Bobby Parker - Watch Your Step

[ToneSpectra]

Why do arseholes like Sting and Bono always have to turn up on these shows, like they were part of it or something.

[Weapon715]

Lol. My name is Bobby Parker. but i'm not this guy

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

Thank.s everyone out here I love you tube you guys are the best supporters every thank you Guitar Blues Legend Bobby Parker

[elvicare35]

I just found out about the history of this song and thank-you very much Bobby Parker!!!!! I love the song I feel Fine!!!!!

[LexNaturalis1982]

Led Zeppelin riped him off more than the Beatles did. Check the song "Moby Dick".

[philbloke]

Despite Bobby's modesty, the riff was, let's face it, stolen, and on more than one occasion. Too right he should have had more recognition! He comes across as a great guy here, almost shy of his own prowess as a musician. At least Lennon had the decency to admit he was "influenced" by the Bobby Parker song, but a share of the I Feel Fine royalties might have been a worthwhile gesture!

[Alice555foxylady]

Remind me also the beginning "My woman from Tokyo"

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

Thanks for the support folks.....Guitar Blues Legend Bobby Parker

[pmaddox]

Well I am not over looking Bobby Parker, I have a very high respect for the man and what he's done with music and writing..He should get alot of more reconition that is for sure..spell check on reconition...sorry..

Yea seems like Bobby has been around forever..that is way cool to live all this time with the history of blues and rock and folk music leading the way...Sweet....Rock On

[TexasMist]

where did he get it from? there's only so many combinations in an 8 note octave. let it go, and enjoy the wonderful world of music

[SmileyGarrish]

@TexasMist And they have all been played before. Some tunes are entirely original like mine. What grates on me and others is that some people just RIP OFF and do not credit the source and so steal royalties and glory (for lack of a better word) for the originating artist. And well I'll say it - it is usually a Pale Face and their Record Label ripping off an already impoverished underpaid African-American. So it is 'about race' and it is 'about money' : excuse me while I Praise Jah once again

[TexasMist]

@SmileyGarrish @SmileyGarrish I feel what you say, but there are plenty of non-white artists who "borrow" as well. For instance, Rolling and Tumbling is not a Muddy Waters tune though he and Chess took credit. Its earliest recording is a 1929 version by Hambone Willie Newbern. Excellent cut by the way, google it, there are several links for the mp3. But there were other versions going back into the mists of time. How far back does one go? There's a grey area in this issue.

[TexasMist]

@SmileyGarrish This discussion has caused me to like and subscribe to Bobby Parker. Thank you all!

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

@TexasMist Thank you for the support

[saemikneu]

and it definitly sounds like "What I'd say" which came out in 1959

[midnighttilldawn]

Rat Bat Blue is definitely lifted from this riff, but slow it right down and you have...Woman From Tokyo.

[frg8888]

I like this guy. Thanks for posting.

[sbardila1]

awsome from morocco

[torchidman]

Hey Bobby;

For any gig info out at disney World, my contacts told me that you or your agent should contack the House of Blues out here...............Disney World HOB....

Tim.

[idigblues69]

QUOTE: "He's one of the few remaining guitarists on this planet who can pierce your heart and soothe your

soul. He inspired me to play guitar." - Carlos Santana

QUOTE: “The best stuff I ever heard is by a bloke called Bobby Parker” - Robin Trower

Face Book Fan Page: “Guitar Blues Legend Bobby Parker”.

[RAM71]

so he wanted more recognition for ripping off Ray Charles?...hmm.

[2011framat]

@RAM71

A very,very unfair remark .-) you could take it further asking which gospel did Ray Charles rip off etc..After all Bobby Parker was talking about his guitar riff&not the whole song.BTW the riff was used by LedZep in MOBY DICK,too. B.Parker would have every reason to be bitter (but he is not - find out:he has a ytube account BOBBYPARKERBLUES) because Berry Gordy stole a hit song from him giving him nothing in return:no credits,no money.Visit my channel for the BObby PARKER BIO clip

bye

[idigblues69]

Bobby Parker’s impact on the world of Rock & Roll is simply amazing. Check out his FB fan page at: “guitar blues legend bobby parker” and his website at bobby parker blues dot com... The bio tells an unbelievable story and is quoted by artists like Carlos Santana and Robert Plant. He’s SUPERBAD!

