Bright Lights, Big City (song)

Original song

Called a "textbook Jimmy and Mama Reed duet", "Bright Lights, Big City" was a collaborative writing effort between Reed and his wife, Mary "Mama" Reed. It is a cautionary tale about urban life:

Bright lights big city, gone to my baby's head I'd tried to tell the woman, but she don't believe a word I said ... It's all right pretty baby, gonna need my help some day You're gonna wish you had a listen, to some of those things I said

The song has a traditional twelve-bar blues form in Reed's signature "steady-rolling style". It was recorded in Chicago in 1961 with Jimmy Reed (vocal and harmonica), Mama Reed (vocal), Jimmy Reed, Jr. (guitar), Lefty Bates (guitar), Earl Phillips (drums), and an unidentified bassist. The song was one of Reed's most popular songs and reached number three in the Billboard R&B chart as well as number fifty-eight in the pop Hot 100. "Bright Lights, Big City" was included on the album Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall and appears on many Reed compilations.

Sonny James version

American country music singer Sonny James recorded "Bright Lights, Big City" in 1971. An early review included: "Jimmy Reed's blues number serves as strong material for the Southern Gentleman both vocally and for some exceptional guitar work". The song was James' fifteenth number-one hit in a row in the country chart as well as reaching number ninety-one in the pop chart. The song is included on James' 1971 album The Sensational Sonny James and several of his compilation albums.

Recognition and legacy

Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights, Big City" is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list of "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll". A variety of artists have performed and/or recorded the song, some examples including: The Animals, Bob Dylan, Half Japanese, Them, Johnny Winter, Neil Young and Gary Clark, Jr.