Ogre - that must’ve been incredibly cool! I envy you that experience.
Persephone - that was a hilarious story!!
John Carter - thanks for the info and the links; I reckon that’ll hold me until elelle gets back. And she does indeed know her music. 
Originally posted by jinwicked
I’m happy to say I haven’t got a damned clue what this thread is about
Damn kids! mumble, mumble, mumble
Mmm. guess I’m on the spot. Here goes: Sir Mack Rice was indeed born Bonny Rice, in Clarksdale MSPI. He was rechristened by blues eclectic Andre Williams, who produced Mustang Sally. “Bonny” just wasn’t gonna cut it in the music biz in Andre’s astute eyes. Mr. Rice went by Mack, but Andre wanted to give him some extra stage pizazz, so Sir Mack Rice came into being.
The story behind Mustang Sally is interesting, too. Mack was staying at Della Reese’s house, and was talking to her drummer. Della had a nice habit of giving her musicians a car for their birthday, usually a Lincoln. Mack was all whupped up about drummer Calvin getting a Lincoln, but Calvin said he’d rather have a Mustang, cause he looooved that car.
Mack was aghast that Calvin would rather have a Mustang, so started making a joke of it, writing some lyrics. He originally called it Mustang Mama, but back in Detroit, showed it to Ted White, (later Mr. Aretha Franklin), and they took it over to Aretha’s house. They taped it, and Aretha suggested he call it Mustang Sally. So there ya go, the Rest of the Story…
Sir Mack is by no means a one-hit wonder. He’s written hundreds of songs, many during the Stax golden age. (It was Ogre’s man Steve Cropper that lured Sir Mack to Memphis) Some of Rice’s better known songs are: Respect Yourself(Staple Singers), Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’ (Albert King), Do The Funky Penguin Rufus Thomas, and Tina the Go-Go Queen, (Alex Chilton and Tav Falco). Sir Mack also has a hearty voice hisown self, and has resurfaced from his sideline asphalt business, recording some new records in the past few years. I saw him awhile back at the Chicago Blues Festival, and he just whupped the hell out of that ol’ * Mustang Sally*. I’m glad he’s getting some hefty royalties from the movie world.
The Wilson Pickett connection? Sir Mack was in the Falcons with Pickett back in the sixties.
These stories fall in the common knowledge about Mack, but there is a good interview by Christine Child in Living Blues magazine, June 1993.
Okey Doke, back to your regularly scheduled song-bashing! Hope I didn’t detract too much.
Kudos,elelle!
Another bluesman from Clarksdale? Weren’t Jimmy Reed, T-Bone Walker and one or two others also from Clarksdale?
One cure for some of these songs is to make up new lyrics for them.
*There’s a lady who’s sure
All that glistens is pure
And she’s buying a barrel of heroin
When she tries it she’ll know
From the strychnine glow
How a moth feels while breathing in camphor*
Umm, add on John Lee Hooker and Ike Turner, and o’course Jackie Brenston, of * Rocket 88* fame, the beginning of rock-n-roll. Lotsa lesser-knowns, too…Clarksdale had a great history.
OK, I’ve hijacked this enough. Just wanted to give Sir Mack the shout-out he well deserves.
Now we know ‘the rest of the story’!
Thanks, elelle!