I’m a full grown man/
No B, O child, Y.

You haven’t heard an audience respond to a song until you’ve heard “Mannish Boy” by Muddy Waters. The crowd is amazing. It is like Muddy Waters is saying something that is so essential to their being that they are screaming out like they’re in church.

What is Muddy Waters saying? Well, he is a man and he has lots of fun. And all you ladies over there standing in line…I can hook up with every single one of you in 5 minutes. (I feel like I should end everything Muddy says with an explanation point.)

He is a man.

And the sound quality! How is it that we can get that sound quality from “Mannish Boy” from 70 years ago, but still get crappy live recordings today?  Incredible. I am grateful for it though.

This is “good-times” blues. Compare this to Jackson Frank’s blues. When I think of blues, I usually think of something closer to the depressing blue like Franks, but Mannish Boy is a marvel. The lyrics feel improvised, but they aren’t. If there is one concert I wish I could have been at, this might be it.

Lyrics Mannish Boy

Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah

Everythin’, everythin’, everytin’s gonna be alright this mornin’
Ooh yeah, whoa
Now when I was a young boy, at the age of five
My mother said I was, gonna be the greatest man alive
But now I’m a man, way past 21
Want you to believe me baby,
I had lot’s of fun
I’m a man
I spell mm, a child, n
That represents man
No be, O child, Y1
That mean mannish boy
I’m a man
I’m a full grown man
I’m a man
I’m a natural born lovers man
I’m a man
I’m a rollin’ stone
I’m a man
I’m a hoochie coochie man

Sittin’ on the outside, just me and my mate
You know I’m made to move you honey,
Come up two hours late
Wasn’t that a man
I spell mm, a child, n
That represents man
No be, O child, Y1
That mean mannish boy
I’m a man
I’m a full grown man
Man
I’m a natural born lovers man
Man
I’m a rolllin’ stone
Man-child
I’m a hoochie coochie man

The line I shoot will never miss
When I make love to a woman,
She can’t resist
I think I go down,
To old Kansas Stew
I’m gonna bring back my second cousin,
That little Johnny Cocheroo
All you little girls,
Sittin’ out at that line
I can make love to you woman,
In five minutes time
Ain’t that a man
I spell mm, a child, n
That represents man
No be, o’ child, Y1
That mean mannish boy
Man
I’m a full grown man
Man
I’m a natural born lovers man
Man
I’m a rollin’ stone
I’m a man-child
I’m a hoochie coochie man
Well, well, well, well
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry
Don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me child
Don’t hurt me, don’t hurt, don’t hurt me child
Well, well, well, well
Yeah

written by Ellas Mcdaniel / Melvin London / Mckinley Morganfield