreement, encouragement, or acknowledgement.
Ev'ry morn' before breakfast
Every morning before eating.
I don't her awake from nine to ten
I don't hear her wake up from 9 to 10 (because she's still sleeping).
Lacey, look 'cross the table
Lacey (likely a partner) looks across the table at me.
An I have a quart of 51, again
And I am drinking a quart of 51 (alcohol) again.
But c'mon baby take a walk with me
But come on and walk with me, baby.
Around this old joint, now
Around this place (likely a bar or club) right now.
I drink a quart in the mo'nin
I drink a quart (likely of alcohol) in the morning.
I drink a quart late at night
I drink a quart (likely of alcohol) late at night.
If I don't get a quart three times a day
If I don't drink a quart (likely of alcohol) three times a day.
I don't sleep right
I don't sleep well.
C'mon baby an take a walk
Come on and take a walk with me, baby.
C'mon baby n' take a walk with me
Come on and take a walk with me, baby.
'Come on Mr. & Mrs. Bass Bob, Joe you got it'
Come on Mr. and Mrs. Bass Bob, Joe, you can do it (likely encouraging some musicians to play along on bass).
'Yes, shake-shake-shake-shake'
An expression of encouragement and enthusiasm, possibly to shake a tambourine or maracas.
'That's why you got your pocket always hidden'
That's why your pocket is always hidden (likely because you spend all your money on alcohol).
'Bill, now let me blow my blues a little'
Bill, let me play some blues music on my harmonica for a bit.
(harp & instrumental to end)
The song ends with some instrumental music, including blues harmonica.
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnastrup1549
King on hamonica and singing. Saw him in person 1965. And Muddy Waters. GOLD.
@cobrastrikesagain6385
I remember my grandfather listening to him but if you see him in person how old are you because I am 60
@margarethcarmo9654
Lucky you!โค๏ธ
@johnastrup1549
Well ,Magareth Im 75 this year still look like a boy on drums. Best wishes from john.
@Hector-dc8km
Lucky you. That was a treat.
@mimisatou1
@Cobra strikes again Please tell more
@peterhead9981
The real blues. I loved listening to this man, along with Howlin'Wolf, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and so many others back in the 60s.
@andrewlowe9969
Amazing harp and voice Sonny was amazing!!
@johnnyacevedo681
There are some tunes, Sonny boy Williamson made for checker label that Little Water canโt touch and there are some tunes little Walter on checker label that Sonnyboy canโt touch, I seen Little Water twice once in 59, and once in 62 what memories๐ Iโm 80 & still hep
@marymichael1211
Important point.