The lyrics are referencing the infamous Chicken Ranch, an illegal brothel, that once operated outside of LA Grange Texas. It is the same brothel made famous in the movie Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, starting Burr Reynolds and Dolly Parton.
My wife and I went to La Grange and went into the town historical building, which used to be the town jail. The sherriff that ran it was there for 40 years and solved every crime that was commited. He had a direct phone line ( mind you, the only one in town) straight to the madames office at the brothel, and when all the criminals would come in they would brag to the prostitutes about what they had done. The girls in turn would tell the madame and on to the sherriff who would arrest them. Also, the sherifs wife ran the jail, cooking, cleaning, all of it!
When I was a freshman in college '71 just south of Dallas...two of my older work buddies/college mates came up with a plan to head to The Chicken Ranch 🐔🏠 one Saturday evening after we got off work at the local grocery store... we worked at part-time...I went along with the plan until the last minute when I backed out...my Mom had a funny way of finding out or suspecting something when I did something she wouldn't approve of🤣😂...the other two guys went...made the long drive, stayed about an hour/spent their $$, then made the long drive back home...stopping and sleeping in their car on the way home...then 2 years later ZZ Top came out with this song...about my almost experience...☹
BB King inspired them...he was the King👑 of blues🎸🎶...they also liked ZZ Hill another blues artist....Billy Gibbons took the ZZ from Hill, but couldn't use King because it would sound so close to BB King....so he decided the next thing to King was being on Top...thus ZZ Top...it had nothing to do with wrapping papers...I'm a Texas boy
Bob Klumpp - you’re damn right! Was so great to be there. I was 12, dancing to La Grange and singin’ Sundown. ‘77 was my favourite music year for sure. ... 70s teenagedom set the tone for music happiness and cool reminiscing for life! 😀👋🇦🇺
Tres Hombres is the best. I remember when I was listening to it when I was a little kid at my older sister's friends house...I took a trip to La Grange Tx last year just to see the town.
In the 70's here in small town Alabama we would hit the backwoods gravel pit. Big bonfire at least 3 to 4 hundred people start Friday night end early Monday morning. Occasional fist fight but 99.9 per cent good times. If you were too waxed you couldn't leave till you sobered up. Cops left us alone we were bothering no one. Great times!
@@rickyjoyner8802 Yeah back in the 70's here in BC the cops would cover the only road in. Once you were in you were in. One of my favourite places was a place called Mud Bay. Great times. We was just lookin for some Tush.
@@vansongs there was always plenty of tush to go around. The free love drive didn't slow down till the early 80's and the aids invasion. Everyone got scared then. Made for a lot more monogamous relationships. Miss my 70's Godawful bad. Only bad part I can remember is losing some good friends to Viet Nam.
He's not talking about Jesus in the song..He's actually talking about a blues singer..I can't remember which singer...I think you can read about it if you go to...songfacts.💞
Frank's Chicago Shuffle sounds effortless but it's one of the most challenging beats to play. His right hand keeps the quarter notes but his left hand on the snare is shuffling and still hitting the 2 and 4 consistently. To top it off, his right foot is consistently shuffling. I've been playing over 40 years and cannot master this beat; it's one SOB!
Back in the 70's we always had live bands to play at our proms. I grew up in the same area that ZzTop hailed from. They were the prom band for two of our high schools! Can you imagine that. Seen pictures in their yearbooks. They were most loved here in Texas. When Dusty Hill died , been playing ZZ Top music to remember him. Went to my kid's house in Houston. Listening to ZZ Top Greatest Hits!
@@victoriabrown1848 what a cool story! Thanks for sharing. Played at your school Prom. Were they any good back then? Raw for sure. Looking forward to your reply. RIP DUSTY. As Dusty would say take me with you Jesus.
Billy “The Reverend” Gibbons was a buddy of Jimi Hendrix. He’s one of the coolest most peace-loving cats you’ll ever come across. He did pinch the voice stylings and boogie woogie groove from old Chicago and delta blues. He was a big John Lee Hooker fan. He does it justice. Especially with that pinch harmonic talking guitar section.
nailed it. the whole second guitar solo in this song is nothing but pinch harmonics, and its fucking fire! its got all the makings for a perfect Rock and Roll song.
La Grange, was a little ditty about a “shack outside La Grange.” Mostly known as the Chicken Ranch, it was a Texas brothel, open from 1905 to 1973. A simple farmhouse with no signs advertising its purpose, the Chicken Ranch ran with the knowledge, if not the blessing, of local politicians and law enforcement.
Additional Fun Fact-- the movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas is set in that same brothel. The story is loosely based on the story of the brothel being forced out of business.
These guys are musical geniuses! If you ever watch them play live, you'll see that they can get a 5 piece band sound out of a three piece band. It's phenomenal!!
I take incredible joy in watching you discover some of my favorite music. Saw ZZ Top during their 40th anniversary tour last summer. Just an amazing experience.