[bmwstan]

his signature song is I'll drink your bath water. Bobby is a DC treasure.

[StarPowerAlbum]

ATTENTION Bobby Parker Fans!! Check Out **NEW** 2010 MUSIC VIDEO Produced for "GUITAR BLUES LEGEND" Bobby Parker @ my channel YouTube.com/StarPowerAlbum...E­­NJOY!!!!!:-)) R-luv

[jackiechampion]

Mr Parker you are sensational and so is your music!!!!

[torchidman]

So was there ever a successful law suit for you, or should I not ask??

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

@torchidman Sorry to take so long in answering this, no there never was

[StarPowerAlbum]

Bobby Parker is an AMAZING musician that has inspired the sound of music in so many people!! This a great post to give a shout out to the super talented "Guitar Blues Legend" Bobby Parker...thanks4posting!!:-) R-luv

[hiramchik]

Songs influenced by this are (like they mention) "I Feel Fine" by the Beatles, a lot in Zeppelin's "Moby Dick", but especially "The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair" on the Led Zep BBC Sessions CD set. It's almost identical. Great riff.

[1Delta]

I never heard of Bobby Parker, but now I have.

Thanx for posting and the great heads up on this really cool guitar player.

[torchidman]

Hey Bobby............There is also a very close sound from one of Led Zeppelins songs in the 70's...............I want to say the name of the tune is Black Dog or something..

[villari23]

@torchidman Its Moby Dick .

[sb2922]

Cold Blood did a good job of covering this song, too, on their first album in 1969. And Bobby DID get credit for it that time!

[ArabianDrikaegito]

So nice!!!!So nice!!!Friend Brsil.

[srercrcr]

Of more historical significance, I bought Watch Your Step new before John made his list.

[903davesharonpoky]

Wowee! I'm a big Beatles fan and this is the first I ever heard about this! Cool!

[euphoricsurrealism2]

wow! amazing! i really love the intro of i feel fine!!! and they got it from this song.. trivia trivia

[OropherThranduil]

it also inspired the riff at the beginning and end of the led zeppelin tune moby dick.

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

Hello my peeps if your in the area check me out at the 8 x 10 10 East Cross St. Baltimore, Md 21230  Dec 9 2009

410 625 2000

Peace

Bobby

[Rocko671]

OMG! The Rolling Stones' 19th Nervous Breakdown sounds like this too!

[StolenJones]

George Harrison, in the March 1990 MUSICIAN magazine, at p. 34, said: "I'll tell you exactly how that came about: We were crossing Scotland in the back of an Austin Princess, singing 'Matchbox' (Carl Perkins) in three-part harmony. And it turned into 'I Feel Fine.' The guitar part was from Bobby Parker's 'Watch Your Step,' just a bastardized version."

[alloowishus]

Are you kidding me? That's the most generic riff in the world. Everybody and their dog has written that riff.

[bobby19782003]

Hi HI this is the real Bobby Parker

[BOBBYPARKERBLUES]

Hello Fans

Bobby Parker here I want to say thank you for all your support feel free to drop me a line anytime

[gilgamess]

Thank you for this song, "Steal Your Heart Away" and many greats over the years! I bought "Watch Your Step" back in the early 1990s and I am so happy to still have it.

[0000Rob0000]

Hey there! Despite his influence on Rock and Roll, Bobby really hasnt seen the international acclaim that he probably deserves. I speak as a friend of his. Sorry about the ad but it's for Bobby's benefit, that you can catch him about once a month at Madam's Organ Blues Bar in Washington DC (where this interview was shot). A show is no doubt coming up soon. Hope to see you.

