Big Mama Thornton - Rock-a-Bye Baby: The 1950-1961 Recordings (2016)

Tracklist

01. Hound Dog
02. Rock-a-Bye Baby
03. Mischievous Boogie
04. Don't Talk Back
05. You Don't Move Me No More
06. Just Can't Help Myself
07. Stop A-Hoppin' on Me
08. They Call Me Big Mama
09. Walking Blues
10. I Smell a Rat
11. Just Like a Dog
12. Let Your Tears Fall, Baby
13. Tarzan and the Dignified Monkey
14. Cotton Picking Blues
15. Everytime I Think of You
16. Partnership Blues
17. Yes, Baby
18. Tom Cat
19. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh
20. Nightmare
21. All Right Baby
22. You Did Me Wrong
23. How Come
24. I Ain't No Fool Either
25. Willie Mae's Blues
26. Hard Times
27. Big Mama's Coming Home
28. The Fish
29. My Man Called Me



One of America’s finest blues singers, the impressive Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, is probably best known as the originator of “Hound Dog”, Elvis Presley’s most successful single, and “Ball ‘n’ Chain”, one of Janis Joplin’s signature songs. Thornton’s performances on the blues, R&B, and rock circuits riveted audiences. Her booming voice, sometimes 200-pound frame, sexuallyexplicit lyrics and exuberant stage manner had people stomping their feet and shouting encouragement.

This quintessential collector’s edition contains 29 fabulous remastered studio tracks she made for different labels, such as Peacock, Duke, Irma and Bay-Tone, between 1950 and 1961. These songs mark some of the finest works from the golden age of rhythm & blues. Highlights include the aforementioned rock & roll anthem, “Hound Dog”, plus explosive numbers like “Rock-A-Bye Baby”, “Don’t Talk Back”, “I Smell a Rat”, and “Stop A-Hoppin’ on Me”. This is the essential material upon which Big Mama Thornton’s legend was built.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]