Out of the many classics recorded by Muddy Waters, ‘Long Distance Call’ was Muddy’s own personal favorite, and understandably so. A sterling performance by Muddy as a singer and slide guitarist with Little Walter on harmonica, it includes the unforgettable verse: ‘Hear my phone ringin’, sound like a long distance call; When I picked up my receiver, the party said ‘Another mule kickin’ in your stall’.’ This verse was only the take-off point for an animated vignette in Muddy’s live performances, revealing another of the blues master’s less-heralded talents: that of the dramatist, employing a cast of characters and a range of emotions that made ‘Long Distance Call’ his tour-de-force.
Muddy Waters, vocal and guitar; Little Walter, harmonica; Ernest ‘Big’ Crawford, bass. Recorded Jan. 23, 1951, Chicago. Released on Chess 1452 (45rpm and 78rpm).
Discographical details from The Blues Discography 1943-1970.
— Jim O’Neal
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