Black Betty
Encyclopedia
"Black Betty" is a 20th century African-American work song
often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching cadence
about a flintlock musket. There are numerous recorded versions, including a cappella
, folk, and rock arrangements. The best known modern recordings are rock versions by Ram Jam
and Spiderbait
, both of which were hits.
given to a number of objects: a musket, a bottle of whisky, a whip, or a penitentiary transfer wagon, as referenced in the following paragraphs:
Some sources claim the song is derived from an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock musket with a black painted stock; the "bam-ba-lam" lyric referring to the sound of the gunfire. Soldiers in the field were said to be "hugging Black Betty". In this interpretation, the musket was superseded by its "child", a musket with an unpainted walnut stock known as a "Brown Bess
".
In "Caldwells's Illustrated Combination Centennial Atlas of Washington Co. Pennsylvania of 1876", there is a short section describing wedding ceremonies and marriage customs on page 12. Caldwell describes a wedding tradition where two young men from the bridegroom procession were challenged to run for a bottle of whiskey. This challenge was usually given when the bridegroom party was about a mile from the destination home where the ceremony was to be had. Upon securing prize, referred to as "Black Betty" the winner of the race would bring the bottle back to the bridegroom and his party. The whiskey was offered to the bridegroom first and then successively to each of the grooms friends.
The earliest meaning of "Black Betty" in the United States (from at least 1827) was a liquor bottle. In January 1736, Benjamin Franklin published The Drinker's Dictionary
in the Pennsylvania Gazette
offering 228 round-about phrases for being drunk. One of those phrases is "He's kiss'd black Betty."
David Hackett Fischer
, in his book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (Oxford University Press
, 1989), states that "Black Betty" was a common term for a bottle of whisky
in the borderlands of northern England/southern Scotland, and later in the backcountry areas of the eastern United States.
In an interview conducted by Alan Lomax
with a former prisoner of the Texas penal farm named Doc Reese (aka "Big Head"), Reese stated that the term "Black Betty" was used by prisoners to refer to the "Black Maria" — the penitentiary transfer wagon.
In 1934, John A. and Alan Lomax in their book, American Ballads and Folk Songs described the origins of "Black Betty" as thus:
John Lomax also interviewed blues musician James Baker (better known as "Iron Head") in 1934, almost one year after recording Iron Head performing the first known recording of the song. In the resulting article for Musical Quarterly, titled ""Sinful Songs" of the Southern Negro", Lomax again mentions the nickname of the bullwhip is "Black Betty". Steven Cornelius in his book, Music of the Civil War Era, states in a section concerning folk music following the war's end that "..prisoners sang of "Black Betty", the driver's whip." Robert Vells, in Life Flows On in Endless Song: Folk Songs and American History, writes:
In later versions, 'Black Betty' was depicted as various vehicles, including a motorcycle
and a hot rod
.
John
and Alan Lomax
in 1933
, performed a cappella
by the convict James Baker (also known as Iron Head) and a group at Central State Farm, Sugar Land, Texas
(a State prison farm).
The Lomaxs were recording for the Library of Congress
and later field recordings in 1934, 1936 and 1939 also include versions of "Black Betty". It was recorded commercially in New York
in 1939 for the Musicraft label by Lead Belly, as part of a medley with two other work songs: "Looky Looky Yonder" and "Yellow Woman's Doorbells". Musicraft issued the recording in 1939 as part of a 78rpm five-disc album entitled Negro Sinful Songs sung by Lead Belly. Lead Belly had a long association with the Lomaxs, and had himself served time in State prison farms.
, most subsequent versions added a guitar
accompaniment. These include folk
-style recordings in 1964 by Odetta
(as a medley with "Looky Yonder"), Dave "Snaker" Ray, and Alan Lomax
himself. In 1976 a Cincinnati
band, Starstruck, recorded a rock
version of the song with modified lyrics on the Truckstar label which had little success.
