CAPTIVATING!| FIRST TIME HEARING Marc Cohn - Walking In Memphis REACTION
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- CAPTIVATING!| FIRST TIME HEARING Marc Cohn - Walking In Memphis REACTION
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![Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis [REACTION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3fJaT3HvFrM/mqdefault.jpg)
*Who else randomly started watching them and now it’s just an everyday thing?!*
I have a 30 minute drive home from work just perfect for not 1, not 2, but 3 videos.
Same
A wonderful everyday 😃
Yes I love watching them. Big fan watch almost every day.
Yes Love Love Love them
Marc Cohn was suffering from writers block and he was told to go somewhere for inspiration, he went to Memphis and this song is the result!! It relates actual experiences he had while there!!
Cool! Never knew that!
FACTS ,,, very cool isn’t it
Love that nugget!! Thanks for sharing that!
he sent people all over Memphis to find some hard to find cuisine,he was also a prick while he was here
Never knew that. Awesome
I feel so old seeing young people discover songs I have known for so long.This is a true story from him
He was stuck in his career and went to Memphis hoping for inspiration.He definitely found it and wrote the album in less than 8 months.Murial is real and she had such an impact on him they remained friends until she passed.He flew her from Tennessee to New York for his wedding.When he mentioned Reverend Green,it's the singer Al Green who became a minister.
I am nearly 63, and I totally agree with you, one of my favorite things is watching others react to music I've known practically all my life, spent many years as an FM dj jocking classic rock, was of course my absolute favorite format...the rabbit holes one can go down for that genre, talent that will never be seen again, though I forsee hope for the future, there are some great bands around that have that potential, but not many...Rock ON!!
@@gandalf679 Completely agree. Saw a great young rock band ten days ago, Dirty Honey. An even younger rock band, Naked Gypsy Queens, out of Nashville opened up for them. Both bands have great potential. When I went by the opening band at the merch table, all I could think is they are so young. The lead singer is 20. I am early Gen X so like you have been listening to classic rock for a long time.
He also mentioned the statue of W. C. Handy (the guy who invented the blue note)
Absolutely agree, a great story behind this song!
:) There's nothing "old" about having an interesting story to tell. Thanks. It makes the song even more interesting. :)
"Tell me, are you a Christian, child?
And I said, 'Ma'am, I am tonight'" - Gets me choked up every single time I hear it, and I don't know why. Beautiful song and great reaction, guys. Have a blessed day 😊🙏
And he absolutely slays that moment vocally.
I do not know why either, but I MUST sing along when I hear this song, and that line brings tears to my eyes EVERY time.
He's Jewish, but Christian for one night only :p
Marc Cohn's Jewish, and I think this line speaks to the beautiful power of Gospel Music and Music in general, and of humans just sharing art, from almost any religious or nonreligious perspective.
I think it chokes people up because they realize there is a deep hunger for faith in our hearts...✝️🎙🎶
I'm from Memphis and this song is so real. Beale St., Elvis, the blues its all there. The Jungle Room is in, Graceland , Reverend Al Green.
Maybe I’ve run into you at Silky’s back in the day.😄
@@ronnix23 might have but that would have been a long time ago😄
I like rum boogey lol
Overton Park, Cooper=Young. I went to MCA and while I did not really get around much while living there, I do miss it.
Despite all it's problems, Memphis is still a special place. There are so many great old neighborhoods there with the wide boulevards and huge green lawns.
I love this song. 💕 I am from Memphis and this absolutely embodies Memphis. It’s a feeling. He sings about places and people. The Hollywood, Reverend Al Green, Union Ave. Elvis with the Blue suede shoes. Graceland, the Jungle Room is in Graceland. Muriel was in Robinsonville at the Hollywood. Beale Street is a historic place for blues. 💕
💕😎 holy cow the power of music on the memory! This song took me immediately back to my very first waitress job 30 plus years ago, a couple that I waited on who was visiting from Texas, and I remember the entire night like it was yesterday! They were super cool, they had trouble deciding what to order so they ordered a little bit of everything, and left all the leftovers for me to give to the homeless and then the biggest tip I had ever gotten in my whole life! This song was playing during their meal, they got up and danced, and made me dance with them! Thanks for the trip down memory lane yet again you guys✌💚🌻
❤️
Awesome that you can recall it so well. Love when a key like this song unlocks something so long ago.
Awesome story. This song touched so many in so many ways. Last summer a friend & I were driving north from Texas, stopped in Memphis and had the best time at a small blues club on Beale. This song kept returning to my head. So great, we experienced much like you, everybody friendly and dancing. Beale Street is like no other.
I'm thinking like that to Dave Loggins Dave did it Dave Dave Dave Loggins he had the song Please Please Please Come to Boston it's by Dave Loggins Dave did it
@@catwhisperer9489 do you know Dave?
