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196th out of 276 books
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Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters
The epic, rollicking, up-and-down life of Muddy Waters, who went from Mississippi farmhand to musical legend, who invented electric blues and created the template for the rock-and-roll band and its wild lifestyle, is brought into sharp focus in this widely acclaimed biography. photos.
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
June 1st 2003
by Back Bay Books
(first published 2002)
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McKinley Morganfield came up the Stovall Plantation in the Mississippi Delta playing in the dangerous water so much that his Grandmother gave him the name Muddy. He started picking cotton, playing music and finally got his first guitar after seeing Son House who would remain a big influence. He became Muddy waters after moving to Chicago and influenced many rock musicians such as the Rolling Stones who took their name from one of his songs as well as countless blues musicians.
I was lu...more
I was lu...more
I watched Cadillac Records and found the story it told too superficial and Hollywood; I wanted to know the real story of Muddy Waters and the history of the blues. This book was perfect for that. Every part of the movie gave only a glimpse - sometimes that glimpse was out of focus and sometimes it was grossly oversimplified.
Can't Be Satisfied fills in all the details. You learn about Muddy's original success and his second coming. You learn real stories about what blues musicians he...more
Can't Be Satisfied fills in all the details. You learn about Muddy's original success and his second coming. You learn real stories about what blues musicians he...more
This was an interesting read. I don't know if I learned a lot about who Muddy Waters was, but I learned a lot of what he did. The author makes a lot of Waters' sharecropping background and the idea that he was subservient to the record companies and didn't really question what he was getting as long as he was taken care of. I know a lot of recording artists have gotten screwed by record companies and it wasn't because they were sharecroppers.
I learned what others thought of Muddy an...more
I learned what others thought of Muddy an...more
Very well written and researched. It bogs down at the end with accounts of tours, which is not that interesting. But this is the definitive account of Muddy Water's life.
This was one of the 2003 RUSA Notable Books winners. For the complete list, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/a...
I watched / listened to You Tube Muddy Waters videos as I read this book. What an eye opening experience.
Great book about the Chicago blues king. You won't be disappointed.
A very good account of a blues legend and innovator. Where would we be without Muddy!
Not bad overall, and the long quoted sections where it's just Muddy talking are really enjoyable. Unfortunately the author is a huge dork and every few pages there's a cringe-worthy dad joke, or another piece of 'blues wisdom' imparted by a middle-aged white guy who was probably a virgin until the age of 30.
An exhaustive biography of the seminal electric blues man, Muddy Waters, but it is a difficult and slow read. I appreciate the vast research that went into the book, however I felt that the author could have used more judicious editing.
Still this is a thorough documentation of the life of one of the most important American folk musicians and if you are a blues fan you will want to delve into it.
Still this is a thorough documentation of the life of one of the most important American folk musicians and if you are a blues fan you will want to delve into it.
Great read for the blues person.
It makes me want to walk the steps of muddy and I thought that the author did a great job causing you to research other blues artists that played with muddy, and inspired him. I spent many hours listening to muddy and other artists because of this book.
First there is the music: deep, powerful, sexy. You have to get that on your own.
Then there is the man -- simple, complicated, ignorant, brilliant -- and the hurricane in which he set sail. You get some help here.
Essential reading.
Then there is the man -- simple, complicated, ignorant, brilliant -- and the hurricane in which he set sail. You get some help here.
Essential reading.
This is a first-rate biography of Muddy Waters. He comes across as a man, not as some blues god. Anyone truly interested in learning about the sources of blues music would truly enjoy this book.
Alison Becker
added it
Left DC before I finished this book and had to return it to the library... so, I'll let you know when I get to those last 80 pages.
Decent writing. But for any blues fan this is a must. Muddy is the original Mack.
Very cool, well written biography of "The King of the Blues," Muddy Waters.
A great read for anyone who loves Muddy's music, the blues or just music...
I swear I liked the blues before the hipsters told me I should.
You like Muddy Waters? Read this book.
Great story about Muddy and how he became the king of the blues.
Michael Arden
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