Big Mama Thornton - Rock me (Oregon 1971)

[michaschlitt]

Great !!!

[StephanieAWalker]

Don't think I have heard a better female blues singer/player EVER!

[Parmella]

R.E.A.L. Blues ! !

[Parmella]

BIG MAMA.....Queen of the Blues....Nobody could ever replace you....

[lloydpbhillips4020]

Where was this filmed? I'd photographed her at The Paramount Theater in Portland that same year and I'm wondering if this was that show.

[maybebaby2910]

Need me some rocking!!god bless ya mama!

[xyzllii]

Big Mama. Big Voice. Big Heart....bril....!

[ReedBender1]

At 42 seconds into the intro the harmonica wavers on the last cut out note, & I thought Big Mama has missed the note ! Then I've realized it wasn't big Mama, but the Harp itself which faulted for a half note-as it realized it was going to be a key part in a stellar performance & almost suffered stage fright at the knowledge it was accompanying one of the most powerful and genuine blues singers ever !

What a proud little harmonica 2 one day be able to tell its children "I played with Big Mama" !

[gcahn2]

@ReedBender1 "Big Mama played me" said the harmonica to the guitar.

[Benjiboyo21]

Oh sweet Lord ! This hurts it's so awesome !

[Funkdogg]

i just saw a docu on the bbc. where big mama played in manchester uk. i was blown away! i could not believe the fact that i never heard of her before. but better late than never i guess

[jonnichips100]

omfg

[kibibi01]

@jonnichips100 DITTO

[berthajoadams]

Awesome:)

[BethRhodes]

Listen to the Folks now...........

[mapsan1]

This is THE blues - period - outstanding - thanks so much Big Mama for this and every another song that did.

[kingdeebitch]

now trhats music love you big mama

[benji3001]

I love the "spirit" of her performance. Thanks Big Mama.

[harmonica74]

ROCK ME LIKE A BAG OF WEED !!!! cool

[mskrazzykrista]

hell yeah!!!

[cadete96]

this is "anima" in doing things

[MrTubejockey]

Oregon where??

[yknot10]

@MrTubejockey I believe Portland?

[MrTubejockey]

@yknot10 thank you!

[ttbrown1980]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YYYYEEEEAAAAAA!!!!

This is what music is and forever will be...listen up all you youngster's

[rontemplin]

Big Mama Thornton....She is rockin' blues, no one like your Mama...

[yknot10]

Pay attention kids, this is what makes America great.

[MrTubejockey]

@yknot10 Amen! Preach it!!

[FOSProject]

Frauleota, you NAILED it....Great comment.

[ThitiaandDeidre]

I GOT MY HAINDS UP LIKE GRANDMA'NEM USED TO DO ... MY EYES CLOSED...AND I'M ROCKIN ....OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW

[Rigmaster22]

Nothing short of absolute class! Fantastic!!

[CalypieAndroid]

AS SHE got older her Weight Fell off, I guess, she had soul liberation, and food had no more addictive value to her.

[pjds1989]

Why does this have no likes?

[callag63]

Even Etta (the Goddess of Blues) James can't match this version of an all time great. Rock on Big Mamma

[nellyboyles]

kick ass....wow & thank you

[mrstanbmw]

Big Mama was a sick lady and look how she is killing it, The band is kicking ass!!

[mapsan1]

Yes, this IS music - no less no more - and no "nice girls with good looks" - just the music down to the bones and feelings.

[Teckpac]

This song gives me the creeps......running up an down my back!

[luka70vs]

Fantastic !

[geewizz20]

big mamayou just f@#$kn rock with a big slow easy yeeeeeaaaaaaaaah!

[makalavena]

where did all that weight go she is great, and guitarist is really bad

[makalavena]

where did all that weight go she is great,

[splitandfogged]

Amazing. Thanks for sharing!!



[RoughBastard808]

Big Mama's voice and her performance of this song...and this song....the convergence of all of these forces of nature....makes me wanna masturbate!

[anonymoose711]

Oh! Hell yea!

[vixen65able]

lol love the comment Stressed2capacity.. made.... you said the truth.... this is real. this gets me right to the core.

[ettajames2luv]

No way! Where did you get this footage of Big Mama Thornton? Unbelievably cool! This just makes me so happy, I have no idea why they call it the blues-LOL

[topcatrecords]

@ettajames2luv This video clip is from the DVD "Gunsmoke Blues" featuring Big Mama, Muddy Waters and Big Joe Turner. These performances, along with the performances on the "Muddy Waters In Concert -1971" DVD, were filmed at the Univ. of Oregon and produced by TopCat Records. Both DVDs + video clips of each song will be available to download soon at TopCatRecords website.

Please contact Richard at TopCatRecords for more info. Also check out TopCatRecords YouTube Channel.