If you like this, you need to listen to Bruce Hornsby’s songs
(Mandolin Rain) and ( The Way It Is)
YES!!👍😃❣️
Check out "The Show Goes On" and "Set Me In Motion"
Sounds like Hornsby on piano but don't know if it is...
CLASSIC.
Now this is SONGWRITING at it's best! Much deserving of his Grammy!
"....tell me are you a Christian, child and I said, Ma'am I am tonight..."
If that is not the epitome of ANY song that hits you in the feels, I dont know how else to explain it.
If o recall he's jewish.Jewish.. so to me that's what makes this line written by him special.. he was moved in that moment of singing with murial.Muriel.. I'm assuming he wrote lyrics either from a real experience or a dreamt about experience.
@@creinicke1000 I do believe Cohn (Kohn, Kohen, Cohen) is of Jewish origin.
That line chokes me up every single time.
@@pluckinmageetar Yes, Marc Cohn is Jewish.
@@vwestlife As a Christian it hit home for me as I'm not a very good one, at least I wasnt when this song came out. Certainly hits deeper in general when that person is NOT Christian and is in fact, Jewish. The fact that he PUT PEOPLE IN MEMPHIS with his descriptive and accurate story and then "took them to Church" when he described that feeling when you feel it down in your soul, makes this a true gem!
For the uninitiated, the song might be somewhat esoteric. Judging by the unfazed look on your faces, some of the references may have gone over your heads. First off, W.C. Handy was a pivotal figure in popularising the blues. He was one of the first to record this style of music, taking Delta blues from a local trend to a global phenomenon. In effect, he is known as the grandfather of blues.
Secondly, the lyric "walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale" requires some unpacking. Beale Street, pronounced 'beel', is a notable site in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It extends from the Mississippi River to East Street and has historical significance both for the city and for blues music. In the present day, this street is adorned with blues clubs and restaurants. An interesting trivia is that Riley B. King, upon his arrival in Memphis, earned the moniker 'Beale Street Blues Boy', which was eventually shortened to B.B. King.
Next, let's explore the reference to "the ghost of Elvis on Union Avenue," which was quite timely when Cohn penned the song. On his visit to Memphis in 1986, Elvis had been deceased for around nine years and was reportedly sighted, or rather his apparition, in various corners of the world. Union Avenue is a bustling thoroughfare in Memphis leading indirectly to Graceland. Contrary to popular belief, the road wasn't named in recognition of the Union Army, but refers to the union of distinct areas during the early formation of Memphis.
Lastly, Cohn's mention of the "gates of Graceland" and Elvis' "tomb" allude to Elvis Presley's former residence and final resting place. Graceland, the mansion that was once home to Elvis, is currently a museum drawing in visitors from around the globe. Its gates are distinctively designed, featuring music notes and guitar players. One of the more popular attractions in Graceland is the Hawaiian-style 'Jungle Room,' renowned for its deep green shag carpet and tropical decor. This space also served as one of Elvis' last recording areas.
Born and raised Memphis. Can confirm. EP's favorite pizza place, Colette's. The BBQ pizza is the BEST!
Thank you so much for the great lesson on the history of Memphis contained in this song. I knew a lot of it but learned some new things. I worked in New Johnsonville TN & stayed in Hurricane Mills. We worked 6 days a week & i never got the chance to make it to Memphis. I plan on going back and touring Graceland.
@@markmcintosh2737 have you ever ordered a barbecue pizza and eaten it at Elvis's table?
,@@rogerdaly6326 I wish you luck on your pilgrimage to the Holy Land; I mean Graceland. Any true devotee will make the Hajj to Mecca once in a lifetime
He also said Rev Green in the song and he's talking about Memphis own AL Green who was a minister 🙄
“Walking in Memphis” was a top 20 hit in 1991 for Marc Cohn, and the first song of his ever released as a single. It made the top 40 in eight countries - with its best performance being in Canada where it peaked at #3 in the summer of 1991. It received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year, and it helped Cohn win the Grammy for Best New Artist. The tune was drawn from a real-life experience for Cohn - and all the characters he mentions was based on people he met in Memphis.
Cohn has said the song is 100 percent autobiographical. He described it as being about "a Jewish gospel-music-lover.” Adding it was more about going to a place - but receiving a spiritual awakening. One of those trips where you know you are a different soul when you leave and go back home. Even during the return trip, you’re feeling like a new creation. You’ve gone somewhere just to get away for a while - maybe to get some inspiration and a fresher perspective - never knowing what is about to happen is going to change you as a human for the rest of your life. It’s the essence of existence, he said.
In 1985, Marc took a trip to Memphis. At the time, he was working as a session singer in New York City, pursuing a record contract. In a 2014 interview with Keyboard Magazine, he said “One night while listening to all my demos, I came to the realization I shouldn't be signed because I didn't have any great songs yet. I was 28 years old and not in love with my songs. James Taylor had written 'Fire and Rain' when he was 18, and Jackson Browne wrote 'These Days' at age 17. I thought: 'I'm already 10 years older than these geniuses. It is never going to happen for me. It was a desperate time, and I went to Memphis with this struggle at the forefront of my mind.”