In 1977, the rock band Ram Jam — which included former Starstruck and Lemon Pipers
guitarist Bill Bartlett — rereleased an edit of the Starstruck recording of the song with producers Jerry Kasenetz
and Jeff Katz
under Epic Records
. The song became an instant hit with listeners, as it reached number 18 on the singles charts in the United States
and the top ten in the UK
and Australia
. At the same time, the lyrics became the cause of a boycott
by civil rights
groups NAACP and Congress of Racial Equality
.
In 1990 dance
remix
es of Ram Jam's version made the top twenty of the US dance and UK charts and top thirty in Australia. Other notable artists such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
(1986) and Tom Jones
(2002) have covered the song.
In 1992 remixer Hank Shocklee of The Bomb Squad
used a riff from the Ram Jam single as a sample for a remix of Live
's "Pain Lies on the Riverside". It was not until 1997 that the remix became commercially available.
In 2004, Spiderbait
's re-working of Ram Jam's rock arrangement was a hit in Australia. The song, from their Tonight Alright
album, was also used in the movie Without A Paddle
and Electronic Arts
's 2004 game Need for Speed: Underground 2
.
In 2006 the University of New Hampshire
administration controversially banned the playing of Ram Jam's "Black Betty" at UNH Hockey
games. UNH Athletic Director Marty Scarano explained the reason for the decision: "UNH is not going to stand for something that insults any segment of society".
In 2006 the students of University of New Hampshire
started the "Save Black Betty" campaign. Students protested at the hockey games by singing Ram Jam's "Black Betty", wearing t-shirts that were blue with white writing on the front "Save Black Betty" and white writing on the back "Bam-A-Lam", and holding up campaign posters at the game.
In 2008 a franchise of bars first opened in New Jersey
named "Black Bettys Saloon". One of the aspects of the franchise is the playing of various versions of the "Black Betty" song, which the barmaids dance to.
On May 15, 2011 A new version called "Black Betty (she gets me high)" by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Travis Barker, Mick Mars and Sebastian Bach was world premiered on "Anything Anything with Rich Russo" on WRXP-FM in New York City. The song is slated for fall 2011 release
's 2003 album Say You Will
, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham
reworked the chorus of "Black Betty" for his song "Murrow Turning Over In His Grave," an attack on the contemporary news media. For the "Black Betty had a child" line, Buckingham substituted the name of the reporter Ed Murrow.
Work song
A work song is a piece of music closely connected to a specific form of work, either sung while conducting a task or a song linked to a task or trade which might be a connected narrative, description, or protest song....
often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching cadence
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
about a flintlock musket. There are numerous recorded versions, including a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, folk, and rock arrangements. The best known modern recordings are rock versions by Ram Jam
Ram Jam
Ram Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
and Spiderbait
Spiderbait
Spiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
, both of which were hits.
Meaning and origin
The origin and meaning of the lyrics are subject to debate. Historically the "Black Betty" of the title may refer to the nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
given to a number of objects: a musket, a bottle of whisky, a whip, or a penitentiary transfer wagon, as referenced in the following paragraphs:
Some sources claim the song is derived from an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock musket with a black painted stock; the "bam-ba-lam" lyric referring to the sound of the gunfire. Soldiers in the field were said to be "hugging Black Betty". In this interpretation, the musket was superseded by its "child", a musket with an unpainted walnut stock known as a "Brown Bess
Brown Bess
Brown Bess is a nickname of uncertain origin for the British Army's Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. This musket was used in the era of the expansion of the British Empire and acquired symbolic importance at least as significant as its physical importance. It was in use for over a hundred...
".
In "Caldwells's Illustrated Combination Centennial Atlas of Washington Co. Pennsylvania of 1876", there is a short section describing wedding ceremonies and marriage customs on page 12. Caldwell describes a wedding tradition where two young men from the bridegroom procession were challenged to run for a bottle of whiskey. This challenge was usually given when the bridegroom party was about a mile from the destination home where the ceremony was to be had. Upon securing prize, referred to as "Black Betty" the winner of the race would bring the bottle back to the bridegroom and his party. The whiskey was offered to the bridegroom first and then successively to each of the grooms friends.