[SoKindOne]

Another Brown Liquor song........mmmmmmm don't play it no mo....lol....I love to listen to her....Big Mama Thortonis the Truth. Can I get a Ame.

[sanjurodog]

Sssssssssizzling

[troutmask1970]

i need this bad.

[simone10511]

impresionante



[aneesall]

omg....this is the best cover i have ever heard of this...Nice and sloooow

..

[MauriTriplete]

What Waman!!!!! Ciao Big Mama

[750tblack]

9 people need to get rocked,baby!

[bluzebaby]

Seeing footage of BB King and now Big Mama Thornton singing 'Rock Me', it's given a whole new perspective to what I consider damn hot!

[DeedleDeedleDumplin]

Luv this woman's energy...and music...

[theloudhalo]

Big Mama, Your own voice IS the voice. I'm so glad to have heard it.

Thank you from Ireland.

Thanks to you and those like you, we DO learn about good music.

I feel so privileged to have heard you one You Tube.

Your music will live on.

[halfgoodhalfevil]

The guy in the white was trippin' so hard lol. Love Big Mama, be nice if more singers still sung that way.

[bobmarleypkr]

yeah lmfaoooooooo

[LPTfilms]

Stressed2Capcity, it could be said no better, thanks for your comment and let's take those old records off the shelves and let them spin that is if we can find a simple little thing called a record player in this world of ipods, mp3 players and devices called a cell phone that play music and everything else!!!!!

[GeorgiePPuddinPie]

Amen. Couldn't have said it better frauleota. Big Mama was definitely big; she had more soul than most. LUV her.

[mrsconder02]

I would give my right eye to find this version in mp3 form. AMAZING!!!!!!

[infamito]

@mrsconder02 I would give my left eye to find this version in mp3 form!~

[jaimanzer1]

the best woman playing harmonica!!!!!!!

[ansa336]

I am  listening to this and crying. May her soul rest in peace.

[deirdrea100]

My Mother took me to see her in Atlanta. I was 17, Ma Ma blew me away. I became a prisnor of the blues, lol. I am soon to turn 63 and I love dem blues still.

She was the queen and still is of the blues.

[qylwl]

非常喜欢 Big Mama Thornton 。



[ibwilliamsi]

Fuckin' ay, she blows the harp, too?

[mangaspiked]

MAMA DONT TAKE NO MESS!

[firecrackerpackman]

Hard not to LOVE Big Mamma.

[beautynthebreakdown1]

now.. THATS a real WOMAN.

you know every woman everywhere wants this much soul, and wants to be able to do it her "own way"

go on and keep doing in hunnnyyy.

[MotownMaster]

excellent post, its time to school all these youngters about what REAL music is RIP Willie Mae aka Big Monna Thornton

[AugustaRomania]

OneThousand Degrees Fhrenheit! Thank you the amazing posting!

[alphashed]

Mama, Mama where you been, Down to the Juke Joint and back again! I thought Koko Taylor was a great Blues singer, still do. But Big Mama put the capital B in BLUES..

[GAgypsy3]

If this don't move you....you best go find a pine box to go lay in!!!!!

[MyMoppet52]

Someone took my comment, "Hell, yeah!" That's as close to cussing I can do in print. Put in your own words and they'd be just about right. :) Bonnie does this great, but Big Mama RULES!!! Great video. Thank you so much.

[lovintonal]

rip it up mama

[mel0dyism]

Hell yeah!

[keymankeys1960]

whew .....brother you can feel that music in your soul

[mrstanbmw]

Big Mama is rocking the house what a nasty band she have with also,

[mljansson]

So good as you shivers, så gött så man ryser ...I LOVE IT

[Giavannanow]

Big Mama was a SASSY MAMA!

[frauleota]

Still stands as GREATNESS!

Too bad we have a generation now that listens with their eyes...

[frauleota]

Still stands as GREATNESS!

[littlewingthing]

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WAS INFO POSTED ON THESE OLD VIDEOS, DETAILS...LIKE WHERE EXACTLY IN OREGON, WAS THIS A FESTIVAL? GREAT VIDEO! LOVE THE DORKY WHITE KIDS!

[rockabeatinboogie]

I live in Eugene Oregon, anybody know where this show was.

[whokeithmoon]

GOD DAMMM BABY!!!!!!!!!!

[Stressed2Capacity]

The thing I LOVE ABOUT BIG MAMA...she didn't give a damn whether you were black or white so long as you could blow that horn and play that string....and these ol' boys backing her are BAD TO THE BONE!

Elvis never did say thank you for recording HER SONG....HOUND DOG....motherfucker!

[joysusername]

I CANT SING LIKE NOBODY SO I GOT TO DO IT MY OWN WAY........

