Favorite "Queen" Songs #10 - "Mississippi Queen"
@teamfreak16 (43665)
Denver, Colorado
February 3, 2018 4:39am CST
Earlier this morning, I started a series of songs with "king" in the title, and now it's the ladies' turn. We are at #10 in my countdown of my favorite songs with "queen" in the title: "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Leslie West, Mountain formed in Long Island, New York, in 1969. The hard-rocking, highly influential band forged a lengthy career despite high turnover and the death of longtime bassist Felix Pappalardi, and were one of the groups to appear at Woodstock.
From their 1970 debut album, Climbing!, "Mississippi Queen" is a bona fide rock and roll classic, a hard rocker that is the band's biggest hit, reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100, and an influence on many a hard rock and metal act (both Ozzy Osbourne and W.A.S.P. have covered the tune.) It's also one of the all-time great cowbell songs.
On a personal level, and this is weird when you consider what a great guitarist Leslie West is, "Mississippi Queen" is the only song I've ever been able to complete on guitar while playing the video game Rock Band. Like I said, weird.
I've linked to a live reunion performance on the Dennis Miller Show.
Enjoy!
(Cowbell queen info verified by Wikipedia)
Here's a rare TV appearance by Mountain on the short lived Dennis Miller Show in 1992! A slim Leslie West (serious!) is on fire here, as are Corky and Richie...
8 people like this
6 responses
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
3 Feb 18
A great 70s hard rocker. Crank up the volume!
5 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
3 Feb 18
One that definitely warrants cranking the knob all the way to the right.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
3 Feb 18
Thank you, it's great to have some time to be back.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
4 Feb 18
"Reaper" is definitely THE cowbell song, but this one is up there!
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
4 Feb 18
"These go to 11."
I've mentioned before that I saw Leslie West and Mountain at a festival in Wisconsin that was headlined by the BoDeans. It was great, start to finish!!!
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
4 Feb 18
You have, but man, what a show! I am envious.
1 person likes this
@AliCanary (4459)
•
4 Feb 18
I remember this song. My favorite queen song is "Killer Queen", but I also love "Caribbean Queen", and "Queen of Hearts" is pretty good. I bet I'm forgetting some good ones, but your countdown should fill in the gaps, I'm sure!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
4 Feb 18
I hope so. I think I've picked some good ones.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
18 Feb 18
Fantastic song! Interesting fact: Leslie West had part of his leg amputated in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was after a show in 2011. West was a diabetic and to save his life after his leg swelled the doctor had to remove part of the leg below the knee. Guess he won't forget that state. I also really like Mountain's song, Theme For An Imaginary Western.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Feb 18
Also a great song by them! I didn't know about his leg, though.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43665)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Feb 18
@dgobucks226 - Really? Jack Bruce was awesome. Must have been a great show!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
22 Feb 18
@teamfreak16 I saw him in concert with Jack Bruce and Corky Laing. Billed as West Bruce and Laing. Nice opening act. He did Mississippi Queen too.
Yes, saw that leg tidbit on a music website. Fortunately, he had his leg when I saw him, lol.
1 person likes this
