Origins of the song "Suzy Q."

Legendary music mogul, Stan "The Record Man" Lewis recounts his version of how the hit song, "Suzy Q" was born!!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• music
• blues
• SuzyQ
• Stan
• Lewis
• Dan
• Garner
• Louisiana

[StagPreston]

James Burton did a more defined guitar lick, but it's inspired by Howling Wolf's lick on SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING

[lorrin1950]

@paullubliner I agree with you, the bluesy form of the song suggests that it may be based on an older delta tune, or the author was into blues. The interesting thing about the song is the major diversion from the traditional "my woman wronged or hurt me, I'am so sad or down or broken, etc.).. Suzie Q is 100% about how great his woman is, and is very upbeat.

[paullubliner]

@lorrin1950: Lorrin, VERY interesting! I still have strong reason to believe the original riff is from the Mississippi Delta circa 1905. Can't prove it as no one wrote or even read music so nothing was published per se. Kinda sorta like "Green Sleeves" in Merri Olde England. That's actually 1,000 years old!

[lorrin1950]

@paullubliner

I play blues cross harp on my harmonica, and the entire Suzie Q song plays perfectly in a blues style. The song format is bluesy, with repetition of lines (I said she'll be true, I said she'll be true, I said she'll be true and never leave me blue, oh suzie q).

Susie Q by CCR sounds like an upbeat blues song, an outgrowth.

[garyguitar]

Check out our version of this song that we recorded in 1964, before CCR and the Stones recorded it by several. Also the first chord is the first time I've heard the E7#9 used in a rock context, several years before it became common due to Hendrix's use of it. Suzie Q by the Huggins Brothers it's here on youtube. Dale Hawkins later worked with our keyboard player and one of his last albums was produced by him.

[gringott12]

Liar, liar, pants on fire. He loves the money, but has no talent.

[paullubliner]

To all of you lovers of this song, I will wager the "riff" or more accurately the melodic line of Susie Q (repetitive as it is) is well over 100 years old. That's right, THAT old. It's origin is no doubt from the Mississippi Delta region and if you really listen, you may well hear that it sounds as though it was first performed on a Banjo. It is out of it's place in the 1950's or '60's. Like "Greensleeves," which is 1,000 years old! It is a great piece --Viagra aside! Genuine "Americana!"

[bluescountryfolk]

Dale and his band went to see Howling Wolf and they ripped the song off him. James Burton created the riff. Those are the words (roughly) of Roy Buchanan... and he knew alot of things about the early days of rock and roll. This guy is talking out of his ass.

[JOROSS2]

@JOROSS2 "Susie Q" is a song by Louisiana-born singer and guitarist Dale Hawkins (1936-2010).[1] His version reached #27 in the U.S. pop chart in 1957.[2] He wrote the song himself, but when it was released, Stan Lewis, the owner of Jewel/Paula Records, and Eleanor Broadwater, the wife of Nashville DJ Gene Nobles, were also credited as co-writers to give them shares of the royalties.[3]

[JOROSS2]

@hawkmandale Are you sayin that the song was popular before it was recorded?!

It Of course, it is possible that the truth is in the middle. James Burton had already written the famous riff and Dale had the idea for a song in his head, and this guy who "had nothing to do" with the song liked the title because he had already nicknamed his daughter Suzie Q ( after the dance step) and they sat down in the recording studio and made history. He definitely did get royalties from Creedence.