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Mustang Sally lives
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jpmcbride
68 posts
Sep 27, 2014
7:39 PM
This has been bugging me for a while so I think I'll just throw it out there and see what comes back.

What's with all the animosity towards Mustang Sally? I'm so tired of seeing references to "no Mustang Sally policys" and "drawing the line at Mustang Sally" and the like. Mustang Sally is a great funky tune that audiences love. There's almost no other song that can fill up a dance floor quicker. I play bass more than harmonica these days and I love to play this tune. And by the way, its a great harp tune if you want to play horn parts.

Some will say its overplayed ... well maybe. But a lot of songs are overplayed. Why pick on this particular one?

I love the song and so does every audience I've ever seen it played to. If I'm ever at your jam, or sitting in with your band, or in a band that you hire, go ahead and call Mustang Sally! If I'm on harp or bass I'll have a great time with it and so will the audience!








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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com
Goldbrick
700 posts
Sep 27, 2014
8:08 PM
I dont understand it either
In Jersey years ago- that meant the band was wrapping it up for the night

Cant beat the original or the Buddy Guy cover



STME58
1102 posts
Sep 27, 2014
8:37 PM
I was wondering the same thing. I was not familiar with the song but I read the animosity towards it.

I was at the Coco Park shopping center in Shenzhen China a couple of weeks ago and there was a 3 piece ensemble, guitar, electric stand-up bass, and a female vocalist playing a range of rock, blues and jazz at an outdoor restaurant. I stopped there to have dinner and one of the pieces they played was "Mustang Sally". I thought, that's not so bad, I wonder what all the fuss is about.
STME58
1103 posts
Sep 27, 2014
10:09 PM
A quick search found this thread on a bass forum. All I see is it is hated because it is overplayed. I have heard other songs a lot more, but I guess I run in weird circles.

Last Edited by STME58 on Sep 27, 2014 10:10 PM
jpmcbride
69 posts
Sep 27, 2014
10:25 PM
@STME58, Since I play bass too, I get on Talkbass some. The Mustang Sally hate it pretty bad over there. But in my opinion its mostly a lot of repeating what other's have said.

If its good enough for Buddy Guy, its certainly good enough for me!


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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com
STME58
1105 posts
Sep 27, 2014
10:34 PM
On a related note, what is it with Freebird? I was at an open mike this afternoon and I did a couple of pieces on a hulusi before switching to harp. I don't think anyone in the audience had seen a hulusi before but someone called out "Can you play freebird on that!" What is it about calling for "Freebird" in unusual situations? Perhaps I am a bit cultural deficient but I don't get this anymore that the hating of Mustang Sally. I do get "More Cowbell!" though :-)

Last Edited by STME58 on Sep 27, 2014 10:34 PM
JInx
903 posts
Sep 27, 2014
11:38 PM
don't listen to them, if you get a rise from it....that's all that matters



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Last Edited by JInx on Sep 28, 2014 1:29 AM
JInx
904 posts
Sep 27, 2014
11:44 PM
also, buddy guy is The most over rated bluesman of all time!
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JInx
905 posts
Sep 28, 2014
1:09 AM
"what is it with Freebird? I was at an open mike this afternoon and I did a couple of pieces on a hulusi before switching to harp. I don't think anyone in the audience had seen a hulusi before but someone called out "Can you play freebird on that!" What is it about calling for "Freebird" in unusual situations?"-STME58

They were heckling you


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Libertad
275 posts
Sep 28, 2014
2:34 AM

My favourite version.
dougharps
741 posts
Sep 28, 2014
7:42 AM
Even in Central Illinois, USA you will find the anti Mustang Sally sentiment. Yet it fills dance floors and is among the most requested songs.

My view is that if the people want it, play it and do it in your own way. Make your version your own, and watch the crowd enjoy the groove.

I am not too proud to play Mustang Sally. I do horn fills (unless I am singing it), and have fun with soloing. If the crowd is dancing, stretch it with solos. It is a good end of the night song that gets people out of their chairs.

I have even jammed to Free Bird when sitting in. If you try Free Bird, watch out for hyperventilation from trying to keep up!
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Doug S.
Thievin' Heathen
396 posts
Sep 28, 2014
8:34 AM
The Hulusi? That's just a child's instrument, right?
DoubleJ
101 posts
Sep 28, 2014
4:44 PM
It's just ignorance to reject a tune because it is popular. I've run across a "no Stormy Monday" attitude as well.
The Iceman
2156 posts
Sep 28, 2014
4:52 PM
If you are in an oldies band, "Brown Eyed Girl" is another one sometimes dreaded.