The earliest meaning of "Black Betty" in the United States (from at least 1827) was a liquor bottle. In January 1736, Benjamin Franklin published The Drinker's Dictionary
The Drinker's Dictionary
The Drinker's Dictionary is a list of 228 "round-about phrases" to describe drunkenness. It was published January 13, 1737 in the Pennsylvania Gazette...
in the Pennsylvania Gazette
Pennsylvania Gazette (newspaper)
The Pennsylvania Gazette was one of the United States' most prominent newspapers from 1728, before the time period of the American Revolution, until 1815...
offering 228 round-about phrases for being drunk. One of those phrases is "He's kiss'd black Betty."
David Hackett Fischer
David Hackett Fischer
David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Earl Warren Professor of History at Brandeis University. Fischer's major works have tackled everything from large macroeconomic and cultural trends to narrative histories of significant events to explorations of...
, in his book Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America (Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1989), states that "Black Betty" was a common term for a bottle of whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
in the borderlands of northern England/southern Scotland, and later in the backcountry areas of the eastern United States.
In an interview conducted by Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
with a former prisoner of the Texas penal farm named Doc Reese (aka "Big Head"), Reese stated that the term "Black Betty" was used by prisoners to refer to the "Black Maria" — the penitentiary transfer wagon.
In 1934, John A. and Alan Lomax in their book, American Ballads and Folk Songs described the origins of "Black Betty" as thus:
| "Black Betty is not another Frankie, nor yet a two-timing woman that a man can moan his blues about. She is the whip that was and is used in some Southern prisons. A convict on the/ Darrington State Farm in Texas, where, by the way, whipping has been practically discontinued, laughed at Black Betty and mimicked her conversation in the following song." (In the text, the music notation and lyrics follow.) |
John Lomax also interviewed blues musician James Baker (better known as "Iron Head") in 1934, almost one year after recording Iron Head performing the first known recording of the song. In the resulting article for Musical Quarterly, titled ""Sinful Songs" of the Southern Negro", Lomax again mentions the nickname of the bullwhip is "Black Betty". Steven Cornelius in his book, Music of the Civil War Era, states in a section concerning folk music following the war's end that "..prisoners sang of "Black Betty", the driver's whip." Robert Vells, in Life Flows On in Endless Song: Folk Songs and American History, writes:
| "As late as the 1960s, the vehicle that carried men to prison was known as "Black Betty," though the same name may have also been used for the whip that so often was laid on the prisoners' backs, "bam-ba-lam." |
In later versions, 'Black Betty' was depicted as various vehicles, including a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
and a hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
.
Early recordings, 1933-39
The song was first recorded in the field by U.S. musicologistsMusicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
John
John Lomax
John Avery Lomax was an American teacher, a pioneering musicologist and folklorist who did much for the preservation of American folk songs...
and Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
in 1933
1933 in music
-Events:*January 23 – Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 2 is premiered in Frankfurt*National Association for American Composers and Conductors is founded by Henry Hadley.*Billie Holiday is "discovered" singing at Monette's club....
, performed a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
by the convict James Baker (also known as Iron Head) and a group at Central State Farm, Sugar Land, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(a State prison farm).
The Lomaxs were recording for the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
and later field recordings in 1934, 1936 and 1939 also include versions of "Black Betty". It was recorded commercially in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1939 for the Musicraft label by Lead Belly, as part of a medley with two other work songs: "Looky Looky Yonder" and "Yellow Woman's Doorbells". Musicraft issued the recording in 1939 as part of a 78rpm five-disc album entitled Negro Sinful Songs sung by Lead Belly. Lead Belly had a long association with the Lomaxs, and had himself served time in State prison farms.
Post-1939
While Lead Belly's 1939 recording was also performed a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, most subsequent versions added a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
accompaniment. These include folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-style recordings in 1964 by Odetta
Odetta
Odetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
(as a medley with "Looky Yonder"), Dave "Snaker" Ray, and Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
himself. In 1976 a Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
band, Starstruck, recorded a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
version of the song with modified lyrics on the Truckstar label which had little success.
