| "Mother Fuyer" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Dirty Red | |
| A-side | "Mother Fuyer" |
| B-side | "Home Last Night"[1] |
| Released | 1947 |
| Recorded | 1947 |
| Genre | Jump blues |
| Label | Aladdin Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Dirty Red |
"Mother Fuyer" is a jump blues song, written and recorded by Dirty Red in 1947. The single was released by Aladdin Records on a 78 rpm, 10" shellac single record.
The words "mother for you" or "mother fuyer", as minced oaths for "motherfucker", were used in blues and R&B records from the 1930s. Examples include Memphis Minnie's "Dirty Mother For You" (Decca Records, 1935) and Washboard Sam (1935),[2] plus Roosevelt Sykes in 1936,[3] with the slightly amended title of "Dirty Mother For You (Don't You Know)".[4] The singer Stick McGhee, whose recording of "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" was a hit in 1949, claimed that he had originally heard the song as "Drinking Wine, Motherfucker".[5][6]
Red Nelson found no reason to be particularly oblique over the title of this jump blues track, which he recorded in 1947.[7] It was released using the nom de disque, Dirty Red, by Aladdin Records (catalog reference 194A).[8] The effective minced oath seemed to have confused the censors.[9] The dirty blues lyrics included the lines "I got to put this mule to jumpin' in yo' stall, I'm a lovin' muther for ya".[7] The track, which Nelson claimed to be his own on the record label, was clearly a variant of the earlier songs of a similar nature and song title.
Dirty Red's "Mother Fuyer" has been included on numerous compilation albums, including The Aladdin Records Story (1994).[10] Dirty Red's recording was played on episode two of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour, when the themed title was 'Mother'.[11]
The song was covered by Chick Willis on his 1972 album Stoop Down Baby... Let Your Daddy See,[12] and released as a B-side on a single on La Val Records.[7][13] Willis claimed songwriting credits.
The song was also covered by B.B. King in 1977 and appeared on his album, King Size, with King this time claiming ownership of the songwriting.[14] It was also on his subsequent compilation albums, King of the Blues (1992) and Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. B.B. King (2012).
Magic Slim recorded a live cover version of "Mother Fuyer" for his 1987 album, Live At B.L.U.E.S.[15]
Mama's Pride recorded the song for their 2006 live album, A "Live" and Well.[16]
Johnny "Guitar" Watson had a hit in 1977 with "A Real Mother For Ya".[17]
Billy Boy Arnold included a song with the title "Dirty Mother Fuyer", as the opening track on his 1979 album, Checkin' It Out.[18]