Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane

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Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane
Studio album by
Willie Dixon
Released1984
StudioUniversal, Chicago, Illinois
GenreBlues
Length32:05
LabelPausa
ProducerWillie Dixon
Willie Dixon chronology
What Happened to My Blues
(1976) 		Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane
(1984) 		Willie Dixon: Live (Backstage Access)
(1985)

Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane is an album by the American blues musician Willie Dixon, released in 1984 by Pausa Records.[1][2] It was his first album since What Happened to My Blues, in 1976.[3] Dixon supported the album with a North American tour.[4]

Production

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The album was recorded in California, with most of it finished by 1982.[5][6] Dixon is backed by his Chicago All-Stars.[7] Dixon wrote and produced all of the songs on the album.[8] Typical of Dixon's writing, the album addresses topical issues such as religious dogma ("Pie in the Sky") and nuclear war ("It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace").[9] Dixon called the latter song his favorite of all the ones that he had written.[10]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[12]
Quad-City TimesB−[13]

The Globe and Mail wrote that "the music, with the honky-tonk flourishes of piano player Lafayette Leak, and the solemn wail of harmonica player Billy Branch, is consistently engaging."[9] The Quad-City Times opined that the album "lacks the reckless spontaneity of his better groups."[13] Cash Box called it "a fine album from an American original."[14]

AllMusic's Bill Dahl deemed Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane a "decent modern album by the prolific legend."[11]

Cover versions

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Soon after the album's release, Tina Turner added a cover version of the title track to her live set.[9] "Flamin' Mamie" was covered by Koko Taylor on Queen of the Blues, released in 1985.[15]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Willie Dixon.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Earthquake and Hurricane"4:20
2."It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace)"4:25
3."After Five Long Years"3:43
4."Everything's Got a Time"4:13
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Wigglin' Worm"3:35
2."Flamin' Mamie"4:01
3."Grave Digger Blues"4:04
4."Pie in the Sky"3:44
Total length:32:05

References

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  1. ^ Inaba, Mitsutoshi (November 19, 2011). Willie Dixon: Preacher of the Blues. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810869936.
  2. ^ "Bug Buddies". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 38. October 6, 1984. p. 58.
  3. ^ "East Coastings" (PDF). Cash Box. March 17, 1984. p. 11 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ Perry, Jonathan (August 23, 1984). "Blues legend coming to town". Daily Hampshire Gazette. p. 26.
  5. ^ Floyd Jr., Samuel A., ed. (1999). International Dictionary of Black Composers. Fitzroy Dearborn. ISBN 1884964273.
  6. ^ "End of the (touring) road nears for blues great Willie Dixon". Courier News. January 29, 1982. p. B2.
  7. ^ Pareles, Jon (January 30, 1992). "Willie Dixon, Musician, 76, Dies; Singer and Writer of Classic Blues". The New York Times. p. B9.
  8. ^ "Billboard Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. April 21, 1984. p. 60 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ a b c Lacey, Liam (August 23, 1984). "Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane Willie Dixon and the Chicago All-Stars". The Globe and Mail. p. E5.
  10. ^ Garabedian, Steven (July 2015). "'It Don't Make Sense': Willie Dixon, the Blues, War, and Peace". Peace & Change. 40 (3): 287. doi:10.1111/pech.12131.
  11. ^ a b "Mighty Earthquake & Hurricane". AllMusic.
  12. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 37.
  13. ^ a b "Willie Dixon Mighty Earthquake and Hurricane". Quad-City Times. Go!. May 17, 1984. p. 21.
  14. ^ "Feature Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. June 30, 1984. p. 14 – via World Radio History.
  15. ^ Salter, Rosa (August 16, 1985). "Koko Taylor's Mainstream Blues". The Morning Call. p. D1.