bright lights, big city - JIMMY REED

[mollymoor]

Heard this first time in 1960 at a party..great memories..

[carlafierro7]

Mathis James "Jimmy" Reed (Sep 6, 1925 – Aug 29, 1976)[1] was an American blues musician and songwriter, notable for bringing his distinctive style of blues to mainstream audiences. Reed was a major player in the field of electric blues, and had a significant impact on many rock and roll artists who followed, such as Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.

[lobizoon1]

Pure blues, most beautiful shuffle ever recorded.

[0420Marijuana]

damn. i glad mah dad got me into oldies

[TheMargarita1948]

@0420Marijuana This is not an "oldie." This is a classic.

[MultiKZB]

First heard of this guy when in college in the '60s...I was very prim and proper until I heard Jimmy play...the music is as fresh today as it was when I was a teenager...thanks for posting!!

[windyrec]

this was Keith Richards' hero...

[ElectricGypsy95]

@windyrec

I have a feeling this is where a whole lot of Casino Boogie came from...

[fillette71200]

j'aime le rythme langoureux, légèrement blasé, qu'il imprime à la chanson.

merci du partage !

[MrJudo2go]

BUMP T BUMP at it's best.

[albertinkstain]

if you don't like this video why did you listen it ?

[TheGenesis489]

my mother just finished dancing to this

[gilliangirl1]

Thank you for uploading this. One of my favourites from many years ago.

[farone100]

my buddy Larry "Dizzy" Dean played bass for him when he played in Oakland Cal.way back in the late 60s Said he was a very nice guy but as you say--kina down to earht and simple--

[TheWindowsGuide]

@Yosribh i don't know man, but i'm the bastard who unliked it the 2nd time. This song sucks (Y)

[Yosribh]

Just a question: who is the bastard who "unliked" this song? :)

[john9944]

He was so great. He left too soon. He is legendary . Had he had lived longer, He would have been on Mount Rushmore with Lightning,The King Boys Albert and Freddy and John Lee,,,Leaving a place for the Blues Boy.

[minnomouse1]

No but you can dance to thid while in college.

[MrKissdennis]

He is at the roots of blues. I hear a bit of influence from Howlin' Wolf.

[bteg801]

Ya'll should check out Gary Clark Jr's version.

[PUMPERNICKEL4]

I'm sure I saw Jimmy Reed perform this live at the Goldhawk Club, West London around 1965-1966 he was a hero of the mod culture.

[railman55]

Such a sweet voice - yes, gin soaked on the edges, but the highs are pure joy.

[buzz834]

Nostalgic!!

[Usurped]

Absolutely fantastic!

[MrSausage19]

this music came from the soul, the heart, spawned by hard times. when people spoke from the heart and no bullshit. It was laid out on the table. this is the true meaning of "soul music" its not surprising for him to be illiterate.Many of the greats were. it was a sign of the times.

[natestrasburg]

this song completely and perfectly decribes the situation between me and my woman.

[RDORDORDO]

This should never have been disliked.

[bransonbelle]

EXCELLENT! Carnagie Hall he played and it was cleansing!

[saltonowl]

It just does not get any better than this.

[woody4294]

a classic eh, ive always looked for the version that donald fagan done at the end of the film "bright lights big city". If anyone can help let me know please?

[reelden]

We always cruised with Jimmy playing in L.A. in the 60s

[cliffworks4321]

@reelden where'd you cruise? I was there too lived inTorrance, Harbor City, Pedro, Hermosa played in bars all over LA Woodley's Bowling Alley in Compton, Carribean Lounge and a bunch of other rooms I can't remember there were so many. then in the 70's I cruised on over to Tokyo and am still here!

[reelden]

@cliffworks4321 That is great your in Tokyo want to go there! we cruised Whittier blvd and Bellflower blvd. little south of you! sister in law is japanese and she is from Torrence but a lot later! you played in some interesting places i bet! thanks!

[louisdepitera]

I say Jimmy in 1962 in St. Paul, MN. I believe Jimmy had a seven piece band with Lefty Bates on guitar. The show was OUTSTANDING and POWERFUL, even with Jimmy enjoying a little too much to drink.

[rumbler101]

I knew who Jimmy Reed was, but the Keith Richards book really made me come back and listen again. The guy is great!

[bpops53]

I got this album, " Let the Boss man speak" HELL YES!

[bluesborn]

Love this song it's such a simple groove but it swings like a MF.

[lighthouse4326]

When I was in college in the early 60's, late at night I would listen to WLAC out of Nashville. DJ's John R and Hoss played a lot of Jimmy Reed. Laying in bed, it could put you in a zone. No alcohol or drugs back then. They tried to make you think they were "soul brothers" but you knew they weren't.

