Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane
| Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1984 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Pausa[1] | |||
| Producer | Willie Dixon | |||
| Willie Dixon chronology | ||||
| ||||
Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane is an album by the American blues musician Willie Dixon, released in 1984.[2][3] Dixon supported the album with a North American tour.[4]
Production
[edit]The album was recorded in California, with most of it finished by 1982.[5][6] Dixon is backed by his Chicago All-Stars.[7] Typical of Dixon's writing, the album addresses topical issues such as religious dogma ("Pie in the Sky") and nuclear war ("It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace").[8] Dixon called the latter song his favorite of all the ones that he had written.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| Quad-City Times | B−[12] |
The Globe and Mail wrote that "the music, with the honky-tonk flourishes of piano player Lafayette Leak, and the solemn wail of harmonica player Billy Branch, is consistently engaging."[8] The Quad-City Times determined that the album "lacks the reckless spontaneity of his better groups."[12]
AllMusic deemed it a "decent modern album by the prolific legend."[10]
Cover versions
[edit]Soon after the album's release, Tina Turner added a cover version of the title track to her live set.[8] "Flamin' Mamie" was covered by Koko Taylor on Queen of the Blues, released in 1985.[13]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Earthquake and Hurricane" | |
| 2. | "It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)" | |
| 3. | "After Five Long Years" | |
| 4. | "Everything's Got a Time" | |
| 5. | "Wigglin' Worm" | |
| 6. | "Flamin' Mamie" | |
| 7. | "Grave Digger Blues" | |
| 8. | "Pie in the Sky" |
References
[edit]- ^ Komara, Edward M. (November 19, 2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415926997.
- ^ Inaba, Mitsutoshi (November 19, 2011). Willie Dixon: Preacher of the Blues. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810869936.
- ^ "Bug Buddies". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 38. Oct 6, 1984. p. 58.
- ^ Perry, Jonathan (Aug 23, 1984). "Blues legend coming to town". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 26.
- ^ Floyd Jr., Samuel A., ed. (1999). International Dictionary of Black Composers. Fitzroy Dearborn. ISBN 1884964273.
- ^ "End of the (touring) road nears for blues great Willie Dixon". Courier News. Jan 29, 1982. p. B2.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (30 Jan 1992). "Willie Dixon, Musician, 76, Dies; Singer and Writer of Classic Blues". The New York Times. p. B9.
- ^ a b c Lacey, Liam (23 Aug 1984). "Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane Willie Dixon and the Chicago All-Stars". The Globe and Mail. p. E5.
- ^ Garabedian, Steven (July 2015). "'It Don't Make Sense': Willie Dixon, the Blues, War, and Peace". Peace & Change. 40 (3): 287. doi:10.1111/pech.12131.
- ^ a b "Mighty Earthquake & Hurricane". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 37.
- ^ a b "Willie Dixon Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane". Quad-City Times. Go!. May 17, 1984. p. 21.
- ^ Salter, Rosa (16 Aug 1985). "Koko Taylor's Mainstream Blues". The Morning Call. p. D1.