In 1977, the rock band Ram Jam — which included former Starstruck and Lemon Pipers
The Lemon Pipers
The Lemon Pipers were a 1960s psychedelic pop band from Oxford, Ohio, known chiefly for their song "Green Tambourine", which reached No. 1 in the United States in 1968...
guitarist Bill Bartlett — rereleased an edit of the Starstruck recording of the song with producers Jerry Kasenetz
Jerry Kasenetz
Jerry Kasenetz is an American bubblegum pop producer who worked with Jeff Katz, the two working together as the Super K production company, to manufacture and produce bands like The Music Explosion, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Crazy Elephant, and The Ohio Express....
and Jeff Katz
Jeff Katz
Jeffrey Katz is an American music producer, one of the first exponents of bubblegum pop.-Music career:He is one half of a hitmaking duo with Jerry Kasenetz, the two working together as the Super K production company...
under Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
. The song became an instant hit with listeners, as it reached number 18 on the singles charts in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the top ten in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At the same time, the lyrics became the cause of a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
by civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
groups NAACP and Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
.
In 1990 dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es of Ram Jam's version made the top twenty of the US dance and UK charts and top thirty in Australia. Other notable artists such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
(1986) and Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
(2002) have covered the song.
In 1992 remixer Hank Shocklee of The Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad
The Bomb Squad is an American hip hop production team, known for their work with the rap group Public Enemy. The Bomb Squad are noted for their dense, distinct, innovative production style, often utilizing dozens of samples on just one track...
used a riff from the Ram Jam single as a sample for a remix of Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
's "Pain Lies on the Riverside". It was not until 1997 that the remix became commercially available.
In 2004, Spiderbait
Spiderbait
Spiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
's re-working of Ram Jam's rock arrangement was a hit in Australia. The song, from their Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright
Tonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :...
album, was also used in the movie Without A Paddle
Without A Paddle
Without a Paddle is a 2004 comedy film about three reunited childhood friends going on a trip up a remote river in order to search for the body of a long lost thief and his loot...
and Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
's 2004 game Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2
Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a cross-platform racing video game published and developed by Electronic Arts. Released in 2004, it is the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, and is part of the Need for Speed series, available on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance,...
.
In 2006 the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
administration controversially banned the playing of Ram Jam's "Black Betty" at UNH Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
games. UNH Athletic Director Marty Scarano explained the reason for the decision: "UNH is not going to stand for something that insults any segment of society".
In 2006 the students of University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
started the "Save Black Betty" campaign. Students protested at the hockey games by singing Ram Jam's "Black Betty", wearing t-shirts that were blue with white writing on the front "Save Black Betty" and white writing on the back "Bam-A-Lam", and holding up campaign posters at the game.
In 2008 a franchise of bars first opened in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
named "Black Bettys Saloon". One of the aspects of the franchise is the playing of various versions of the "Black Betty" song, which the barmaids dance to.
On May 15, 2011 A new version called "Black Betty (she gets me high)" by Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, Travis Barker, Mick Mars and Sebastian Bach was world premiered on "Anything Anything with Rich Russo" on WRXP-FM in New York City. The song is slated for fall 2011 release
Movies
- 1967 movie Shanty Tramp.
- 2001 film BlowBlow (film)Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
. (Ram Jam recording) - 2001 comedy film Super TroopersSuper TroopersSuper Troopers is a 2001 crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group . Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance...
. - 2002 comedy movie Kung Pow! Enter the FistKung Pow! Enter the FistKung Pow! Enter the Fist is a 2002 American comedy film that parodies Hong Kong action cinema. Starring Steve Oedekerk, it uses and manipulates footage from the 1976 Hong Kong martial arts movie Tiger and Crane Fist Kung Pow! Enter the Fist is a 2002 American comedy film that parodies Hong Kong...
. - 2003 film BasicBasic (film)Basic is a 2003 American/German thriller film directed by John McTiernan and starring John Travolta, Connie Nielsen and Samuel L. Jackson.-Plot:...
. - 2004 film Without a PaddleWithout A PaddleWithout a Paddle is a 2004 comedy film about three reunited childhood friends going on a trip up a remote river in order to search for the body of a long lost thief and his loot...
- SpiderbaitSpiderbaitSpiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
's version can be heard in the movies Miss Congeniality 2, Guess WhoGuess Who (film)Guess Who is a 2005 American comedy film about race relations directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan. It is a loose remake of the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, in the form of a romantic comedy...