After reading Taylor finally overcame writer's block by going to a place he had never been before, Cohn visited Memphis upon the recommendation of a friend. Who had told Marc there were two things he had to do there. Places to see and things to do to receive insight and inspiration. Marc continued in his interview, “The first thing was going to the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church on a Sunday morning to hear the Reverend Al Green preach. I did - and I had chills running up and down my spine from beginning to end of his message.
The service was so moving I found myself with sweat running down my face and tears in my eyes, totally enveloped by everything I was seeing and hearing. There was something incredibly powerful about Green's voice in that context. Even after two hours of continuous speaking, his voice only got stronger and his band only got better. I sat there crying in the church, aware of the irony of how I used to cry in the synagogue in Cleveland as a kid - but back then I had tears of impatience because I just wanted to get the heck out of there! Al Green's service was one of the great experiences of my life.”
The second piece of advice was to visit the Hollywood Café in Robinsonville, Mississippi (35 miles south of Memphis), to see Muriel Davis Wilkins, a retired schoolteacher who performed at the cafe on Friday nights. Cohn recalled, “When I arrived, Muriel, who ... was in her 60s, was on stage playing a beat-up old upright piano and singing gospel standards. I felt an immediate connection to her voice, her spirit, her face, and her smile. I was totally transfixed by her music. While many of the patrons were busy eating and not paying close attention to Muriel, I couldn't take my eyes off her and her smiling face.
During her breaks, the two of us would talk. Muriel asked me why I was there, and I told her I was a songwriter trying to find inspiration. I also told her a little bit about my childhood - how when I was two and a half years old, my mom had passed away very unexpectedly, and about ten years later, my dad had passed away and I'd been raised by a stepmother. My mother's death was a central event in my life, and I'd been writing a lot about it over the years, both in songs and in journals. I think a part of me felt stuck in time as I'd never quite been able to work through that loss and was desperate to move beyond it.”
By midnight, the Hollywood was still packed, and Muriel asked me to join her onstage. We soon realized there wasn't a song in the universe that both of us knew in common. A quick thinker, Muriel started feeding me lyrics to gospel songs so I could catch up in time to sing somewhat in rhythm with her and make up my own version of the melody. Some songs I was vaguely familiar with, and some I didn't know at all. The very last song we sang together that night was 'Amazing Grace'. After we finished and people were applauding, Muriel leaned over and whispered in my ear: 'Child, you’re ready - you can let go now.'
It was an incredibly maternal thing for her to say to me. As in Reverend Al Green's church, I'd again been transformed. It was almost as if my late mother was whispering in my ear “You’re free now Marc - go write from your heart. You can move on now. It’s okay.” From the time I left Memphis and went back home to New York City, I knew I had a song in me about my experience there.” Soon after returning, Cohn began constructing the melody for “Walking in Memphis.”
About the composition, he said, “Except for the bridge, it is just the same thing over and over again. It's an attempt to keep things simple so that the narrative is what the listener focuses on. The story keeps changing; it goes from one scene to another, all following the thread of my elation, described in the lyric 'Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale'. What's being expressed is my love of music and the spiritual transformation I've always felt through it.” I knew both Reverend Green and Muriel would be the two central figures and I then built the rest of the song about my time in Memphis around them.”
Marc finished the song in late 1985, but it would be four years before he would get his first record contract. However, in early 1986, Cohn returned to the Hollywood Café to play "Walking in Memphis" and the other songs from an album he hoped some label would want Specifically for Muriel Wilkins. After he finished, she said to him, "'You know the one where you mention me at the end? That's the best one you got!' Sadly, Wilkins died before "Walking in Memphis" was released.
The song is now considered a classic and the chart performance of it being performed by other artists should testify to its staying power over the years. In 1995, Cher released her rendition. Although not as successful as Cohn’s original, it reached the top 40 in seven countries, with the best performance being a #7 hit in Scotland. In 2003, the popular country group Lonestar release their rendition and it went all the way up to #8 on the Billboard Country Charts.
The group’s lead vocalist Richie McDonald told NYS Music about the song’s impact on them: “During our two years of being a bar band, ‘Walking in Memphis’ was a staple of our setlist from the beginning. After we got our record deal, we stopped doing cover songs. But a few years later we were in Memphis ready to do a benefit for St. Jude's Hospital down on Beale Street and we thought this would be a good time to play it because we were right there on Beale. One of our label guys was there and said, "Y'all should record that." We started doing it live a lot, and it became something we wanted to put out.”
Sources: Wikipedia, Songfacts, Billboard, AZ Lyrics, WMCA Action News, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Keyboard Magazine, The Morning Call, Discogs, Los Angeles Times, All Music, Music and Media
What an amazing narrative you've provided, many thanks ! Your storytelling is in itself a great inspiration, and I feel enlightened & uplifted for having read it. You've truly brought this beautiful song to life.
