Mannish Boy

Album: Real Folk Blues (1955)
Charted: 51
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This classic blues song is an affirmation of masculinity. It's a reworking of the Bo Diddley song "I'm A Man."
  • Muddy Waters originally recorded this in 1955, then re-recorded it in 1977 for his Hard Again album in a version produced by Johnny Winter.
  • The repetitive guitar line is easy to play, but very memorable. Waters used the same basic riff on his song "Hoochie Coochie Man." This riff appears on many other blues songs in both the five-note and a shortened four-note version. George Thorogood used it for his song "Bad To The Bone."
  • The Rolling Stones often played this in their early days and released it on their 1977 Love You Live album. Muddy Waters was a huge influence on The Stones; their name comes from his song "Rollin' Stone."
  • This was used in the movie The Long Kiss Goodnight, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Geena Davis. It also appears in Better Off Dead, Risky Business and Goodfellas (as part of the "Sunday, May 11th, 1980" montage). >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France, for all above

Comments: 3

  • Oldpink from New Castle, InSometimes when Muddy performed this in front of an audience, he would shake up a full beer bottle, stick it in the front of his pants, then open it up during the part when he bellows "Im a man!"
    Foam sprayed all over the place, and it was a naughty, but very funny bit of stage theater.
    Definitely the archetype for the rockers who followed long after he did, and those rockers to this day more often than not idolize him.
  • Matthew from Columbia, MoA remake of this song was used in the first episode of the Sopranos, (when Christopher 'whacks' a guy in the meat store.) Personally, I think they should have used the original, but that's just me.
  • Pytlak from Bakersfield, CaThis song is also performed by Muddy Waters in The Band's concert film, The Last Waltz.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17

Martyn Ware of Heaven 17Songwriter Interviews

Martyn talks about producing Tina Turner, some Heaven 17 hits, and his work with the British Electric Foundation.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Black Sabbath

Black SabbathFact or Fiction

Dwarfs on stage with an oversize Stonehenge set? Dabbling in Satanism? Find out which Spinal Tap-moments were true for Black Sabbath.

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.