[portlandblues]

very cool to explain the riffs and song.

thanks

kathy

[alternapop]

nice shades

[thedps1998]

Thanks, Bobby!

[56Johnny]

is this from a movie, or is the dance scene from a movie

[jefflh11237]

Stolen from the blacks I and I build a cabin I and I plant the corn Didn't my people before me Slave for this country Now you look me with a scorn Then you eat up all my corn Build your penitentiary, we build your schools Brainwash education to make us the fools Hate is your reward for our love Telling us of your God above

[RAM71]

these licks have been around for hundreds of years...no one invents anything.

[lambdaphi874]

True, the secret to originality is hiding your sources.

[taildragger51]

Bobby Parker is TRULY unique. His guitar playing contains very few cliches and his voice is unbeatable. I recall reading once that Bobby said he'd formed the lick for "Watch Your Step" after hearing Dizzy Gillespies "Manteca". This is a wonderful clip. Great to hear Bobby speak.

[sarabaack]

wonder who the other artists are who used the lick?

[MileyCyrusTrueLove]

"One Way Out" by Sonnie Boy Williamson / Allman Brothers, & "Moby Dick" by Led Zep - both use this riff as well

[mjrupps]

It's not the same.

[MileyCyrusTrueLove]

I didn't say they're exactly the same, but they're obviously copped from Bobby's riff. I did some research before I posted that comment & Jimmy Page states Bobby was a big influence, & Jimmy even offered to pay for his recording expenses after seeing Bobby perform live. I'm not putting Led Zep or anyone down - EVERYONE has their influences, & that's normal.

[mjrupps]

Well obviously they're gonna be influenced. First off, Moby Dick was all about Bonham. Page was probably just playing this while Bonham was in the studio and it fit. If you wanna go that far, everyone copied their riffs and basslines from somewhere.

[jennifersman]

"Rat Bat Blue"- Deep Purple, the whole song is built around that guitar riff

[sarabaack]

I agree Bobby...you should have got more recognition....he was cool about how they Beatles obviously used it along with, 56 other artists apparently lol great song bobby..love it. and i've always love "i feel fine" because of that opening!

[sarabaack]

Lennon is the love of my life.

[Theeggman18]

The riff from The Beatles' Day Tripper was also influenced by this song when the chord progression ends and starts again. You can hear it at 0:27 .

[klavistata]

"Songs influenced by this song" (I Think)

Rat Bat Blue-Deep Purple

One Way Out-Allman Brothers Band

I'm Not Talking-Yardbirds

Moby Dick-Led Zeppelin

I Feel Fine-The Beatles

Heavy Metal Hamster-Helloween (first lick)

New World Order-Gamma Ray

(Comment if you have more)

[stormtimedoor1138]

The Girl I Love- Led Zeppelin

[Hecruliods]

The Beatles no doubt were influenced by this song but they went on to create a new sound on other albums. Rubber Soul had hints that a revolution was about but the sounds that came out of Revolver were unlike any that had come before. It really changed everything about modern music and progressive seeds were definitely sown.

[golfcommmander]

Hecruliods u have Brain-haemmarhoids. Go and pay my mortgage.

[rrwjw]

Bobby Parker is THE MAN!!!!!

[bigasapig]

Awesome!

[nuculyerbush]

just figured the simple "lick" out in 2 seconds. I've always loved the Beatles and this song but never played covers... never will. It's the same rhythmic "pattern" but not the same notes at all. It's like trying to take credit for a modern *boom-boom-bump* dance beat of today... ridiculous.

[nuculyerbush]

lol, Lennon was cool enough to explain the reality of how he worked... but come on. I play guitar and this lick and I Feel Fine are totally different in the end resulting song and feel. Parker is funkier, but yes... the coolness of the lick comes from his soul. Lennon did something better with it as a pop song anyway.

[sarabaack]

agreed....John didn't try to hide it, he just came right out and said "i or the beatles" used it... that's why he'll always rule!!!