Thank you for taking the time to create your narrative.
So many people missed the fact that "Reverend Green" is Al Green or they're unaware of who Al Green was.
Great tune! Homage to Elvis as well as Memphis. "Ma'am I am tonight !" Yes! You guys got the heart and soul of this one! Thanks!
Mark Cohn is Jewish (and from Pennsylvania); he didn’t know those old Southern gospel songs by heart before he got a little lesson from Muriel! ❤️
"He saw the ghost of Elvis and followed him to the gates of Graceland" Graceland was the name of Elvis' home in Memphis. "Security did not see him they just hovered round his tomb" Graceland is where Elvis is buried. The "pretty little thing waiting for the king" is a reference to Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie
My late husband loved this song. Every time I hear it, I feel like he's checking in. Hi my love 💗
This song is a love letter to Elvis and the city of Memphis. The jungle room is another reference to Elvis. It’s a room decorated by Elvis himself at Graceland. I’ve seen it, it’s gaudy as hell but it was the 70s lol
Reverend Green is r&b great Al Green. WC Handy is considered the father of the blues. Beale St. is the street with a lot of the blues clubs are in Memphis.
I love this song so much. A remarkable thing about Marc Cohn is he was carjacked in Denver. He was shot in the head and survived and is still singing today.
😲
Same!
Yes. He was married to the news journalist Elizabeth Vargas at the time. They had only been married three years at that time. I saw her interviewed about it.
I’ve been to Memphis twice, and sang this in my head the entire time I was walking down Beale Street ❤️
❤️
I've been there twice, too! When I was 6 & then again when I was 12. I still remember Graceland at age 6. The 3 TV sets next to each other is what I remember the most. Man, that was 44 years ago!
I do you know Dave?
Dave Loggins Loggins he has a great wonderful wonderful voice of wonderful song what's Please Come to Boston
My son is a blues musician and we spent a lot of time in Memphis. The singer Al Green is actually a minister now and has his own church in Memphis so when he says Reverend green will be glad to see you that's what they referring to. Elvis IS Memphis.if you never been to Graceland, you can almost see Elvis walking the grounds. And The Jungle Room is one of the the rooms that Elvis spend a lot of time in and recorded. Fresh catfish out of the Mississippi, one of my favorite restaurants on Beale Street is Blues City Cafe. I love this song and I love that place the music and the people. This song makes you feel it all
Marc Cohn’s “Silver Thunderbird “ is great too, wonderful syncopation.
Silver Thunderbird always makes me weep
I still get goosebumps with this song, esp when the choir comes in!
Just love when youngins finally hear our music 🎶
"Silver Thunderbird" by Marc Cohn didn't get the radio play that this one did, but it's another good one.
🎵 "the man with the plan and the pocket comb..."🎵 ... love that song. 🙂
Played silver thunderbird at my dads funeral, he owned three of them! Love the song
Couple of beautiful songs on this album.
For most people, he was a one hit wonder, and this song was a hit and maybe the only song of his to be played on the radio (but he’s got quite a catalog and is an interesting artist for sure). This story is based on an actual experience he had where he found inspiration in Memphis before almost giving up on music as a career (if I remember correctly). Interesting fact: he was shot in the head during an attempted car jacking in Denver while on tour with Suzanne Vega (an artist you guys should definitely do on a Friday soon if you haven’t yet). Anyway, he survived and recovered and has since made some more really good music.
I love interesting trivia like this.
I agree, Jesse.... Marc was far more than a one hit wonder. I have quite a few of his albums. Great depth... Peace.
One Safe Place from the Broke back Mountain sound track, and Walk Through The World are 2 of several other hits for Marc as well.
"Silver Thunderbird", you'll never look at your father the same way.
Holy shit, I never knew he was shot in the head. And really, they should react to "Luka" by Suzanne Vega!!!
Love. Love. Love! Cohn embodies that Memphis thang! ♥
Have you ever even given Dave a try?
Dave Dave Loggins Loggins he's got the wonderful for Starling and the song Oh My how you have such a great to Please Come to Boston Please Come to Boston baby that's the name of the song and Dave did it
It's under UA-cam Dave Loggins Dave did it Please Come to Boston Please Come to Boston baby
He absolutely sets the atmosphere for Memphis! Such a great song!
The entire album is a masterpiece.
Another exceptionally well written and Recorded Song.
Such an impact Memphis had on him. On everyone that goes there, so I’ve heard.
You will have to follow up with the Elvis theme with
Alanna Miles singing “Black Velvet” from 1989.
It speak of Elvis and his influence in music.
She has an amazing voice…
A lot of richness to his voice
Marc Cohn is a great songwriter. This song is a mix of history lesson & his visit to Memphis. The people & places he sings about are real.
And "Rest For the Weary."
I was born in Memphis and so was my daddy and this song has such deep, deep meaning for me and my family.