, The Brave One (2007 film)The Brave One (2007 film)The Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007...
, and The CondemnedThe CondemnedThe Condemned is a 2007 action film, co-written and directed by Scott Wiper, and starring "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Robert Mammone, Madeleine West and Rick Hoffman....
(2007), the trailer for the 2007 film Smokin' AcesSmokin' AcesSmokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him... - 2005 film The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard (film)The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 comedy film based on the American television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures...
used both versions by Spiderbait (on the trailer) and Ram JamRam JamRam Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
(in the film itself). - 2006 film Arthur and the InvisiblesArthur and the InvisiblesArthur and the Invisibles is a French/American part-animated, part-live action feature film adaptation of the 2002 children's book Arthur et les minimoys / Arthur and the Minimoys, and the 2003 sequel Arthur et la cité interdite /...
. - 2007 film TMNT. This version is by the band Big City RockBig City RockBig City Rock is a pop rock band based in Los Angeles, California who are signed to Atlantic Records. Their music type is self-described as "energetic, anthemic pop" with "an uplifting sound", with keyboards, guitar, and drums...
. - 2007 film The Brave OneThe Brave OneThe Brave One can refer to:* The Brave One , a 1956 American drama film directed by Irving Rapper* The Brave One , a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan...
. - 2007 film The CondemnedThe CondemnedThe Condemned is a 2007 action film, co-written and directed by Scott Wiper, and starring "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Robert Mammone, Madeleine West and Rick Hoffman....
, Spiderbait version. - 2008 film Rex has a cover as its opening scene music.
- 2008 skateboard video "Baker Has A Deathwish." by Baker SkateboardsBaker SkateboardsBaker Skateboards is a skateboarding company founded by professional skateboarder Andrew Reynolds and creative founder Jay Strickland in 2000. Its main products are skateboard decks, clothing, and wheels.- History :...
. - 2010 film Cop Out, as a character was going to climb a building to commit a robbery
- 2010 film The LosersThe Losers (film)The Losers is a 2010 American action based on the adaptation of the Vertigo comic book series of the same name by Andy Diggle. Directed by Sylvain White, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans....
it is played as the soldiers enter the drug camp. - 2011 film Death Race 2 when Carl "Luke" Lucas drive the Mustang GT in a Terminal State.
- 2011 film Harold and Kumar 3 used for all trailers
Television
- In the Malcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
episode "Reese joins the Army" (2), and once in an episode of Wildboys on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs.... - Ram Jam's version used in the TV show My Name Is EarlMy Name Is EarlMy Name Is Earl is an American television comedy series created by Greg Garcia that was originally broadcast on the NBC television network from September 20, 2005, to May 14, 2009, in the United States...
episode "Randy's Touchdown". - In the pilot episode of NBC's television show Friday Night LightsFriday Night Lights (TV series)Friday Night Lights is an American sports drama television series adapted by Peter Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevins from a book and film of the same name. The series details events surrounding a high school football team based in fictional Dillon, Texas, with particular focus given to team...
. - Appeared in BBC sketch show Dry Your EyesDry Your Eyes (TV series)Dry Your Eyes was a Northern Irish sketch show on BBC One NI, created by the Hole in the Wall Gang, the makers of one of Northern Ireland's most successful shows Give My Head Peace...
in the form of a cursed motorbike. - UnderbellyUnderbelly (TV series)Underbelly is a 13-part Australian television mini-series that retells the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, and is the first series in the larger Underbelly Franchise. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival,...
, an Australian television drama series, 2008. - Was used in So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
by Mark Kanemura in one of his solos on Season 4So You Think You Can Dance (Season 4)So You Think You Can Dance is a United States television reality program and dance competition airing on the Fox Broadcasting Company network. Season four premiered on May 22, 2008, with Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy returning as permanent judges and Cat Deeley returning to host...
. - Was used in the pilot episode of Eastbound & DownEastbound & DownEastbound & Down is an American comedy television series broadcast on HBO, starring Danny McBride as Kenny Powers, a former professional baseball pitcher, who after an up and down career in the major leagues is forced to return to his hometown middle-school in Shelby, North Carolina, as a...