[tweedy151]

I'm on Keith's book too - it's great. I always liked Keith and his book is just making me like him even more.Keith's book brought me here today. :-)

[bigwillhenk]

very nice i love it

[rogerrrubin]

Looks like one person missed the "like" click and voted this thumbs-down. Be careful out there.

[jenniferjuniper97]

@rogerrrubin LOL

[harrylime22]

Reading Keith Richards book and listening to some of the music he listened to and covered back when he first met Mick.

This is one of them, good track.

[rjny23jh]

@harrylime22 holy shit... I'm on page 87 at this moment and it's the reason why I'm here watching this video right now.

[harrylime22]

@rjny23jh Ha ha thats a coincidence !

Ive been checking out a few bits music from the book, interesting read.

[ScotRanger1960]

@harrylime22

Ditto

[ScotRanger1960]

@harrylime22

Ditto. In fact, that's why I've come looking for Jimmy Reed.

[Queenyinthehouse]

Jimmy Reed... The BIG BOSS MAN!

[MrJLHooker]

I learned to play guitr wih a Jimmy Reed album in the 60's. JLHooker

[Bopalena]

What year was this song recorded?

[nyseamex]

@Bopalena was written and recorded in 1961

[ness602aid349]

@nyseamex WRONG!!!!!

[mollymoor]

@nyseamex Thought I first heard it in 1960..probably was 1961..getting old:)

[KLRROnline]

@Bopalena This song was from 1961

[lalocarock]

Un exelente musico realmente, acá tuve la oportunidad de verlo porque toco con una banda que considero que es una mierda! Encima los fanáticos de esa banda no lo conocían, parecía que yo era la unica ahí que había escuchado de el. La gente ya no sabe apreciar artistas como el

[zorman1875]

I can't get away from your posts tonight.

Luvin it!

[fcbtim]

gary clark jr does a really good reinterpretation of this song... at least i THINK it was about this song if not inspired by it O_o... check out his crossroads 2010 performance

[etsneroj]

@fcbtim, I know the song. Saw him play it in Austin. It's not the same lyrics or music as this song, but uses the "bright lights big city" motif. It was my favorite thing he played that night.

[01MrBLA]

For some reason, the video game Earthbound and Donkey Kong Country 3 (with the Blue bear) comes up everytime i hear this song.

[ralvarezguitar]

Thanks for this

[Lightia]

Yes His Epilepsy got worse and his wife was whispering the words through the curtain, Jimmy was one of a kind natural talent, against all odds.

[patricioblues]

jimmy...play the blues!!!

[bossanovaboy]

real old blues

[Glyde11209]

There was an old guy on the Subway with a guitar and an amp, I asked "Know any Jimmy Reed?" He played this and I put $5.00 in his case....

[00killu69]

@Glyde11209  tight git, 5bucks??

[darlene1029]

Love Love Love him/his music

Thank you nyseamex for sharing

[barkulator]

It's a "big" sound for some strange reason. When he starts to sing it sounds like--I'm not kidding--there's an orchestra starting up. Anybody else with just two guitars and drums would sound thin. Maybe the analog mushes things together. Dunno.

[bobbybluz1]

Eddie Taylor is playing the main guitar part. Eddie is on most of Jimmy's recordings because, in addittion to being one of the true Blues guitar greats, Jimmy couldn't keep time. Otis Rush told me that Jimmy's "drug of choice" was Rock and Rye whisky...

[007captain1]

the essence of true blues !

[thevoiceisbydon]

groooovin' jam - great sound recording considering the ancient technology...

[mightycujo]

If you listen closely, you can hear is wife singing some of the lyrics to him

[Chucobilly]

ORALE!



[BigWheelHawaii]

Aloha All,,,

So hard to just pick a JR song as a favorite, but this one

is close for me... Outstanding... Thank You for post this..

Big

[mexguyana]

Focusing on the music and this man's talent. Can't get enough of his powerful voice. "Bright lights, big city" bringing people together to see the beauty of the world in spite of it all.I am always struck by how so many have climbed over barriers to become successful. Thanks for posting. Much Appreciated.

[bobbiemercyoliver]

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!! On some of his songs you can hear someone telling him what to sing. It was once said his wife would read the lyrics to his songs as he performed them for his album.

[murdock3445]

great book on jimmy came out it's a great read about an original ...twelve bars twelve steps

[072740]

Even 70 year-old WHITE grandmas like me love Jimmy Reed. How many of you know that voice in the background is his wife singing the lyrics because he was so high on heroin he couldn't remember the words.....R.I.P. Jimmy.....Your music lives on!!

