Watch The Band & Muddy Waters Iconic “Mannish Boy” 1976 Performance

via Ronald Rock / Youtube
When it comes to the Blues, Muddy Waters is the embodiment of the blues soul we were all missing. His dynamic performances and heartfelt recordings cemented his legacy as the creator of modern Chicago blues. Countless artists have looked to his electric blues approach as inspiration; Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones, who took their name from Watersโ 1950 song โRollinโ Stone,โ are arguably the most devoted and well-known of Watersโ many disciples.
Many of Watersโ blues standards were original compositions, but his biggest song, โMannish Boy,โ was based on Bo Diddleyโs 1955 hit โIโm A Man.โ When Waters sang โMannish Boyโ with his signature agonized delivery, the songโs affirmation of manhood through its words hit home with a force that was real.
After six weeks on the list, the song peaked at #5 on the Billboard R&B chart. With this song, Muddy Waters achieved his highest position on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 51 in 1988. The original โMannish Boyโ by Muddy Waters, released in 1986, was accepted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a โClassic of Blues Recordingsโ in 1986. Plus, many other musicians made their own renditions of the song, with Jimi Hendrix’s being particularly well-known.
We also recall a live performance of the song by Waters himself and The Band in 1976, which was just as memorable as Hendrixโs version. In 1978, Martin Scorsese filmed a concert film featuring the latter. The title, The Last Waltz, featured footage from their electric performance at San Franciscoโs Winterland Ballroom. Take a look at the video below.