"I'm a King Bee" is a swamp blues song written and first recorded by Slim Harpo in 1957. It has been performed and recorded by numerous blues and other artists since. In 2008, Slim Harpo's original recording received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
| "I'm a King Bee" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Slim Harpo | |
| B-side | "Got Love If You Want It" |
| Released | July 1957[1] |
| Recorded | March 1957 |
| Studio | J. D. Miller, Crowley, Louisiana |
| Genre | Blues |
| Length | 2:55 |
| Label | Excello |
| Songwriter(s) | James Moore a.k.a. Slim Harpo |
| Producer(s) | J. D. Miller |
Original song
editWritten by Slim Harpo, whose legal name was James Moore, the song was recorded in March 1957.[2] The recording features a spare arrangement and instrumentation typical of J. D. Miller's production approach. Accompanying Slim Harpo were Gabriel "Guitar Gable" Perrodin on guitar, John "Fats" Perrodin on bass, and Clarence "Jockey" Etienne on drums.
The song has an irregular number of bars (as opposed to the standard 12 bars). According to blues historian Gerard Herzhaft, it is derived from songs by Memphis Minnie, Bo Carter, and Muddy Waters and uses the rhythm figure from "Rockin' and Rollin'" by Lil' Son Jackson.[3] Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Excello Records originally released it in 1957 as the B-side to his debut solo single, "I Got Love if You Want It".[2]
Rolling Stones version
editEnglish rock band the Rolling Stones recorded "I'm a King Bee" for their 1964 debut album. It has been identified as an early important song for the Rolling Stones,[3] although it was not released as a single. The band's arrangement generally follows Slim Harpo's, but includes a slide-guitar break by Brian Jones. The personnel consisted of Jagger on vocals and harmonica, Jones on slide guitar, Keith Richards on acoustic guitar, Bill Wyman on bass guitar, and Charlie Watts on drums. Later, Mick Jagger commented "What's the point in listening to us doing 'I'm a King Bee' when you can hear Slim Harpo do it?"[2]
Grateful Dead version
editPigpen (Ron McKernan) had" I'm A King Bee" in his repertoire, featuring his considerable harmonica chops. The Grateful Dead played it over 40 times, with the first known at Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, January 8, 1966 and the last in Ann Arbor, December 15, 1971. Well-known performances include Fillmore West, San Francisco, February 28, 1969; Thelma Theater, Los Angeles, December 12, 1969; Capitol Theater, Port Chester, November 6, 1970 (Jerry on slide); and Fillmore East, New York February 28, 1971. Bob Weir tried out an arrangement in Los Angeles, December 8, 1993 and at the Omni in Atlanta, March 31, 1994 but it did not stick.
Pink Floyd version
editThe Tea Set, which became Pink Floyd, recorded "I'm a King Bee" and several other songs in December 1964.[4][5] The recording features Syd Barrett, Bob Klose, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason. When it was officially issued on the vinyl-only 1965: Their First Recordings (2015), it became the only cover song ever released by Pink Floyd. The song was later issued for the first time on CD as part of The Early Years 1965–1972 box set in November 2016, along with the other songs recorded in December 1964.[6]
John Belushi version
editJohn Belushi performed "I'm a King Bee" on the January 17, 1976 broadcast of Saturday Night Live, with Belushi and the show's house band dressed in bee costumes and bandleader Howard Shore dressed as a beekeeper. Guest host Buck Henry introduced them as "Howard Shore and his All-Bee Band." At the end, Belushi repeated four of the song's last five words several times in different vocal styles for comic effect.[7]
Recognition
editIn 2008, Slim Harpo's "I'm a King Bee" received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, which "honor[s] recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance".[8] The song has been recorded by a variety of musicians.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Review Spotlight On..." Billboard. July 15, 1957. p. 96.
- ^ a b c Everett, Tod (1989). The Best of Slim Harpo (Liner notes). Slim Harpo. Rhino Records. p. 1. RS 70169.
- ^ a b Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "I'm a King Bee". Encyclopedia of the Blues. University of Arkansas Press. p. 453. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
- ^ Manning, Toby (2006). The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. pp. 15–16. ISBN 1-84353-575-0.
- ^ Chapman, Rob (2010). Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head (Paperback ed.). London: Faber. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-571-23855-2.
- ^ "The Early Years 1965-1972 - Pink Floyd | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ "SNL Transcripts: Buck Henry: 01/17/76: "King Bee"". Snltranscripts.jt.org. 8 October 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
- ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Awards – Past Recipients". The Recording Academy. 2008. Archived from the original on July 7, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ "Slim Harpo: I'm a King Bee – Also performed by". AllMusic. Retrieved August 5, 2018.