SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD
| (Walter Vinson) | ||
| (o): | Mississippi Sheiks (1930) | label: Okeh |
| Most popular Delta string band of the early thirties. Consisted of the entire Chatmon family (Sam, Bo, Lonnie, Edgar, Willie, Lamar, Laurie, Harry, Charlie) and their adopted brother Walter Jacobs (not to be confused with Little Walter). Their name came from the hit The Sheik (see there). Melody for the most part borrowed from Tampa Red's instrumental You Got To Reap What You Saw (1929), which he cut two years later in a vocal version as Things 'Bout Coming My Way. | ||
| (c): | Beale Street Rounders (1930) , Memphis Minnie (1930) [melody in You Dirty Mistreater], Clarence Williams' Jug Band (1930) [with Lonnie Johnson; jazz version], Charley Patton (1930) [as Some Summer Day with Willie Brown], Sam Collins (1931) [as I'm Still Sitting On Top Of The World], Tampa Red (1931) [as Things 'Bout Coming My Way], Big Bill Broonzy (1932) [melody in Worrying You Off My Mind and three years later as The Sun Gonna Shine On My Backdoor Someday], Milton Brown (1934) [western swing version], Jimmy Oden (1934) [as Six Feet In The Ground], Bob Wills (1935) , Kokomo Arnold (1935) [as Things 'Bout Coming My Way], Shelton Brothers (1935) [as I'm Sitting On Top Of The World], Robert Johnson (1936) [as Come On In My Kitchen], Blind Boy Fuller (1937) [with Sonny Terry as Mistreater You're Gonna Be Sorry], Howlin' Wolf (1957) , Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee (1957) [as No Need Of Running], Victoria Spivey (1962) [with Big Joe Williams & Bob Dylan], Grateful Dead (1967) , Bob Dylan (1967) [as Pledging My Time], Cream (1968) , Steve Miller Band (1973) [as Come On In My Kitchen], Don McLean (1973) , Liberty (1975) , John Nicholas (1977) , Dizzy Gillespie (1980) , Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters (1988) , Allman Brothers Band (1991) [as Come On In My Kitchen], Bob Dylan (1992) [just as Sitting On Top Of The World], Pat Travers (1992) , Taj Mahal (1993) , Keb' Mo' (1994) [as Come On In My Kitchen], Hans Theessink (1994) , Jack Bruce (1994) , Carl Perkins & Van Morrison (1996) , LeAnn Rimes (1998) , Chris Thomas King (1998) [as Come On In My Kitchen], Otha Turner & The Afrosippi Allstars (2000) [as Station Blues], Josh White Jr. (2000) [as Come On In My Kitchen], North Mississippi All Stars (2000) , Gare du Nord (2001) [lounge hit as Pablo's Blues with lines from Come On In My Kitchen], Bill Frisell (2002) , Ana Popovic (2003) , Chris Farlowe (2003) [with Van Morrison], Corey Harris (2003) [with Otha Turner's Rising Star Fife & Drum Band conducted by his granddaughter Shardé], Harry Manx (2004) , Eric Clapton (2004) [as Come On In My Kitchen], James Blood Ulmer (2004) [in film Lightning In A Bottle], Rory Block (2006) [idem], Bo Ramsey (2006) , Jeff Healey (2008) , B.B. King (2008) , Carolina Chocolate Drops (2009) , Robert Cray (2010) , Wandering (2012) , | |
| Walter Vinson wrote it in the wake of a well payed white gig in Greenwood, MS. The first time they played it was for a black audience in Itta Bena, MS. Vinson knew right away he had a hit on hand when he collected the money: $19 was a huge amount, higher than the white wage the day before. | ||