Beale street he's singing about is where the blues came from. And Elvis played the blues on Beale Street
"Shed a Little Light", a tribute to MLK, has a great choir as backup throughout the song.
Marc is singing from his personal experience when he visited Memphis , it was a soul searching experience for him. In this song he makes reference to religious and soulful characters,one Muriel Davis , she actually played piano at the Hollywood restaurant, ( thus the reference to some of the menu dishes) she was an accomplished local teacher and musician. She interacted with a young Cohen and sort of became a spiritual guide for him ( even asking him about his faith). Is a beautiful soulful song written like a poem to the city that inspired him ( to write a song) and for finding faith that stayed with him for the rest of his life.
Love this song. Lived in Memphis for a year and didn’t really appreciate it much until I rode down the Mississippi on a riverboat at sunset a few days before i moved back to Texas. Amazing history in that city and what a beautiful goodbye it gave me.
Cher does an amazing cover version of this song as well. Worth the listen just to hear her doing it.
Etta James, Etta, Etta!!! "Tell Mama" which Janis Joplin covered😎
Memphis in may is my all time favorite thing to do, I love it and have seen SO many great artists on Beale Street...
I was a Supervisor for Tower Records/Books/Video for 7 years and they had these listening booths that you could put on earphones and sample music...............and that is where I discovered Marc Cohn. Heard this song ..... Love it and bought the entire CD.....Love the whole CD.....Great music......Great Storytelling.....it puts him in the category of a "Folk Artist" Love...Love...Love him!!! I think Rob is really going to like him like he likes Kenny Rogers.......
Whoa! an All Time Favorite. ( Cher also does a great version of this!)
This is a song I missed when it came out because I was overseas for the first gulf war. But once I discovered it, I loved it. This song is an actual account of his trip to Memphis in search of inspiration. Reverend Green is Al Green who I’m pretty sure still has a church in Memphis.
From a Cold War veteran to a Gulf War veteran: Thank you for your service.
I love this song so much. My mom played and sang this often when I was a kid, and it brings back happy memories. ❤
Absolutely LOVE this song! The second I saw you post this I had no doubt you’d both love if too!
Not only was the piano delicate, it reminded me of falling rain. I had never heard this before, that's a sweet song. And of course I love the Elvis and the Memphis preferences. Another great reaction.
I love this song! When you think of Memphis you can’t help but think of Elvis! I’ve been to Graceland and there is something magical about it and it and all the rooms downstairs had a theme and there was a jungle room! He also mentions W. C. Handy, “Father of The Blues”! Memphis is full of musical history and he captures that in this song!❤️❤️
Oh my gosh guys love this song very much this song always makes me think of long lost friends that live far away from me and I miss them very much
Cohn was inspired to write "Walking in Memphis" by a 1985 visit to the Memphis, Tennessee, area.
1. "Blue suede shoes": you already got that reference to Elvis' hit in 1956 (although it was written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955).
2. "Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues": The Delta Blues is one of the earliest-known styles of blues. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, and is regarded as a regional variant of country blues. Guitar and harmonica are its dominant instruments; slide guitar is a hallmark of the style. Vocal styles in Delta blues range from introspective and soulful to passionate and fiery.
3. "W.C. Handy, won't you look down over me?": William Christopher Handy (1873 - 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musicians who played the distinctively American blues music, Handy did not create the blues genre but was the first to publish music in the blues form, thereby taking the blues from a regional music style (Delta blues) with a limited audience to a new level of popularity.
4. "Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale": Beale Street is a street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately 1.8 miles. It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music.
5. "Down in the Jungle Room": In Elvis's house, Graceland, there is a room that has come to be known as The Jungle Room because of the way it is decorated. (Although Elvis himself never called it that; he just called it The Den.) The Jungle Room also became the King’s final recording studio, where he recorded much of his last two albums.
6. "And Reverend Green be glad to see you": Al Green is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including "Take Me to the River", "Tired of Being Alone", "I'm Still in Love with You", "Love and Happiness", and his signature song, "Let's Stay Together". After an incident in which his girlfriend died by suicide, Green became an ordained pastor and turned to gospel music. In 1976, Green established the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis. Green resides and preaches in Memphis, near Graceland. NOTE: You two reacted to his record "How Do You Mend A Broken Heart." Here is what Cohn (who is Jewish) said about his visit to Green's church service: "The first thing [I was to do was] go to the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church on a Sunday morning to hear the Reverend Al Green preach. ... I [soon] had chills running up and down my spine. The service was so deeply moving that I found myself with sweat running down my face and tears in my eyes, totally enveloped by everything I was seeing and hearing. There was something incredibly powerful about Al Green's voice in that context. Even after three hours of continuous singing, his voice only got stronger and his band only got better. I sat there crying in the church, aware of the irony of how I used to cry in synagogue in Cleveland as a kid - but because I wanted to get the heck out of there! Al Green's service was one of the great experiences of my life."