Like anything else, if it becomes stale, it's up to the player to make it interesting again.
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The Iceman
STME58
1108 posts
Sep 28, 2014
9:14 PM
Jinx "They were heckling you"

That part I got! :-) it was a friendly crowd though.

Whenever I have heard "Freebird" called for it is a joke or a heckle or both. People usually call for Mustang Sally because they actually want to hear it.

I like Iceman's comment. If you can pull that off, both the band and the audience is happy.

Thievin' Heathen, "That's a kids toy!" says the guy who plays the harmonica!" . Seriously, there are a lot of similarities between the instruments, they are diatonic, use brass reeds, require good breath control, are easy for a novice to get a recognizable tune out of in a short time, can play chords etc. You post was a good listen. It reminds me of comments in another thread about child musicians. I wonder if this girl will stay with music when she has a choice?
6SN7
474 posts
Sep 29, 2014
5:13 AM
It seems it is men that always say that they don't want to play Mustang Sally. My experience has proven that women love to dance to the song. The other night at a gig, a group of woman, all dressed up and out for girls night came into the bar. 2 of them started dancing while the other 4 went to get drinks. As soon as the tune ended, I called MS and all 6 of them were dancing and singing along. And before long the entire dance floor was filled and stayed that way until the end of the set. That's my job, mission accomplished. And that's why the owner gave us a 50$ tip at the end of the night.

Last Edited by 6SN7 on Sep 29, 2014 5:15 AM
BigBlindRay
240 posts
Sep 29, 2014
6:05 AM
I have a policy with playing Mustang Sally. My band will add it our set list if requested. We simply ask for 10 grand to do so.
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Goldbrick
703 posts
Sep 29, 2014
6:52 AM
You can be sure Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson or Leadbelly- any of those guys who played dance music would have played it if had been around and requested back in the day.

Here is the original by the writer Mack Rice

The Iceman
2159 posts
Sep 29, 2014
7:07 AM
Something to remember.

Original blues was house party dance music. If you couldn't get'em up off their feet, you wouldn't have many gigs.

This is sometimes forgotten these days.

Hey, if your blues band doesn't get the crowd dancing with your usual set and playing Mustang Sally fills the dance floor, maybe you are doing something wrong.
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The Iceman
Shredder
395 posts
Sep 29, 2014
8:08 AM
I've had my booking agent tell us not to play Mustang Sally and Brown eyed girl. Guess what, we were requested to play those very songs and got tiped for doing so. Give them what they want and keep them on the dance floor" That's my job"!

Last Edited by Shredder on Sep 29, 2014 8:14 AM
scojo
489 posts
Sep 29, 2014
9:04 AM
My problem with Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl, Freebird etc. has less to do with the songs themselves (they are good songs, if overplayed), and more to do with the people who request them. The vast majority of the time, these are people who have no interest in any song that they haven't heard a million times before. They want a jukebox, not something fresh or different. It gets tiresome. Also, they are often drunk.

Just my $0.02... I'm not above playing any of these songs in the right situation. Also... Jinx; Buddy Guy overrated? SERIOUSLY?
BigBlindRay
241 posts
Sep 29, 2014
9:19 AM
If a fat kid wants more cake, you are doing the child a disservice by feeding them more cake. I cant stand the drunk idiots who request these songs, most of them are clueless and I dont need to give them what they want to make them get up and dance. They'll get up and dance because ill damn well tell them to.
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- BigBlindRay

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Rgsccr
285 posts
Sep 29, 2014
9:29 AM
Goldbrick,
Thanks for posting the original by Mack Rice. I think I like better than any other version I've heard - slower, less frantic and bluesier.
jawbone
553 posts
Sep 29, 2014
2:49 PM
I could never figure this one out - I guess if you've been in the biz for years and years you may get tired of it - but like I told my band "Find me a song that fills the dance floor faster and I'll trade" - never happened - and I still love that song and I am comfortable with my sexuality !!! :-)
Then again - they gave me a lot of grief over "Wooly Bully" and "Wild thing" as well.
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
BronzeWailer
1473 posts
Sep 29, 2014
3:26 PM
I consider every song I play, including ultra slow blues, a dance song. I realized this when a couple started slow dancing when I was busking solo and a couple started dancing to Trouble So Hard.