HBO 2009 - Was used on MTV Show Viva La Bam (a spinoff of Jackass). MTV 2007
- Was used in the FlashForwardFlashforwardA flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
episode "BlowbackBlowbackBlowback may refer to one of the following:*Blowback *Blowback *Blowback , vacuum effect created in the barrel of a firearm when it is discharged...
". ABC 2010 - Was used in the The Defenders (2010 TV series)The Defenders (2010 TV series)The Defenders is a 2010 American legal comedy-drama that was ordered to series by CBS for the 2010–11 television season. The series originally ran from September 22, 2010 to March 11, 2011....
episode "Las Vegas vs. Johnson". CBS 2010
Advertising
- Was used on a Toyota ad in Australia in 2005 promoting the then new Hilux.
- Was used in Nintendo's Mario Pinball LandMario Pinball Land, released as Mario Pinball Land in North America, is a pinball video game that was developed by Fuse Games and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance and released in 2004. It is a spin-off of the Mario series that began on the Nintendo Entertainment System...
commercial. - Was used in commercials for Battlefield: Bad Company
- Was used in an ad for Smiths Chips
- Was used in an ad for the video game Pac-Man World 2Pac-Man World 2is a video game by Namco for Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and PC released in . Like the original Pac-Man World, the player controls the character of Pac-Man in a 3D platform game.-Story:...
- Was used in an ad for the New Style VolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
Beetle in Super Bowl XLV in 2011. - Kalgoolie Cops Fox Australia
Games
- In the video games Need for Speed: Underground 2Need for Speed: Underground 2Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a cross-platform racing video game published and developed by Electronic Arts. Released in 2004, it is the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground, and is part of the Need for Speed series, available on Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance,...
(Spiderbait), Tony Hawk's UndergroundTony Hawk's UndergroundTony Hawk's Underground, abbreviated to THUG, is a skateboarding video game, available for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox platforms released in 2003. A PC version was released exclusively in Australia as a budget release in 2005. This version was ported by Beenox. In 2004,... - Five performance styles of the song (including Marching Band) are included in the Wii game Battle of the BandsBattle of the Bands (video game)Battle of the Bands is a video game published by THQ and developed by Planet Moon Studios for the Wii console...
- The song is a downloadable in the game Guitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
. - In the Australian version of 2006 FIFA World Cup2006 FIFA World CupThe 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
the song is played when Jake Verry is unlocked as a playable character.
Books
- Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
parodied the song in his experimental novel TarantulaTarantula (book)Tarantula is an experimental novel by Bob Dylan, written between 1965 and 1966. It employs stream of consciousness writing, somewhat in the style of Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Allen Ginsberg. One section of the book parodies the Leadbelly song "Black Betty"...
(published 1971). - Walter MosleyWalter MosleyWalter Ellis Mosley is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hard-boiled detective Easy Rawlins, a black private investigator and World War II veteran living in the Watts neighborhood of Los...
titled his fourth Easy Rawlins novel Black Betty (published 1994).
Sports theme
- New Japan professional wrestler Togi MakabeTogi Makabe, better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Tag Team Champion....
once used the Ram Jam version as his entrance music, as does Ring of HonorRing of HonorRing of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
professional wrestler Adam PearceAdam PearceAdam Pearce is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is the current NWA World Heavyweight Champion in his fourth reign and the NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion in his first reign. He is also a former PWG Champion....