7. "Now Muriel plays piano every Friday at the Hollywood": Muriel Davis Wilkins (1923-1990), a retired schoolteacher who performed on Friday nights at the the Hollywood Café in Robinsonville, Mississippi (present-day Tunica Resorts, 35 miles south of Memphis). Here is what Cohn said: "When I arrived, Muriel, who ... was in her 60s, was onstage playing a beat-up old upright piano and singing gospel standards ... I felt an immediate connection to her voice, her spirit, her face, and her smile. I was totally transfixed by her music. While many of the patrons were busy eating and not paying close attention to Muriel, I couldn't take my eyes off her. During her breaks, the two of us would talk. Muriel asked me why I was there, and I told her I was a songwriter trying to find inspiration. I also told her a little bit about my childhood - how when I was two and a half years old, my mom had passed away very unexpectedly, and about ten years later, my dad had passed away and I'd been raised by a stepmother. My mother's death was a central event in my life, and I'd been writing a lot about it over the years, both in songs and in journals. I think a part of me felt stuck in time, like I'd never quite been able to work through that loss... By midnight, the Hollywood was still packed, and Muriel asked me to join her onstage. We soon realized that there wasn't a song in the universe that both of us knew in common. A quick thinker, Muriel started feeding me lyrics to gospel songs so that I could catch up in time to sing somewhat in rhythm with her and make up my own version of the melody. Some songs I was vaguely familiar with, and some I didn't know at all. The very last song we sang together that night was 'Amazing Grace'. After we finished and people were applauding, Muriel leaned over and whispered in my ear: 'Child, you can let go now.' It was an incredibly maternal thing for her to say to me. Just like sitting in Reverend Al Green's church, I was again transformed. It was almost as if my mother was whispering in my ear. From the time I left Memphis and went back home to New York City, I knew I had a song in me about my experience there."
In 2014, Cohn noted: "The line: 'Tell me are you a Christian child, and I said 'Ma'am I am tonight' - even in the moment I wrote it down, I knew I was getting closer to finding my songwriting voice. To this day, people still ask me if I am a Christian. While I have to admit that I enjoy the confusion the lyric brings, the thing that makes that line work is the fact that I'm a Jew. So many great artists over the years needed to hide the fact that they were Jewish to protect themselves and their families from anti-Semitism, so I'm proud of the fact that I could come right out and practically announce my religion on the first song I ever released." In 1986, Cohn returned to the Hollywood Café to play "Walking in Memphis" and the other songs from his new album for Wilkins. After he finished, Wilkins said, "'You know the one where you mention me at the end? That's the best one you got!'" She died before Cohn released "Walking in Memphis".
I always took this song as a nostalgic look at life and the music in Memphis, Everyone he mentions in this song is a real person, Muriel Playing at the Hollywood refers to Muriel Wilkins, Reverend Green I believe refers to Al Green then he mentions WC Handy and Elvis some of us when we visit Memphis which I do often as I live 2 hours away and have friends in the music industry that play on Beale, I get a certain feeling when in Memphis, like they are all there still doing their thing, like they never left
Elvis put Memphis on the map.
You have to do more Al Green PLEASE!
I grew up close by and remember riding my bike to the to the old store in Hollywood, long before some friends of mine turned it into a nightclub
Does anybody remember Dave Dave?
Awit cut me off short Dave Loggins not kidding no Dave D a v e for sure Dave Loggins he's got the song that's called please please
This was his big hit off his Debut album. It was the best song on the album but if you like this song you'd probably like the whole album. It has a sound that carries through all the songs. I love putting on this album and listen to it all the way through. Other songs on this album worth listening to "Ghost Train" "Silver Thunderbird" "29 Ways".
"Ghost Train" is my favorite.
Yes. This whole album is so good.
Silverbird is a great childhood nostalgia song and tribute to a hard working dad.
True Companion is one of the best
@@stevecrescini2081 I just love that song! Makes me tear up a little whenever I hear it. A true lovesong imho. And I do love Silver Thunderbird too. The way he sings it it's almost like I can see him watching his dad driving in that car.
A nearly perfect song,,,never tire of listening to it. Masterpiece!
I felt the piano part of the song was hypnotic. His voice: soulful + very spiritual! Love, love , loved it. Have been playing it alot since discovering it.
I love his song and this album! A few friends and I visited Memphis the year this song was released, and we listened to it over and over again as we were driving from Nashville to Memphis. It made the trip extra special when we walked down Beale Street, visited Graceland and listened to the Memphis Blues!
A great song choice! A hidden gem of Marc's is "The Things We've Handed Down" - as parents the lyrics will strike a distinct note with you. Even if you don't react to it I cannot suggest strongly enough that you give it a listen.
I just searched for this song as I have never heard of it before. Wow. This is terrific. Another great parent song is Father to Son by Phil Collins.