Jemel_AKA_Jamal - I really like your channel, man. I'm a 60 yr old guy that grew up listening to a lot of the music you review. I love that you appreciate it! Please keeping spreading the news! Thanks!
Never listen to ZZ Top while driving in the following states: Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, Texas. By the time the cop pulled me over I had been slowing down and he clocked me at 104. That was a $58 fine lol.
The song you're probably thinking about is Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker. The members of ZZ Top were fans of Hooker and wanted a song that embodied that blues classic so La Grange was born.
When I first heard the song "Brown Sugar" by ZZ Top I thought it had a hint of influence from Jimmy Hendrix, then I found out that Billy Gibbons opened for Hendrix and were friends... good song that has been lost in the pile of ZZ's all time hits.
You are thinking of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom-Boom-Boom”, 1972. The “Haw-Haw-Haw”. John Lee Hooker actually took ZZ Top to court for copyright infringement over this song. They settled out of court. But it is one of the best songs EVER to drive really fast too...
It's musically more similar to Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips" (1966) , covered most notably by The Rolling Stones on the "Exile on Main Street" album (1972)
I don't know if this is true but I heard it from Billy Gibbons in an interview. He said he was in the loft of a barn with z shaped raters. There was a sign that said "beware of zz top." He thought that would be a good name for a band he was forming. He may have been pulling the interviewers leg. The rolling paper thing makes more sense.
Heck YEAH!! ZZ Top is one of the most underrated bands ever!! They are freaking awesome in concert! Fun fact- Stevie Ray Vaughn learned alot of his guitar skills from Billy Gibbons! Both good old Texas boys!! Thank you for your awesome reaction!!
well, at least they didn't lip sync, but they played to a taped recording. billy was not physically able to play rhythm and lead guitar in this song and others. they danced to the rhythm to make it look real, but he played the lead to a taped rhythm in concert. much of their music is dubbed in the studio.
@@if6turnedouttobe9 lmao who is playing the rhythm to this song? there is only the bass and the 6 string. again, who is playing rhythm guitar while he's playing the lead? a tape recorder. billy gibbons admitted himself he dubbed in the lead guitar in the studio version of this song. it's not the only one. they never did hoax me in their concerts i attended. once in a concert i was at, they got ahead of the tape, they all stopped playing for a full beat to get back in sync with the tape. it was obvious as hell. nobody wanted to hear they did this but billy gibbons admitted to it. fact.
I've known what Billy was talkin' 'bout since I was 10 years old and Marvin Zindler exposed the Chicken Ranch on Eyewitness News in Houston. The Chicken Ranch got it's name during the Great Depression when patrons would pay for the girls' time with chickens. So many chickens outside in the yard, it got the nickname.
“THAT LITTLE OH BAND FROM TEXAS “, we are very proud of ZZTOP down here , I was 15 yrs . When I first saw them in Ft Worth Tx. I’ve seen them live 10 times .A Texan.Im 64 now. Texas veteran!
You asked about the name "zztop" the thing with them, they started as a Texas based blues-rock band, BB King was considered King of the blues at that time, the "top," guy, so they were gonna call the band "ZZ King" in honor of BB, but decided it was corny then went with ZZ Top. Yeah; that and Tush were probably their biggest early hits, but "legs," was probably their biggest global smash, crossing into the pop and country charts
See? Isn't that the ten thousandth suggestion to watch the movie Blues Brothers? :D We subscribers never give up. Is Jamel going to have to find a drive-in theater around his place to watch it? How come we're in a car today?
Originally there were called the moving sidewalks. Used to be a bar band, played a lot in Pasadena, Texas. ZZTOP is basically a tribute to the rolling papers of the day. Zig Zags and Tops.
@Possumlove According to Gibbons, the band he was in at the time got to play before Hendrix during a gig, and since his band didn't have enough material to fill their slot out they played Foxy Lady and Purple Haze. Right about halfway through the second song he noticed Hendrix himself was standing to the side of the stage (backstage area) just grinning with a "Look at the balls on this kid" face. Check out the documentary "That Little Old Band From Texas" (it's from last year IIRC), it's a lot of fun and surprisingly honest.
First of all, I just found you on the "TUBE" and signed up. I appreciate your love for music and that you are open minded. Van Halen, Doobie Brothers, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynryd, etc. Quick answers to one of your questions, Doobie Brothers were big in the 70's. I grew up in West Texas and the rumor was that a band got their name from the two big rolling papers that were sold. Zig Zag and Top. So they choose to call themselves, ZZ Top. A song that I would like you listen to is a mix of blues and rock. Stevie Ray style. What makes it off the hook is after you listen to it. The whole album and video was recorded by someone who had already played with the likes of B.B. King and others. He was 15 years old. Johnny Lang and the song is "Lie To Me." Title song for the album. "Rack'em Up" is awesome also. The album was released in 1997. One day before his 16 birthday. Music today is crap but you have opened the door to the vault and just scratched the surface. Happy listening and enjoy the ride. Jeff
I first heard this track about twenty five years ago and I listened to it back to back about thirty times. To this day it still raises the hairs on the back of my neck.
