Shake Your Moneymaker - Elmore James
Song of the Day #25
Some may cringe at this, but my first true acquaintance with this danceable blues classic was Mike Bloomfield's ripping rendition on Paul Butterfield Blues Band. I'd heard Peter Green's version with Fleetwood Mac and mostly ignored it (since it was merely a decent cover), and I have heard the Black Crowes' live version with Jimmy Page (thank god he was there). Yet, this cover immediately struck a chord from the first listen. Bloomfield, being one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, grasped Elmore's essence perfectly and gave the song an unbelievably juicy yet fluid tone that cuts deep while sweeping you off your feet. It's an excellent example of a whitebread blues cover that can seriously compete with its source, not compromising the magic of the original but taking it in a completely new direction.
So, even though I've probably heard Bloomfield's cover of the song more times, I was delighted to see I loved Elmore's original recording just as much. His godly slide-playing talent is obvious here: this could have been a rather ordinary piece of boogie, but with all of those delicious trills and licks he sprinkles on top of his effortless soloing, only a dull square wouldn't get the urge to dance their ass off. However, much of this song's success comes from Elmore actually throwing in an original idea or two for once (hey, not that he had any shame in self-repetition: if YOU can play your slide guitar as well as he does, you wouldn't really bother with songwriting either). Not only are the solos and main riff played with a lot of creativity and inspiration, the way he constantly edges the tension in the song works wonders for the song's energy. Every time he says "and then" at the end of the chorus, you DO expect another verse, don't you? But no, you suddenly get blown back by some kickass riffage! Fuck yeah! I know there are pretentious blues fans out there who will call this a rock 'n' roll sellout compared to his magnificent peaks of "It Hurts Me Too" and "The Sky Is Crying," but lighten up fella! It's not every day you get a dance tune played with so much finesse that you could call it beautiful, so savor each precious note of this classic. While you rock down the dance floor, of course!
No comments:
Post a Comment