. - Former Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Mike TimlinMike Timlin-Early life:Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.-Baseball career...
used the song when he came out of the bullpenBullpenIn baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
at home games. - Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
' second baseman Ian KinslerIan KinslerIan Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
uses this song as his intro music when he comes up to bat. - During his NHL career, Cam NeelyCam NeelyCameron Michael Neely is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League from 1983 to 1996. He currently serves as the president of the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:Cam Neely was born in Comox,...
reportedly would listen to this song once before every game as part of a supersitious ritual. - MLB' first baseman-outfielder Darin ErstadDarin ErstadDarin Charles Erstad is the Head Coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team and a former Major League Baseball outfielder/first baseman. Prior to , he had played with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2007...
uses this song as his intro music when he comes up to bat. - The New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
commonly play this song during their home games in Yankee StadiumYankee StadiumYankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
most often during key rallies. - ABN AmroABN AMROABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
used the name Black Betty for their main boat which won the Volvo Ocean Race 05/06. - The Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
play "Black Betty" before every kick at home games at Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex. - The New Zealand A1 GP Team use a modified version of "Black Betty" sung as "Black Beauty" as the new theme song for their "Black Beauty" race car
- The Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
and New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
use the song to pump up the crowd, usually before a big face-off - The UNH Wildcats men's hockey team used to use the song during warmups until it was banned by the NCAA.
- The New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
major league baseball team used the Ram Jam version of this song as the theme song to their pre-game and post-game/Mets Extra shows on their radio station WFAN 660 AM New York for all of 2006 through 2011. - Was used as the entrance song for Jesse LennoxJesse LennoxJesse Lennox is an American mixed martial artist. He was formerly signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship fighting in their welterweight division before being cut with a 1-2 record with the promotion.-International Fight League:...
at UFC 101UFC 101UFC 101: Declaration was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 8, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. - The Calgary StampedersCalgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
hold a "Black Betty Day" once during training camp. The song is played all day long in the dressing room and on the practise field. In 2010, seven different versions of the song were played. - World Snooker number 5 Stephen MaguireStephen MaguireStephen Maguire is a Scottish professional snooker player.-Early career:Maguire almost qualified for the 2000 World Championships, leading eventual semi-finalist Joe Swail 9–6 in the final qualifying round before losing 9–10, but first served notice of his true potential by knocking out Stephen...
used the song as his entrance music at the 2010 World Open.
Selected list of recorded versions
- 1933 James Baker (AKA Iron Head) and group
- 1939 Mose Platt (AKA Clear Rock)
- 1939 Huddie Ledbetter (AKA Lead Belly), originally on the 78rpm album Negro Sinful Songs
- 1964 OdettaOdettaOdetta Holmes, known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
, Odetta Sings of Many Things album - 1964 Alan LomaxAlan LomaxAlan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
, Texas Folk Songs album - 1964 Koerner, Ray & GloverKoerner, Ray & GloverKoerner, Ray & Glover is the name of a blues band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band featured Tony "Little Sun" Glover on harmonica, "Spider" John Koerner on guitar and vocals, and Dave "Snaker" Ray on guitar and vocals. Koerner, Ray & Glover were part of the early folk/blues explosion in the...
, Lots More Blues, Rags and HollersLots More Blues, Rags and HollersLots More Blues, Rags and Hollers is an album by the blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover, released in 1964.-History:Between this release and their next, Dave Ray and John Koerner would each record a solo album, Snaker's Here and Spider Blues respectively...
album - 1976 Starstruck
- 1977 Ram JamRam JamRam Jam was an American 1970s rock band, best known for their 1977 hit single, "Black Betty".The band members were Bill Bartlett , Pete Charles , Myke Scavone , and Howie Arthur Blauvelt . Also, Jimmy Santoro, who toured with the band in support of their debut album, joined on guitar for the...
, UK #7 single, US #18 single, also on the US #34 album Ram JamRam Jam (album)Ram Jam is an album released by Ram Jam in 1977. The first track on the album, the single "Black Betty", is Ram Jam's best known song. It reached the #7 position in the UK singles chart in September 1977. The album reached #34 in the Billboard Pop Albums chart in the US... - 1986 Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad SeedsNick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, Kicking Against the PricksKicking Against the PricksKicking Against the Pricks is the third album released by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. First released in 1986, the album is a collection of cover versions...
album - 1989 Mekong Delta (band)Mekong Delta (band)Mekong Delta is a German progressive/thrash metal band, formed in 1985.-History:The band was founded by a group of German metal musicians with the goal to 'musically outshine' all then-current, independent releases. The line-up and the history of the group was to be "the best kept secret in the...