[Hecruliods]

A more blatant ripoff was Led Zeppelin Moby Dick. The Beatles was more of a influence.

[JosephNScott]

"A more blatant ripoff was Led Zeppelin Moby Dick. The Beatles was more of a influence."

Lennon and Page used the same number of notes of the "Watch Your Step" riff's melody before changing the melody, five. A similar thing is, the first five notes of Roy Orbison's "Oh! Pretty Woman" riff are in the Beatles' "Birthday" and Devo's "Whip It."

[AL3Xxx93]

moby dick riff

[LinkBulletBill]

well this is 1961 and Moby Dick was at 1969... So... Also Led Zeppelin played The Girl I Love at BBC Sessions, which the riff also sounds similar Moby Dick and Watch Your Step...

[klavistata]

This is a very nice riff as proved by how many times it has been reused.

Songs I can think of that use this riff is

1. Watch Your Step

2. I Feel Fine

3. One Way Out

4. Moby Dick

5. Rat Bat Blue

If you know any other ones, please respond with them.

[LinkBulletBill]

you forgot The Girl I Love from Led Zep....

[stormtimedoor1138]

I'm Not Talking by the Yardbirds

[IsaacIsaiahMusic]

Hehe, you just put 10 pence in Bobby Parker's head and he plays that guitar riff.

Still trying to make it 'big time'!

[KejsareBjorne]

This is a very nice riff as proved by how many times it has been reused.

Songs I can think of that use this riff is

1. Watch Your Step

2. I Feel fine

3. One Way Out

4. Moby Dick

If you know any other ones, please respond with them.

Great video, thanks for uploading, both America and Canada and all other countries rule!

[gomaelastica]

day tripper

[mclovin1138]

19th Nervous Breakdown

[MikeG62]

Ritchie Blackmore used this riff on the Deep Purple song "Rat Bat Blue".

[stormtimedoor1138]

I'm Not Talking by the Yardbirds

[chrisedelic77]

America Rules!!

[davidgrundy6]

Canada is better!

[LinkBulletBill]

Racist bastards.... Why fight?

[dirtylemon56]

the guitar intro is also pretty much note for note One Way Out by the Allman Brothers.

[tittyslave]

i guess this sorta has moby dick in it.

[joeyhek]

i just saw this guy live at my community college 2/20/08 lol THIS GUY IS BRILLANT. he was walking through the audience just pure improv. he is a jam genius.

[SuperDayv]

Anyone know where to get a list of the 40 albums?

[Black412Gold]

Wikipedia has this guitar riff as being "very similar" to to one in "The Girl I Love Got Long Black Wavy Hair", played by Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin....this is could't be farther from the truth....there are very small qualities the same, but overall it is quite different.....people will say anything to rip the might Zep...

[naldrich]

Not sure what wikipedia is talking about; the real comparison is between this bobby parker lick and Moby Dick. Listen to these two back to back, hey there it is. I'm not ripping the mighty mighty zep. Interesting how much Parker here embraces people copping his style. That's a good attitude to have, I think.

[OliverAB]

Yeah. Its Moby Dick that wikipedia must be referring to.

Also, Lennon confessed to using the guitar lick in I Feel Fine.

[hurly000]

you dont think zep would rip anyone to become mighty? its a shame i cant remember the song with the riff from which stairway was written.

[alternapop]

everything zeppelin did was ripped off, to say the least... blatantly stolen wouldn't be far off. look it up.

[paperbackriter55]

you do know this is about how the beatles ripped this song. not zepp. homo.

[towerdefense]

looooool

[idigblues69]

Great Video... very important for the entertainment industry.

[idigblues69]

Bobby Parker is one of the greatest Guitar players that has ever lived. what he's done for music history has been well over looked.

True Guitar Super Star.!!

[seizetheweakened]

class act

[XdchildX]

Nice to see somebody outstripping the Beatles!LOL