As a teenager, DeVille had a band named Billy and the Kids. He moved to London looking to form a band, but was unsuccessful in finding like-minded musicians. Eventually he landed in San Francisco where he formed a band with bassist Ruben Siguenza and drummer Tom "Manfred" Allen. The band played under the names Billy DeSade & the Marquis and the Lazy Eights before settling on the name Mink DeVille. Later, DeVille took the band to New York City, where they helped to pioneer punk rock music and were one of the original house bands at CBGB, the New York nighclub where punk rock music was born in the mid-1970s.
The typical DeVille song -- if any of his songs can be called "typical" -- is filled with romantic conviction and yearning. Latin rhythms, Blues riffs, and strains of country music can be heard in DeVille songs. Spanish Stroll was a hit in the U.S. and the UK in 1978; Storybook Love (nominated for an Academy Award in 1987) is the theme song of the movie The Princess Bride.
DeVille suffered from drug addiction for many years, which stifled his career. Among fellow musicians and songwriters, he was widely respected. Songwriter Doc Pomus said about Deville, "He knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song."
DeVille died of pancreatic cancer during the night of August 6, 2009 in a New York hospital.
DeVille had homes in New Orleans and Mississippi.
Muddy Waters Rose Out Of The Mississippi Mud
Willy DeVille Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ripping them strings like your fingers' on fire
Stand there confessing in a mohair suit
Like a steamroller comin' and they call it the blues.
Now cock both your barrels, holler I'm a man
Be the greatest lover, Lord, with a pint in your hand
Get white wall tires and a continental spare
Now they say he was a conjure man
They say he was made of flesh and blood
Yeah, they say he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud.
Yeah yeah yeah
You got pinky rings on your fingers full of 60 cent wings
Tell 'em you're the greatest lover that the world has ever seen
Go down at dawn to the Bayou of St. John
Bow down to the seventh, Lord, the seventh son
When you pass the crossroads you'd better do it at a run
'Cause the devil got the level on everything you done.
They say he was a conjure man
They say he was made of flesh and blood
Yes, he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud.
You need alligator shoes and a Rocket 88
An insatiable hunger, man, that just won't wait
High roll your money just to pay your dues
Like a bulldog in the corner and they call it the blues.
They say he was a conjure man
He was made of flesh and blood
Yeah, they say he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud.
Lord, they say he was a conjure man
He was made of flesh and blood
Yes, he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud.
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud, yeah yeah
…
The lyrics to Willy DeVille's "Muddy Waters Rose Out Of The Mississippi Mud" discuss the struggle of trying to make it as a blues musician. The first verse describes the physical toll playing the guitar can take on a musician, with the use of barbed wire strings and the metaphor of "ripping them strings like your fingers' on fire." The second verse talks about the traditional image of a bluesman, with references to being a tough, manly lover and having a flashy car. The third verse contains references to the legend of Robert Johnson, who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads in exchange for his musical talent.
The chorus repeats the phrase "they say he was a conjure man," referring to the belief that Muddy Waters had mystical powers that aided his musical ability. The final line of the chorus, "Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud," reinforces the idea that the blues came from the hardships and struggles experienced by African Americans in the Mississippi Delta.
Overall, the lyrics to "Muddy Waters Rose Out Of The Mississippi Mud" portray the idea that the blues is not just a genre of music, but a way of life that comes from the pain and hardship of the African American experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Try stealing a guitar that's strung with barbed wire
Take a difficult path to achieve success
Ripping them strings like your fingers' on fire
Play the guitar with passion and energy
Stand there confessing in a mohair suit
Be confident and proud in who you are
Like a steamroller comin' and they call it the blues.
Be powerful and influential in your music
Now cock both your barrels, holler I'm a man
Assert yourself and take control
Be the greatest lover, Lord, with a pint in your hand
Embrace life and enjoy the moment
Get white wall tires and a continental spare
Pursue material possessions for status
Chrome dual exhaust so that the world will appear.
Present a flashy image to impress others
Now they say he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters had magical qualities
They say he was made of flesh and blood
Muddy Waters was a real person
Yeah, they say he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters had a mystical aura
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud.
Muddy Waters overcame adversity to become great
You got pinky rings on your fingers full of 60 cent wings
Display extravagance to impress others
Tell 'em you're the greatest lover that the world has ever seen
Boost your own ego and self-confidence
Go down at dawn to the Bayou of St. John
Visit a place with cultural significance
Bow down to the seventh, Lord, the seventh son
Pay homage to tradition and spiritual beliefs
When you pass the crossroads you'd better do it at a run
Avoid temptation and negative influences
'Cause the devil got the level on everything you done.
Beware of evil and its impact on your life
You need alligator shoes and a Rocket 88
Pursue material possessions for status
An insatiable hunger, man, that just won't wait
Have a strong desire for success and fulfillment
High roll your money just to pay your dues
Make sacrifices to achieve your goals
Like a bulldog in the corner and they call it the blues.
Overcome obstacles and emerge victorious
Lord, they say he was a conjure man
Muddy Waters had mystical qualities
Muddy Waters rose out of the Mississippi mud, yeah yeah
Muddy Waters overcame hardship to achieve greatness
Contributed by Isabelle L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.