The liner notes on this record tell you what you’re getting—this band plays blues, but it’s happy music too. The notes continue by saying this is one of the tightest, happiest boogie and blues bands in the country. That’s a good description. It’s basic three-note boogie with slide guitar. Hound Dog Taylor played at the Memorial Day cookout behind my dorm in 1972. I was one of dozens drinking too much and dancing till we dropped. When I played the record this time, I was thrilled to hear Taylor sing ‘Sadie’ with finesse and meaning I had never noticed. When he asks ‘Sadie, will you come back home tonight,” he sounds hurt that she left. “What you want your man to do”—he’s asking because he wants to know how to do it right. “I don’t love no one else but you”—he’s making his case. It’s a wonderful love song.
About the accuracy of lyrics on the web—I only found two of his songs. One was Roll Your Moneymaker. What’s online is ‘Well my mind only chance/I won’t be here at all.’ That’s gibberish. What I heard made sense—’Well, if my mind don’t change/I won’t be here at all.’
converselyspeaking 