BronzeWailer's YouTube
walterharp
1520 posts
Sep 29, 2014
6:36 PM
I think wagon wheel is the 20 something equivalent now.

We have as much luck getting people up for slow ones as fast, maybe more, and this includes the college kids who love a slow blues burner with feeling

one of our work party jobs we got requested to do mustang sally by a guy who wanted to sing it, he was off key and off time.. crowd loved him more than anything we did all night! they were the ones who were paying and appreciated our original tunes as well
MP
3266 posts
Sep 30, 2014
4:29 PM
from scojo-

"My problem with Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl, Freebird etc. has less to do with the songs themselves (they are good songs, if overplayed), and more to do with the people who request them. The vast majority of the time, these are people who have no interest in any song that they haven't heard a million times before. They want a jukebox, not something fresh or different. It gets tiresome. Also, they are often drunk.

Just my $0.02... I'm not above playing any of these songs in the right situation. Also... Jinx; Buddy Guy overrated? SERIOUSLY?"

That pretty much sums it up for me. I've played thousands of gigs since the 70s. As a general rule, when seasoned band guys like me hear a request for Mustang Sally we groan. More so if it is Free Bird. I grew up w/ classic rock and it is BORING now.

I'll play and sing MS if I'm a hired hand and we need to fill the dance floor. I'll hate it but I can sing the hell out of it and no one is the wiser. It's a trick a lot of us pick-up on the way. feigned sincerity.:-)
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kudzurunner
5011 posts
Oct 01, 2014
8:03 PM
Apparently the International Blues Challenge in Memphis has a "no Mustang Sally" rule:

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-no-mustang-sally-rule.820128/
dougharps
745 posts
Oct 01, 2014
9:56 PM
It is probably for the best, as such a rule would prevent an otherwise talented band from unnecessary elimination by IBC judges prejudiced against performance of the song.

This way the band is protected from that prejudice despite how innovative their rendition of MS might be.
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Doug S.
jawbone
554 posts
Oct 02, 2014
6:17 AM
If I read that rule correctly I think it refers to "No Covers" - they want originals. But what was interesting was that almost all the comments were favourable to playing Mustang Sally !!
I must be hangin' wit da wrong crowd !!
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 photo b5fa0d8c-0d9a-40dc-9706-5c260d08e2de_zps2cd5b980.jpg

If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
smwoerner
276 posts
Oct 04, 2014
9:04 AM


It worked OK for Snooks.
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STME58
1125 posts
Oct 07, 2014
9:54 AM
I was listening to the radio and heard an article that reminded me of this thread. It turns out that symphonies have a kind of "Mustang Sally" problem too.

Here is a quote from the article The advice given by Mr. Edwards would probably apply to a blues band as well as to a symphony.

"Symphony consultant Darrell Edwards says today's orchestras may need to diversify their music, opting for more of a mix of popular music and symphony classics.

"The orchestras that are doing well are doing both," he says. "And it's not to take away from the importance of orchestras playing the master works, because that's how they really grow artistically. You're not going to get better as an orchestra playing pops concerts."

Which leaves orchestra directors in a tricky spot. Do they play the score from "Star Wars" for the umpteenth time to bring in people, or play something new that might not appeal to a wide audience?"

Last Edited by STME58 on Oct 07, 2014 9:54 AM
Blind Melon
54 posts
Oct 12, 2014
5:06 PM
Jlnx: In regards to the question of why people yell "Play Freebird" at a concert, you can check out this article online titled "Why do people yell 'Play 'Freebird' at concerts?".

http://people.howstuffworks.com/play-freebird.htm

One page 2 of the article, it talks about a popular Midwest DJ named Kevin Mathews who told his audience/fans of his talk show to yell it at a concert as a joke and it kind of took off from there.

I use to listen to Kevin on the radio in Grand Rapids, MI and Chicago, and that was definitely a running joke with him.

jpmcbride: I have also wondered the same thing about Mustang Sally. I have always liked the song and I agree that if Buddy Guy can play it.....

Last Edited by Blind Melon on Oct 12, 2014 5:08 PM
jpmcbride
76 posts
Oct 12, 2014
9:19 PM
Was at Oktoberfest today and the closing band on the main stage (classic rock - not a blues band) had a German Polka band on stage with them who I assume had been playing earlier in the day. They closed with Mustang Sally and it was fantastic. The horn players from the polka band all had solos and they killed it! There were hundreds of dancers including a big group line dancing. Not too bad for a song that people refuse to play for some unknown reason!


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Jim McBride
www.bottleoblues.com


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