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That's All Right, Mama

Rating:
4.6 / 5

Words & Music: Arthur Crudup

Well, that's all right, mama
That's all right for you
That's all right mama, just anyway you do
Well, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do

Mama she done told me,
Papa done told me too
'Son, that gal your foolin' with,
She ain't no good for you'
But, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do

I'm leaving town, baby
I'm leaving town for sure
Well, then you won't be bothered with
Me hanging 'round your door
Well, that's all right, that's all right.
That's all right now mama, anyway you do

Recordingdate: 1954/07, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of That's All Right, Mama:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)

Availability

Find available albums with That's All Right, Mama.

old shep wrote on April 18, 2008
One of the best rock 'n' roll/blues singles ever.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 26, 2009
A genius beat, found by a 19 years old southern kid, which became the roots of modern music (Rock, Pop, Country or Blues).
derekd wrote on November 26, 2009
That's Alright & music history was changed forever. Thank goodness for Elvis.
My boy, my boy wrote on November 26, 2009
Thanks to Sun, Sam, Marion, Elvis, Scotty and Bill for starting it all with this one. I've been to 706, Union avenue in Memphis for the first time last month and I'll never be the same... :p
Jim Hoff wrote on November 26, 2009
Coincedential fooling around with a guitar in a break between recording sessions ... and voila: You got yourself a new super star! Talk about the right man at the right place with the right song! Fabouloso :-)
Great Dane wrote on November 26, 2009
That's All Right, Mama, the 50's version has something mysterious on it. I like his 70's versions also, and of course in '68.
Monster wrote on November 26, 2009
There's something soooo beautiful about Elvis' voice in the original Sun version. I've never heard the same magic captured by anyone else. It's just such a great piece of simple, but vital music.
Deano1 wrote on November 27, 2009
What can one say about the song that started it all for Elvis? He sings this song with unmatched energy and puts unbelievable effort into every word. Elvis would perfect his sound over the years and this is far from his best vocals, but it all comes together for an absolute magical record. Elvis always respected this song when singing it live as well. From his great rendition in 1968 for the comeback special, to a great show opener at Madison Square Garden in 1972, right to his final tour in June of 1977 on the LP and special "Elvis In Concert". Five stars all the way!
bluesboy wrote on November 27, 2009
Pure. Simple. Innocent. A piece of art is a joy forever.
Jimmy Boy wrote on February 11, 2010
Like so many others here I have to agree, there's just something about those Sun recordings - this one especially. I can listen to most of his recordings (baring some of those 60's soundtracks) but will always come back to these tracks and feel that same... je ne sais quoi?
shoesuedeblues wrote on February 11, 2010
I never get tired of listening to this incredible Sun recording.It really is different, slower in fact and more soulful than Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's much faster moving cut. Not so keen on Elvis' in concert versions though.
JLpResLey wrote on February 11, 2010
Just great. Every version ever done was something special, no matter if it is from the magic summer of 1954, or from the fantastic jam session with Scotty and DJ 1968, or as an concert superstar in Rapid City. Amazing stuff!
wooden heart wrote on November 25, 2010
It´s perfect in the original version. Nevertheless the sprit of the history is caught in the 2010 viva version with an impressive new style.
Natha wrote on May 11, 2011
This is a 5 star song all the way. An outstanding product of the fabulous Sun Sessions. This is Elvis pur sang. It shows his natural talent to put songs in a personal perspective, elevating the tune to a divine level. Listening to the fifties version one can fathom how it shook the world on all levels of our 'civilisation'. All the way this song gets a special treatment and hardly ever lost its magic.
Marty_TCE wrote on May 11, 2011
5 stars all day long. Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it...amazing
Gorse wrote on February 07, 2013
It all started with a bit of clowning around and it ended up with this record and the birth of a legend, Still sounds great after all these years, with that unique vocal delivery but I always get the impression we enjoyed his rock numbers in their various guises more than he did.
ElvisSacramento wrote on February 23, 2013
This is such a spectacular, catchy, fun and unique blues song and Elvis easily has the very best renditions of it. I'll never get tired of hearing Elvis' recordings of this classic song.
sugartummy wrote on May 18, 2013
Elvis starts and finishes the song with his acoustic guitar and does that very well. Elvis changes the lyrics and comes up with his own. That makes him part author off the song. The original title is just That's allright. Sam Phillips was about to call it quits, when Elvis saw a last opportunity to prove himself and threw himself with gusto at That's allright. History was in the making.
shawnrw wrote on September 20, 2014
Rock N Roll's version of the "big bang". This recording has such a towering place in music history, it's hard to calculate how things would be without it. Raw, real and light years ahead of it's time, it is blues, it is country, it is bluegrass, it is rock n roll.
JerryNodak wrote on January 29, 2019
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Nothing. 5 stars.
Cruiser621 wrote on January 29, 2019
5-stars just for being the first shot heard of a new breed of music. One of three Crudup songs he recorded which included "My Baby Left Me" and "So Glad You're Mine"; if one gets the chance to hear all 3 songs by Big Boy Arthur Crudup, they all sound the same but in Elvis' hands they take on a life of their own, especially my favorite "My Baby Left Me". Nuff side.
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