My whole entire life I always wanted a second verse, but... The song is so goddamned groovy it's cool. The drummer is way underrated, by the way. Frank Beard. The only band member withOUT a beard!
One of my favorite ZZ Top songs is "El Diablo". Great sound, great cruizin' music. Had the luck to see them perform live at a county fair in California. This was not long after my late husband introduced me to their music. My first response was "this is all just three guys?"
This song shows proper respect to John Lee Hooker's 'Boogie Chillen'. I did high school in Grand Prairie in Dallas County and to me this was always our theme. -signed your favorite lol ol white grandma. Btw- I saw them in concert in San Diego and they're just as perfect in concert as they are in recording.
I hear Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker too, though he might've used the same riff for both songs. ZZ Top definitely paid homage to the late great Mr. Hooker with this song though!
The name ZZ Top, according to band member Billy Gibbons, came from a tribute to B.B. King. The band originally were going to call themselves “Z.Z. King” in King's honor, but then decided it was too similar to B.B. King. Because B.B. King was at the “top” of the blues world, they changed it to ZZ Top.🤘
You NEED TO listen to “Waitin For the Bus”/“Jesus Just Left Chicago”, it’s technically 2 songs, but they run together seamlessly from the first to the second. ZZ Top is a 3 man band known as that “little ole band from Texas”. I GUARANTEE YOU WILL GLAD YOU DID IT!!! GAARRRAAAWWWNTEEEEE IT BROTHER!!!
When i was in high school back in the 70's This is the first song i learned in our guitar class. Im almost 70 now still rock to this music. Thanks Jamel
More ZZ Top please"Jesus just left Chicago/waitin on the bus","tush","cheap sunglasses","I need you tonight","party on the patio","pearl necklace","tube snake boogie"and"I'm nation wide","brown sugar" to get started on the ZZ Top train ☮️
Bro, U born 20 years to late as far as this song is concerned. ZZ Top is the oldest Trio in music, 50 yrs. Most marriages don't last that long. Been listen'n to this jam since '73. It'll never get old. I believe Your correct, their signature song among MANY greats.
Bro did you know? Several old timers told me this story. Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top opened for Jimi Hendrix in Texas. Jimi saw Billy play and told him after the show "Hey man you gonna be something some day." Word. One love, love your channel man! @Jamal
@@_Red_Hand_ I thought he was referring to the song "boogie chillin'" by john lee hooker. John lee hooker was the blues. Boogie? Most people grant Johnny johnson the found of boogie woogie which is a bit different but these are just semantics and icons.
This reminds me of the good old days, when there was no smart phones or internet, when a friend or relative comes over and we sit in the car and just start hearing to some music and have good, crazy conversations. I know alot of you can relate. Good Times. You nailed it bro by reacting it in your car.
Um. ZZ Top didn't sing with John Lee Hooker to make a version Boom, Boom, Boom (at least not a song I've ever heard). There's a video on YT that claims to be ZZ Top and John Lee singing Boom, Boom, Boom. However, that video is mislabled and it's Big Head Todd NOT Billy Gibbons. Granted, it's a great version of John Lee's song, just not with ZZ Top.
Fun Fact: Billy Gibbons (the guitarist) toured with Jimi Hendrix in, I think, 1969. And Hendrix said he was a big fan of Gibbons and they learned alot together. This is before ZZ Top was formed.
Check “apologies to pearly” on Rio grande mud. Played on a Stratocaster gifted to Billy gibbons by Hendrix. The pearly in question was Billy’s les Paul
I always remember the time I first heard this tune. I was working as a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant making a buck an hour. Those dishes were EXTRA CLEAN!
When my daughter was about 14,16 months old, I was driving, ahe was in her carseat right behind me, this CD had been on continuous play in 5he player for longer than I realized.... the guitar played a few licks and I heard my baby growl " ah hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm..!" Funniest shit ever
Growing up in Texas I had a buddy who had a 1963 Ford Falcon with an 8 track tape player with 2 Pioneer speakers we wire in ourselves and runnning the back roads with ZZ blaring on 10 and the dust just a flying. Those were the days
"The name of the band was Gibbons' idea. The band had a little apartment covered with concert posters and he noticed that many performers' names used initials. Gibbons particularly noticed B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill and thought of combining the two into "ZZ King", but considered it too similar to the original name. He then figured that "king is going at the top" which brought him to "ZZ Top"" Source: Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZ_Top
The other part I recall is that they wanted their albums easy to find & with a name like ZZ Top they would always be at the end of the racks in a record store :-)
From Wikipedia: The name of the band was Gibbons' idea. The band had a little apartment covered with concert posters and he noticed that many performers' names used initials. Gibbons particularly noticed B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill and thought of combining the two into "ZZ King", but considered it too similar to the original name. He then figured that "king is going at the top" which brought him to "ZZ Top."
