They're Red Hot by Robert Johnson

Album: King Of The Delta Blues (1935)

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This song is about hot tamales... at least on the surface. It could be a metaphor for sex, with the "long and tall" girl who's got 'em for sale being a working girl.

Tamales are a spicy Mexican food very popular in some parts of the American south, where they are often sold by roadsides. They contain spicy mean wrapped in cornmeal.
While Johnson is a legendary blues artist, this song is an example of hokum music, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and is generally played at a faster pace than blues, similar to ragtime.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers covered this on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The Peppers recorded their version on a hill at 2 in the morning - if you listen closely you can hear cars go by. Their drummer Chad Smith copied John Bonham's technique that he used in the Led Zeppelin song "Moby Dick" of drumming without drumsticks. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Bert - Pueblo, NM

Comments: 8

Eloquentracer92 from SomewhereThey’re Red Hot is a fitting name for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I don’t even need to explain.
Mike Oxlong from Ukrainei think its about drugs
Timothy from Lockport, NyActually they found another RJ song in Buddy Holly's guitar case lining.
Davíd from Woburn, MaI recently purchased the complete Robert Johnson, and I was really suprised as to how many popular 60s and 70s blues songs were actually written by him. And am I the only one disappointed that this is the only song here by Mr. J?
Oldpink from New Castle, InVery weird that the one song that Robert Johnson recorded that was not a blues piece was this hokum song, and that this is the one RJ song listed on SongFacts.
One would have expected at least ONE of his masterpieces, such as "Come On In My Kitchen," "Cross Road Blues," "Walkin' Blues," "Hell Hound On My Trail," "Preachin' Blues," or "Love In Vain."
Chase from Miami, FlRobert Johnson rocks and by the way Mark of Byrdstown, Eric Clapton Can't play like him because each guitarist is unique. Eri Clapton is still awesome though
Wayne from Petersburg, VaI totally agree with mark, people dont realize in the covers of his songs who even wrote it. There isnt a person i have heard yet that has put as much emotion into his songs as him.
Mark from Byrdstown, TnOn the surface it would seem a song about tamales but like many blues songs its most likely a well hidden reference to sex.Robert Johnson only recorded 29 songs but copycats all down thru the ages ,including Eric Clapton,have been trying to capture that old rough unpolished greatness that Johnson showed on this song and the others.None have even come close.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Grazing In The GrassThe Friends Of Distinction

Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction was the first big hit to use the phrase "dig it" in the lyric.

Return To SenderElvis Presley

When the Elvis stamps came out in 1993, lots of folks used them to mail letters with bad addresses so they would be Returned To Sender.

Big LoveFleetwood Mac

"Big Love" is a showcase song for Lindsey Buckingham and the first single from Fleetwood Mac's 1987 album Tango In The Night, but he left the group soon after the album was released and the band didn't perform it live until he returned 10 years later.

Walk On The Wild SideLou Reed

Lou Reed's "Walk On The Wild Side" tells the story of real people who were part of Andy Warhol's "factory," including Holly Woodlawn and Candy Darling.

White as SnowU2

Bono came up with the idea of focusing on a soldier's last thoughts as he dies from his wounds in the U2 song "White As Snow" after reading William Golding's 1956 novel Pincher Martin.

The Safety DanceMen Without Hats

The Men Without Hats lead singer wrote "The Safety Dance" after getting kicked out of a bar for dancing too aggressively. The song is literally about being safe to dance if you want to.