Absolutely love this song! One of those songs that I can listen to anywhere, anytime and let it speak to my soul.
He survived an attempted robbery and was shot in the head! He made a full recovery!
Bob Carlisle,-(Butterfly Kisses) is another song you need to do. Especially as a whole family. Keep up the good work 😎👍
That song actually inspired me to write & record my own father/daughter song. It took me 23 years to finally record it. I don't have any kids, but I love the subject. 🙂
I had this played at my wedding for my dad to walk me down the isle. We were both crying by the time we got to the front of the church.
I think that maybe you need to listen to Dave D a v e Dave Mister logins Dave Loggins indeed he he had a wonderful voice indeed Santa had a great song to go with it number brother what more you need to know voice of a great song? I just can't figure this and out but he had it going on so want to talk about the song is come Please Come to Boston and yes indeed Dave did it Dave Loggins Dave put on someday
I'm thinking that you have never in your life heard of Dave Loggins? All you got to do is have a UA-cam Dave Dave did it he did he did the song Please Come to Boston and brother Dave had a voice to baby turn your make your panties wet
Bob Carlisle he's a great suggestion. But he was so much more than just butterfly kisses. He was an amazing Blues, Soul, Rock, gospel singer. If you want just a touch of what he can do, try listening to his song Use Me.
Stunning!! Makes me now wanna hear some piano from my man Bruce Hornsby!
YES!! 👍😃❣️
This reminds me of Five For Fighting. "Superman" and "100 Years" are great FFF songs!
He’s Alive by Dolly Parton great choir background and awesome song!!
This song is a masterpiece
Memphis is a great city for a music fan. You've got Beale Street and all the great music spilling out of the clubs, you've got Graceland and Sun Studios, and Stax Records. You could spend forever just absorbing the music history of that place.
Yes another classic!!! Thank you for the trip down middle school lol J and Amber you rock!!
Lots of history happened in Memphis!!!
Many many references to Elvis. Absolutely beautiful song!
I love how the piano part brings to mind the falling rain. Great choice, keep up the OUTSTANDING work!
I never really recognized that before. I think on a very deep sense I knew that, but I didn’t say it out loud. Thank you for bringing it to the forefront for me.
@@jenniferdixon7633 My pleasure, glad to have been of some help.
This guy is one of my Favorite Artist!!!! And he is sooooo underrated!!! Love this song!!!!
Yes!!! This song is as an anthem for many of us back in the day! He is a fantastic writer. The entire album is great. 👍
“In the middle of the pouring rain”, at the end especially, you can just hear the rain in the piano 🎹 - a great classic, and a true story, so great to see you discover it :-)
Yes. This and The Who’s “Love Reign Over Me” both do a great job of playing a rain sound on piano.
"'tell me are you a Christian, child'... And I said 'Maam I am tonight'" - I love that line. Marc is Jewish (as am I) so this line to me shows how powerful this experience is for him - paramount to a religious experience.
By the way, Cher covered this song.
I think you'll also enjoy his song "Silver Thunderbird" and also the cover of it by Jo Dee Messina - epic cover IMO.
I didn’t know that. I thought maybe he was agnostic, but now I get it fully. Thank you.
So many good songs. I also love "Walk on Water."
His voice is very uplifting.
Life-long Memphian here. Cohn really did a great job capturing the essence of Memphis. Y'all could do several reactions to Memphis music -- from Elvis, Jerry Lee, Rev Al all the way to Stax. Here's a video that talks about the Soul Explosion from Stax back in the late 60s.
Anyway, nice reactions to a song about Memphis on the night the Grizz take game 5 at home against the T'wolves. Go Grizz!
I was living in Memphis when this song came out. All of the people, places, and street names mentioned are from Memphis
Absolutely love this song. Having been to Memphis several times and spent many hours on Beale Street listening to the Blues, this one always brings back fond memories.
Every time I hear this song I have to stop everything and sing with it! Gives me goose bumps every time!
I was supposed to be going into Target last night when I heard it. I had stay to listen to it. Thank God for Mark and Memphis for this beautiful song.
W.C. Handy is the Father of the Blues. While he did not invent The Blues, he is largely responsible for making it much more accessible to the masses by actually putting it to the page. Before him the blues was mostly a regional genre found in a fairly small section of the American south. There is an annual week-long celebration called The Handy Festival in Florence, Alabama, his hometown.
Finally! I’m so glad you guys are finally reacting to this song, it’s great.
You need to listen to Sylvia’s Mother by Dr. Hook
This song truly encompasses the essence of Memphis. 10/10
There are so many things to love in this gem!
The power and raw emotion in the line,
“Ma’am I am tonight!”
is exquisite!
A truly great song!!
Chris Rhea is another one of these fabulous bluesy voices.
" Fool if you think it's over"
" Road to Hell"
" Josephine "... 🌿🌻🌿🌻
Also my favourite Christmas song "Driving Home for Christmas". 🇨🇦
@@marybaillie8907 oh yes YES! Mary
SO many good songs. Workin' on It; pretty much anything off Auberge.; Julia..
