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The Seventh Son

"The Seventh Son"
Single by Willie Mabon
B-side "Lucinda"
Released October 1955 (1955-10)
Format 7-inch 45 rpm record
Recorded Chicago, June 1, 1955
Genre Rhythm and blues
Label Chess
Songwriter(s) Willie Dixon
Producer(s) Leonard Chess, Phil Chess
Willie Mabon singles chronology
"Come On, Baby"
(1955)
"The Seventh Son"
(1955)
"Knock on Wood"
(1956)

"The Seventh Son" (also listed as "Seventh Son") is a blues song written by Willie Dixon. The title refers to the seventh son of a seventh son of folklore, which Dixon referenced previously in his "Hoochie Coochie Man". In 1955, Willie Mabon was the first to record it, which was released as a single by Chess Records.Johnny Rivers recorded the song as the lead track for his album Meanwhile Back at the Whisky à Go Go (1965), which was also one of his most popular singles.

Willie Mabon recorded "The Seventh Son" on June 1, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. The exact personnel on the session is not known for sure but is most likely Willie Mabon (vocals, piano), Bill Martin (trumpet), Herbert Robinson (tenor saxophone), Willie Dixon (double bass), and Oliver Coleman (drums). The song was paired for release as a single with "Lucinda" as the B-side and was released in October.

Johnny Rivers recorded his version of "The Seventh Son" supposedly at the Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood, California and released it on Meanwhile Back at the Whisky à Go Go in 1965 and released it as a single. Most, if not all, of these 'live' Whisky tracks were studio recordings with audience noise added, however. The single version of the song peaked at number seven on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart. Johnny Rivers' version also topped RPM magazine's Top Singles chart.

"The Seventh Son" has been recorded by a variety of artists, including Bill Haley & His Comets (released on their 1999 greatest-hit compilation), John Mellencamp (on the 2005 reissue of Rough Harvest), Billy "Crash" Craddock (on the album You Better Move On), Mose Allison, Sting, Georgie Fame, Climax Blues Band, the Soul Agents, Long John Baldry, George Thorogood and, as with many of his own songs, by Willie Dixon.


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