Mannish Boy

"Mannish Boy" is a classic blues song, written by Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley), Mel London, and McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters), and first sung by Muddy Waters. It is a rearrangement of (and an answer to) the classic Bo Diddley hit "I'm a Man". It was originally recorded and released in 1955 and re-recorded in 1977 in a version that was produced by Johnny Winter. The song is ranked #229 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The same basic riff in "Mannish Boy" can also be heard on another Muddy Waters song: "Hoochie Coochie Man". This riff is common throughout the blues in both the five-note and a shortened four-note version. The guitar riff also appears on George Thorogood's "Bad To The Bone". Bill Wyman has claimed that this song, not Rollin' Stone, is the actual inspiration for the name Rolling Stones. He bases this claim on the fact that Rollin' Stone had only been released as a 78 rpm single in 1949, and that the English youth of 1962 never owned 78s.

Whoa yeah, oh yeah Everythin' gonna be alright this mornin' Oh yeah Now when I was a young boy, at the age of 5 My mother said I was gonna be the greatest man alive But now I'm a man, I passed 21 I want you to believe me honey I had lots of fun I'm a man Spell M-A child -N That represents man No B-O child -Y That mean mannish boy I'm a man I'm a full grown man I'm a man I'm a natural born lovers man I'm a man child I'm a rollin' stone I'm a man child I'm a hoochie coochie man Sittin' on the outside, just me and my mate You know I'm made to move you honey Come up 2 hours late Was that a man? I spell M-A- child -N That represents man No B-O- child -Y That mean mannish boy A man I'm a full grown man I'm a man I'm a natural born lovers man I'm a man I'm a rollin' stone I'm a man child I'm a hoochie coochie man I'm a natural born lovers man I'm a rollin' stone I'm a natural born lover I'm a hoochie coochie man Well, well Oh yeah, hey I'm a natural born lovers man Well I'm a natural born lover