King Bee (album)
King Bee | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by Muddy Waters | ||||
Released | 1981 (1981) | |||
Recorded | May 1980 | |||
Genre | Blues | |||
Length | 39:54 | |||
Label | Blue Sky | |||
Producer | Johnny Winter | |||
Muddy Waters chronology | ||||
|
King Bee is the fourteenth and final studio album by blues singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. Released in 1981, it is third in a series of records done for the label Blue Sky Records under producer/guitarist Johnny Winter. Recorded in three days (and in the wake of Muddy's failing health) some of the band members, namely Winter and guitarist Bob Margolin, were not happy with the result. As his health deteriorated, Muddy was forced to cancel an increasing number of shows. He died of a heart attack on April 30, 1983.
The album was recorded in May 1980. A salary dispute between the band and Muddy Waters's manager, Scott Cameron, halted the session. Eventually the album was completed by using a couple of outtakes from 1977's Hard Again.
David Michael Kennedy was the photographer for the King Bee, providing photos for the front cover, back cover, and the inside album sleeve. The photo for the inside album sleeve was a picture of Muddy and his large family sitting in the living room of his home in Westmont, Illinois.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | A−[3] |
The Boston Globe wrote: "Over the years, Waters' voice has become richer, but it is the arrangements of the blues that have suffered. With the exception of a few tunes, the music has lost its rhythmic tension."[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed King Bee "a fitting final testament."[5]
Track listing
All songs written by McKinley Morganfield, unless noted otherwise.
- "I'm A King Bee" (James Moore) – 3:49
- "Too Young to Know" – 4:28
- "Mean Old Frisco Blues" (Arthur Crudup) – 3:44
- "Forever Lonely" – 4:33
- "I Feel Like Going Home" – 3:42
- "Champagne & Reefer" – 4:36
- "Sad Sad Day" – 5:22
- "(My Eyes) Keep Me in Trouble" (Hap Walker) – 3:16
- "Deep Down in Florida #2" (James Burke Oden) – 4:06
- "No Escape from the Blues" (Charles Williams) – 2:04
Personnel
- Muddy Waters – vocals, guitar
- Johnny Winter – guitar, producer
- Bob Margolin – guitar
- Calvin Jones – bass
- Charles Calmese – bass on "Deep Down in Florida" and "Clouds in My Heart"
- Pinetop Perkins – piano
- Jerry Portnoy – harmonica
- James Cotton – harmonica on "Deep Down in Florida" and "Clouds in My Heart"
- Willie "Big Eyes" Smith – drums
References
- ^ Koda, Cub. "Review: King Bee". AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2011.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2004). "Muddy Waters: 'Hard Again'; 'I'm Ready'; 'King Bee'". Blender (June/July). New York. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (October 5, 1981). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 484. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 753, 756.
- ^ Cramer, Mai (4 June 1981). "Reviews/Record". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
- v
- t
- e
- 1960
- Muddy Waters Sings "Big Bill"
- 1964
- Folk Singer
- 1966
- Muddy, Brass & the Blues
- 1967
- Super Blues With Bo Diddley and Little Walter
- 1968
- The Super Super Blues Band With Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley
- Electric Mud
- 1969
- After the Rain
- Fathers and Sons
- 1972
- The London Muddy Waters Sessions
- 1973
- Can't Get No Grindin'
- 1974
- "Unk" in Funk
- 1975
- The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album
- 1977
- Hard Again
- 1978
- I'm Ready
- 1981
- King Bee
- 1960
- At Newport 1960
- 1969
- Fathers and Sons
- 1971
- Live at Mr. Kelly's
- 1979
- Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live
- 2007
- Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down
- 2012
- Live at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1981
- 1958
- The Best of Muddy Waters
- 1966
- The Real Folk Blues
- 1967
- More Real Folk Blues
- 1971
- McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters
- 1993
- The Complete Plantation Recordings
- 2000
- Rollin' Stone: The Golden Anniversary Collection
- 2001
- The Anthology (1947–1972)
- 1950
- "Rollin' and Tumblin'"
- "Rollin' Stone"
- "Walkin' Blues"
- 1951
- "Long Distance Call"
- 1953
- "Baby Please Don't Go"
- 1954
- "Hoochie Coochie Man"
- "I Just Want to Make Love to You"
- "I'm Ready"
- 1955
- "Mannish Boy"
- 1956
- "Trouble No More"
- "Forty Days and Forty Nights"
- "Rock Me"
- "Got My Mojo Working"
- 1962
- "You Shook Me"
- 1963
- "You Need Love"