, ToccataToccataToccata is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtuosic passages or sections, with or without imitative or fugal interludes, generally emphasizing the dexterity of the performer's fingers...
12" Maxi-Single - 1990 Ram Jam, Australia #17 single, Remix of the original 1977 version called the Rough n' Ready Remix
- 1992 Electric Boys, Dying To Be Loved CD Single (Taken from the album Groovus Maximus )
- 1994 Electric Boys, Freewheelin album
- 1994 Electric Boys, Groover CD Single (Taken from the album Freewheelin)
- 2001 The Candy SnatchersThe Candy SnatchersThe Candy Snatchers is a 1973 exploitation crime film. It stars Tiffany Bolling, Susan Sennet, Ben Piazza, Brad David, and Vince Martorano. It was written by Bryan Gindoff and directed by Guerdon Trueblood...
on the "Taking a Ride" EP. - 2002 Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
UK #50 single, also on the UK #36 album Mr. Tom Jones - 2002 Throttlerod, on the compilation album Sucking The '70s
- 2004 SpiderbaitSpiderbaitSpiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
, AUS #1 single, also on the AUS #14 album Tonight AlrightTonight AlrightTonight Alright is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. It features the number one Australian single "Black Betty", the top 30 single "Fucken Awesome", and the top 100 single "Tonite".- Track listing :- External links :... - 2005 Pumpjack, Triple Platinum album
- 2005 Tony C. and the Truth
- 2006 Meat LoafMeat LoafMichael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, Bat Out Of Hell III single B-side - 2006 Joe Brown, Down To Earth album
- 2006 Ying Yang TwinsYing Yang TwinsThe Ying Yang Twins is an Atlanta-based American crunk rap duo consisting of Kaine and D-Roc . The group debuted in 2000 and rose to mainstream popularity in 2003 collaborating with Lil Jon in his single "Get Low"...
' song "DangerousDangerous (Ying Yang Twins song)"Dangerous" is the first single by the Ying Yang Twins taken from their album Chemically Imbalanced.-Song information:The song features Wyclef Jean and Mr. Collipark, and is produced by Wyclef Jean. It contains samples from Ram Jam's version of Black Betty...
" contains a sampleSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of the Ram Jam version - 2007 Big City RockBig City RockBig City Rock is a pop rock band based in Los Angeles, California who are signed to Atlantic Records. Their music type is self-described as "energetic, anthemic pop" with "an uplifting sound", with keyboards, guitar, and drums...
on the TMNTTMNT (2007 film)TMNT is a 2007 film based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. This is the fourth and final installment in the original film series. The film sees the Turtles grow apart after their defeat of The Shredder. Meanwhile, strange things are happening in New York City...
soundtrack - 2007 Soil, on the re-release of the album Throttle JunkiesThrottle JunkiesThrottle Junkies is the debut album by the Chicago-based music group Soil. The album was released on May 18, 1999 via the now defunct MIA Records. It featured tracks previously released on the band's EPs Soil and El Chupacabra. Not long after the album's release, MIA folded...
- 2008 MinistryMinistry (band)Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
, on their cover album Cover UpCover Up (Ministry album)Cover Up is an album of cover versions by Ministry & Co-Conspirators released on April 1, 2008. The album includes previously released covers "Roadhouse Blues", "Lay Lady Lay" and "Supernaut". Cover Up was supposedly Ministry's final release before their three year break up from 2008 to 2011... - 2011 Blues Explosion, in a teaser for the not-yet revealed VolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
Volkswagen BeetleVolkswagen BeetleThe Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
Fleetwood Mac take-off
On Fleetwood MacFleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's 2003 album Say You Will
Say You Will
Say You Will is the 17th album by British/American band Fleetwood Mac, released in 2003. It was the first Fleetwood Mac album in 34 years not to include tracks written by vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie, who had left the group in 1998. McVie is featured on two songs, which had been originally...
, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released six solo albums and a live album...
reworked the chorus of "Black Betty" for his song "Murrow Turning Over In His Grave," an attack on the contemporary news media. For the "Black Betty had a child" line, Buckingham substituted the name of the reporter Ed Murrow.
External links
- SecondHandSongs: List of cover versions