I'm Heavy Duty!

• Artist: Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
• Title: Feast of The Mau Mau
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Let me start by saying that “Feast of The Mau Mau” by Screamin Jay Hawkins gets a straight-up-stone-cold-solid 10! I’ve played this every day we were home for the last two months. Just ask my wife and kids. That’s the good news. The even better news is that it’s a double album. “Feast” is actually a re-release of two earlier albums, “What This Is” and “Because Is In Your Mind / Armpitrubber.”

I can’t tell you how exciting this music is. For me, it’s the perfect mix of blues, R&B, rock and roll, and weirdness. Occassionally he gets down right raunchy, so mind your audience. Most people know him for “I Put a Spell on You”, but there are many even better songs. Also, he’s so cool his music was featured in one Jarmusch film and he acted in another. Finally, Hawkins is a lyrical genius. Who else could rhyme with “righteous”?

Our Love Is Not For 3

You gave me a heartache
AAahh! a heartache
You gave me a heartburn!
My mind’s in neutral
Whaaa! I’m walking sideways
I can’t get righteous
I’m looking upside down
And outta-sighteous
Whaaa! You gave me a heartache
Have Mercy…

More about Screamin’ Jay Hawkins at Wikipedia.
Great NPR story about Hawkins’ alledged 70 plus children.

• Artist: Slim Harpo
• Title: The Best of Slim Harpo – The Original King Bee
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1983 – I think I mail ordered this directly from Rhino Records.
• Keeper: Yes

I file Slim Harpo under “H” but I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that neither of those are his real names. I bought this record in one of my many blues phases; I was still in highschool during this one. The thing is Slim is not all that bluesy. Many pursists don’t like his stuff because he mixed it up with everything from rock and roll to country. That eclecticism didn’t keep him from having fans in the highest echelons in rock. Many bands from the Rolling Stones on down have recorded covers of his songs, “I’m a King Bee” and “Hipshake” in particular. The Moody Blues even named their band after one of his songs. My favorites are “Baby Scratch My Back” and “The Hippy Song.”