THE GREAT WAY OF BIG MAMA

[Stressed2Capacity]

If Big Mama was alive today she'd be laughing her ass off at what the kids today call MUSIC! "Sugah that ain't sangin'...you got a got damn machine changing yo voice! Gimme the damn mic!" ROCKKKKKKKKKKKKK ME BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

[Theonegamefreak]

@Stressed2Capacity Lol. 

[blueagate]

@Stressed2Capacity Well said! I could see her doing that too. My lands that woman can blow a mean harp can't she? Ahh Big Mama RIP we miss ya!

[sharemysoul1]

@Stressed2Capacity SHO NUFF LMAO LIKE DAT.. TRUE!

[sharemysoul1]

Respond to this video... DAMN MAN I JUST GOT ME SUM GOOOOOOOSE BUMPS.

[kd1s]

@Stressed2Capacity

No kidding! She was talented and I dig some blues like this.

[Phoenix191018]

@Stressed2Capacity

Say it! Say it! they would shout out in church. Tell the truth!

[sharsblues]

YOU CAN'T BEAT THIS!!!!!!

[Chocolaht]

Im Speechless!! LOVE THISSSS!

[saxmanager]

That guitar player with the dark hair and white paints is Steve Wachsman of the R&B Bombers

[overstreet42]

This song was sung by tina turner and ike also but big momma put it down she was sick when she sang this song back in the day she was 300 pound and she was a firecracker back then and she is sick and still on fire

[LifesMusic22]

GAWDDAMN SHE SUNG THE HELL OUT OF THIS!

[chextane]

Quelle grande dame du blues. Elle est insurpassable.

[evedevi]

I wish my Mama aws a Big as this MAMA!

[captainterrible525]

Years ago I heard that Jill Scott was supposed to be playing Big Mama Thornton in a movie about her life. But I never heard anymore about it.

[MalThorgan]

@captainterrible525 -" In 2007, in the movie, Hound-dog, singer Jill Scott played Thornton." well that's what wiki says in the big Momma bio..........have to check it out since I wasn't aware of this till your post. Peace & Merry Xmas.

[rosepetal108]

Just WOW!

Rock me Big Mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boyifygirlifyme]

I love that she was never afraid to sing anything...no matter how outrageous...in tha 1920's,she released a song where she sang "I got nipples on ma titties as big as ma thumbs,a fanny n' legs, make a dead man come..." She sang alot of songs that today's so-called risque female artists...Madonna,Lady Gaga wouldn't dare to sing.

[MalThorgan]

@boyifygirlifyme - hey thanks for that great information....I had no idea Big Momma started recording such risque lyrics when she was so young.......by 1929 when she was just over 2 years old guess it just came natural ! Seems like her career must have slumped after this early release you mention (can you provide any details of this so called song) since she didn't sign a recording contract till 1951 .........

[Bibbermans]

She is amazing! I believe it is the most grasping version of this song! This woman got the blues imprinted in her face!!!!

[MrWhitefun1]

If you don't love this, you don't love the blues.

[faklempt1]

She's got an edge, sorta like a cat in heat. Gets me right in my sweet, blues lovin' gut...even makes the harmonica sing!

[mycalling52]

This is music...Big Mama style!

[solara3]

the whiteness of the audience is hilarious. they are so 70's but sooo down with the blues. right on.

[dsfddsgh]

@solara3 Hey its Oregon what do you expect. We are so white here. LOL

[alansingsblues2095]

love, love this music!!! WOW!

[patgarrett5755]

More emotion in this song than any pop greatest hits album of the last decade

[woahmycar]

These people are the TRUTH. True raw musicians. love love it. This is what America needs more of, no doubt. RIP big mama

[mattjonesmattjones]

i love this woman!

[dajazzeeladee]

classy, sassy.. i love her! what a great sound!! talent for days..

[sofakingdrunk66]

Grab me some fine Liquor its Big Mama time.........

[akoe1968]

this is what i call deeeeeeeep shiiiit! great!

[bluepez57]

Wow this is great ! Thanks for posting ladynea

[bigwillhenk]

Great nice heerlijk

[oicsaywhat]

wow this is amazing! what a voice! with feel to the bone!

[crimsonsamuraiftw]

<3<3<3<3<3

[TheSocratease]

Glorious! RIP Miss Willie Mae. Your music will never die. This performance brings back some great memories.

[mrstanbmw]

HoundDog and Ball and Chain what a monster talent that is really overlooked, what a pioneer, Her back up band is really nasty. what muscians.

[nehusi606]

the real thing

[alanearl]

Awesome!

[RadicalAshanti]

Ohhh, Glorious!

[sailorguyli]

absolutely  awesome , thanks

[SaveYoshi]

LOVE her.

[stevenrthr100]

Made my big toe curl up in my boot.

