As @mrsbozz and I are working our way back across the country, I was a bit inspired for this #threetunetuesday post sponsored by @ablaze when we crossed the border between Missouri and Illinois today. If you are familiar with the geography, you would know that took us across the Mississippi river. @mrsbozz snagged some shots as we crossed the bridge.
I couldn't help but notice that the river level was quite high. There were some random picnic areas down near the shore of the river that were totally flooded. It was pretty fitting that we crossed the river in Hannibal, Missouri, home of Mark Twain (AKA Samuel Clemens). The proximity to the river no doubt was the inspiration for many of his stories.
Back in Davenport Iowa as we were driving along the banks of the Mississippi River, we caught a glimpse of this old paddle boat making its way down the river. With monster cruise ships and all inclusive resorts these days, it's almost hard to imagine a time when traveling by riverboat was considered a luxury.
It should be pretty obvious by now that all of my songs this week are going to be in relation to the Mississippi River. It's a pretty impressive piece of nature collecting water from northern Minnesota, Canada, and all points in between and funneling it down to Louisiana where it reaches the Gulf of Mexico.
My sister used to live down in Quincy, IL near the banks of the Mississippi and it was always an interesting trip going down to visit her. I remember we used to drive across the Mississippi to get gas in Missouri because it was so much cheaper than Illinois. I had to laugh today as I found things haven't changed at all. Even today, gas is a solid $.50 to $.60 more expensive in Illinois.
When it comes to songs about the Mississippi, you might expect me to start somewhere else, but don't worry, I am getting there, I promise. I felt it was best to start with the one and only Johnny Cash and his version of "Big River". He makes the shout out to St. Paul Minnesota where I know several fellow Hivians reside. It's also a pretty clear reference to the headwaters of the Mississippi.
I think what impresses me the most about the video above is the way that Cash played the guitar. It's almost like he was aiming a gun, but it's a signature style that people still try to imitate even today when they are channeling him.
I don't even know how to play the guitar the right way, so I can't speak to how hard it might be playing it the way he did. I'll leave that to the experts!
It's pretty safe to say that the Mississippi wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the tributaries and subsequent field run offs that feed into it. That's why I am including "Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival to the mix. The Green River feeds into the Mighty Mississippi and therefore I feel it fits into this post quite well.
I also wanted to include CCR because of the next song. I'll explain more in a second.
I've made no secret of the fact that I prefer the original version of "Rolling On The River" by CCR over the Tina Turner version. Despite that fact, I still feel that Tina Turner version is pretty fantastic and it deserves some credit. That's part of the reason I included the above CCR song, so I could still share the Tina version with you.
This song has pretty much become synonymous with the Mississippi river and if you don't think of it when you hear it, then you are getting it all wrong.
In my opinion anyway :)
Finally, as a bonus track for you, it only felt right to include "Black Water" by the Doobie Brothers. From the opening line "built me a raft and it's ready for floating", it's pretty clear that this song is a homage to Huckleberry Finn and the Might Mississippi River. These are all such awesome songs and they do a good job of encapsulating the power, majesty, and mystery of the Mississippi River.
I hope you enjoyed them!
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