@@keithosmond5730 Aubergé is delicious, I call the style music a Le Rémy Martin XO. Dr John "Such things", Gordon Lightfoot " Edmund Fitzgerald", Cat Steven's, "Peace Train", Simply Red " Turning back the years", Eric Clapton "Pretending", Boz Scaggs " Georgia". ect Steve Windwood. Of course, Van the Man. Donald Fagen. Don McLean. ect.
Chris Rea is outstanding!
Coming off this song, I HIGHLY recommend "Mandolin Rain" by Bruce Hornsby and The Range. They won a bunch of Grammys from their debut album. The song's got a similar feel, powerful lyrics and the piano is beautiful in it.
This is one of the best crafted songs i have ever heard. Have loved it since it came out.
Cohn really did go to see Muriel who played piano at the Hollywood. After that visit to Memphis, his writer's block lifted and he wrote a bunch of songs. He went back to visit Muriel and played the songs for her before the album came out. She said the one that mentions me is the best. It's gonna be a hit
If you look into Elvis’s life, his home was Graceland. When he made it big, as a very young man, he paid cash for the home. His home is now on the national register and is a museum. (I’ve been there twice) Beale street is the home of the blues…Martin Luther King was assassinated close by as well. Such an iconic city. This song hits close!
Great song and performance, Now let's do "Midnight In Montgomery" with Allen Jackson.
Yes! 👍😃❣️
I always enjoy watching people's first time hearing this song and their reactions. There is not one flaw in this song. It is the perfect song.
That Gospel choir kicked in and sent chills down my spine!
Love this song 🎶♥️
Hi Jay and Amber , love this tune ! Cher did a version of it ! But Darius Rucker did a great live version on UA-cam that you really must check out !
Cheers Mike from the UK 🇬🇧 👍 🍺
Why not?
Grew up just outside of Memphis, then went to college far away. Used to get so homesick whenever this song came on the radio. Glad you guys got to enjoy it.
Lol, grew up in Louisiana and would get so homesick when I left I would listen to country music even tho I didn't like it that much... just reminded me of home :)
Every once in a great while a song comes along that just knocks your socks off...This is one of those songs....Timeless Gold...
Such a comforting voice and melody. Doesn’t sound like he’s just singing the words it sounds like he means them. Course, references to what some Memphis is about… gospel, Graceland (jungle room is one room in the home)Nice reaction. Suggesting Tennessee Ernie Ford singing ‘16 tons’
YES! 👍😃❣️
His voice is like a warm hug on a cool night in a smoky room. So good. 💜
Dave Dave did it Dave Loggins Dave Loggins a wonderful wonderful voice and he has a great song to go with that voice the song is called please please Bobby Please Come to Boston and it's by Dave
@@teresajarrell452 do you know Dave? Pesona UA-cam Dave Loggins not canning if they're not related no way he's got the wonderful voice the song was God pleased Baby Baby Please Come to Boston Please Come to Boston by mr. Logins and yes Dave Dave
Tennessee Ernie Ford! I'm 72 years old and haven't thought of '16 Ton's' since I was a little girl watching him on TV. But stumbling across it now, I can hear the voice ... and know the lyrics as if I were singing along with Ernie. Thank you for the memory, and I second your suggestion.
To understand this song you really need to understand Memphis role in the history of American music. Elvis Presley, BB King, Robert johnson was from just down the road in Arkansas as was Al Green who he mentions in the song. W. C. Handy is also mentioned. Do a little reading on those topics and you will absolutely love this song even more.
One of my favorite songs and “1 hit wonder”.
Stay blessed love ❤️ peace ☮️
As I read a story years ago Marc Cohn was feeling like he was losing his inspiration for writing music or could not find inspiration. His manager or an associate told him to go on a trip, maybe to Memphis. He went to Graceland and walked down Beale street towards Graceland. He saw the ghost of Elvis and followed him through the gates to his burial tomb. The Hollywood was a baptist church where Reverand Green preached and Ms. Murielle was the pianist. She asked Cohn, who is Jewish, to play something. She asked if he was a ‘Christian child’. ‘Maam, I am tonight’.
The jungle room refers to a ‘private’ place downstairs where Elvis, uh..., met people of the fairer gender(?)
If you truly want to be hit in the feels, listen to 'The Things We've Handed Down' by Marc Cohn. It will take you back to the birth (and before) of the kids, and I'll bet dollars to donuts that Amber will have to pause to keep from crying
If you can find a video of his song "The Things We've Handed Down" check it out. It is beautiful, especially for young parents like yourself
Absolutely. J and A will LOVE IT
Happy bday jay
Memphis has such a history, Elvis, BB King on Beale Street, Sun Records, Graceland, Elvis’s home, Al Green when you haven’t got a prayer This song is magic. A tribute to Memphis,Tennessee.