[TheMargo514]

'No words' just shaken all over when i watch this GRAND WOMAN!  'AS Real as it get's"

[AliceinJapan]

Really Amazing! Humanity needs moar music like this! Thanks for sharing :)

[djzgirl71]

I'm speechless. She's my freaking hero.

[wontgoaway]

Oh my.....she and Janis are jammin' in heaven!

[yourkickspuppies]

One of a kind WOMAN. Amazing voice.  XOXOXO Big Mama

[jamakadave]

well big mama out lasted both janis and elvis. she might not got rich money wise but she was rich with soul and talent. she will live on in our hearts. thank you big mama and hope your up there rockin with the greats.

[raisingtaylor]

Now this is music...She said rock me like my back aint got no bone...oh my...thats kinda like a rag doll..ewwwww dady get it...LOL

[mapsan1]

This is just so great - enjoy a great muscian!!

[mapsan1]

This is it!

[luverlything]

A Masterclass!!!  Mama is a one off! Superb!

[mustangpatty51]

Big Mama is truly awesome. She is one of a kind and she felt the blues..She was the original singer of Hound Dog..Sing it Big Mama!!

[BluzJack]

Wow,thats some cool Blues Harp Big Mama plays.

[mapsan1]

Oh,, mama.....

[howlingsandy]

thanks for posting. Big Mama's inspiring. But the real travesty is that this song's by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, inventor of Rock & Roll yet never inducted into the Hall of Fame, those copying him were. His great blues (such as this song also covered by (the short list) Etta James, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Johnny Winter, Paul Butterfield, Tina Turner, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Canned Heat and Creedence Clearwater Revival) ALL HE CONTRIBUTED AND NEVER PAID A ROYALTY - EVER

[MalThorgan]

@howlingsandy -well said- very often "original art" is not recognised & due credit given when it should be, & today more than ever, with money as the motive, true art/music has been sublimated into a marketable commodity which confuses "popularity" with "talent".

[whokeithmoon]

play it for mama you funky white boys!!!!!!!

[junegrey]

lady...you kill me with yr voice and personality...to all nowadays female singers....fuck u!!!! and your silly senseless music

[bigwillhenk]

yes i like it very much

[Kuetonius]

Big Mama was one of a kind...her powerful, souful, forceful voice & talents lends to the blues community an indelible legend...RIP Mama ^_^

[ScratchandScream]

"I can't sing like anyone, but I have to do it my own way...so here is something that I learned from the older folks..." I lOVE HER SPIRIT! Play your soul Big Mama! Excellent harmonica playing + Extraordinary talented vocals = OH MY GOD:)

[roosterchicky]

One of the best rendition of "Rock Me" that I have ever seen., This girl rocks.

Her harmonica playing is awesome. What a super star.

[mike9955]

The first "rock me baby" gave me chills.

[lolasmith37]

super great

[roosterchicky]

Absolutely the best ever. She was a fabulous blues singer who sang straight from her heart. You can tell she loves what she does. Raw talent....awesome.

She feels her songs and sings them perfectly.

Fabulous 1

[Walinski1]

Hot damn! I've never seen such a dynamite performance. You rock, Mama.

[MalThorgan]

Ha ha ha Big Momma scared off 7 immature kids! If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen cause Big Momma's Cooking !!!!!!! RIP Big Momma Thornton- one of THE All Time Greats ! Your music inspires.

[1408alan]

RIP, mama. You are sorely missed. Love you always.

[Lyn2686]

Oh my god yes!

[LP522]

Was this possibly the Portland Paramount Theatre? If it is, I was working with the promoter as a photographer for the show.

[slitmjst]

The talent of this Lady speaks for itself, Her backing band is also great, I love the strong Bass in particular

[casu3]

dat harp shit shes the queen of blues harp

[trlrtrash411]

smok-in hot!!!

[Meeshee57]

Other people sang this...but Big Momma Thornton sang it RIGHT!

[touchdasky15]

that was awesome. i love this her voice is so powerful and she's play that harmonica like its nobody business and the people on the instruments in the back just awesome.

[jeepndesert]

one of the best versions of this song i've heard since the urban shakedancers introduced me to it

[Mecobaby7]

I have nothing but respect for this lady who has been seriously Under-rated as so many other Greats.

She's giving us music from the heart.

[lalaa9000]

@Mecobaby7 You are so right about sooo many Greats being under-rated. Janis Joplin idolized Big Mama! She had the right idea!

[august829]

My co-workers think I'm crazy...I'm blasting this sh*t!!!!!!

[whokeithmoon]

would have loved a duet with janis and mama thornton, she was janis inspiration.

het bij de mooiste bij de vrouw zit toch niet van buiten ik ben geen gelovige maar het is waar in de 21 verklaringen staat niets behalve man is mooi maar het mest mooi is vrouw eens goed over nadenken de bedoeling is dat een vrouw altijd mooi is en een man op sommige punten