[luvureally]

It was due to his alcoholism & epilepsy, not heroin. He was also illiterate. While auditioning for Vee-Jay records they asked him if he have any more songs that he had written, his response - "No but I have some that I made up."

[adeltaprince]

thank's for setting the record straight . jimmy " wrote " many songs that are blues , and country blues standards today . the brilliant blues man john hammond jr. ,says jimmy was most influential in his approach to honing his own tecnique . thank's jimmy!

[psychkoala]

@luvureally

Ha, ha, that's hilarious. Classic line.

[chillichomper]

@luvureally lol

[kidcalabria]

@072740

I knew about his wife (he also had his son playing on some of his records), but not about the heroin.... did Jimmy Reed really use smack?

[psychkoala]

Never heard anything about Jimmy using heroin or any hard drugs.

He sure did like to drink, though.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@psychkoala I was in radio for over 25yrs. and I still hear stories about myself one was that I died years ago. A DJ at a wedding in Toledo,Ohio told my daughter that and she replied that's funny I was talking to him last night. Sometimes stories are just that STORIES.

[psychkoala]

@THEMOJOMANsince1959

Exactly.

And as the old cliche goes:

Why do they bother to make up stories, when the truth is so often more interesting than the lies ?

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@072740 RIGHT ON !! I spent many years in ROCK RADIO myself and one of my inspirations was JOHN R & Gene Nobles & The ole jivin HOSSMAN BILL ALLEN on WLAC in Nashville. I can still hear those guys introducing Jimmy Reed and many others late at night on the RANDY'S RECORD SHOP in Gallatin,Tenn. Oh for those days ONE MO TIME!!

[mightycujo]

@THEMOJOMANsince1959 Great shows. I grew up in that era in Nashville and it freaked my parents out completely when they found out I was listening to WLAC. Drove them crazy. LOL

John R., Hoss and the guys introduced me to a whole new world.

[undergroundgod777]

The dirty south is not for everyone. I think I like it that way, I like that I am a lone wolf in my music taste around home.

[debdo24x7]

I'm in Texas and thats about as far south as you can get. My granmother turned me on to Jimmy and if she were still alive she'd be 98-dirty is in the mind of people looking for dirt

[Manray49]

This was music

[easyTaff]

Andy Fairweather Low does a brilliant cover in tribute to JR in his live gigs.

[customkey]

You can't learn how to do this in college.

[coldironhands1]

@customkey yeah you can... if you play guitar.

[willwelsh816]

@customkey one of the first things they make sure you know how to do if you plan to major in jazz performance in any good Jazz college tho.

[PAGAN19]

@customkey  EXACTLY! You have to be born to do this!

[karinablacktie]

@customkey Honey, maybe you just went to the wrong college.

[stella3265]

@karinablacktie These guys went to the college of blood,sweat and tears. Learned how to play, because they had no other choice.

[stella3265]

@customkey How right you are. Who ever uploaded this, I thank you. One has to live it in order to dig it.

[SpanishDaive]

@customkey U can if u got James O'Hara as ur teacher!! ;) x

[loitalove2009]

LOVE THIS KINDA OF MUSIC

[GOLDBAND45]

If you want some really great JR recordings try and get hold of VeeJay /Stateside LP or later CD called 'Just Jimmy Reed'Here you have Jimmy in the studio making up lyrics and demanding song proposals from his band.Sound quality is excellent .A truly superb issue!Just listen to his 'Kansas City Baby' after being promted to 'take the long way around Jimmy'

[ELAINEMORRIS]

He gets down and dirty

[mikemckv]

I went to see a band playing in The Maggie Lounge in Glasgow on the day Jimmy Reed died in 1976. They weren't a blues band but they opened with this song as a mark of respect. I thought it was a nice touch in tribute to the great man and a unique musician

[movement26]

I heard the song on the T.V. yesterday and just had to check it out . I had not heard it for years.....The Ad was for Audi cars.

[hippyshirl]

I sooooo agree! Have been digging this for a long time and i don't know what the ad is currently on UK tele but i was at my Ma's the other night and heard this tune!!! Some new fans about to join for sure!! Just think i'll go get myself a beer and chill heh heh!!!

[gocarlisle]

At the end of the day when you want to have a beer and relax by yourself and listen to the blues nothing beat Jimmy Reed.

[neohope1]

Jimmy's Live at Carnegie Hall is still one of the very best.....rest in peace, brother

[jamcrane3]

Good Stuff! Thanks for posting!

[freddyfridgemagnet]

Loved him for ages.Jimmyure the best..sometimes Im selfishand hope no else discovers you.thats bad, I knowI just wanna tell people about Jimmy Reed..brill.brill