Mercury Blues
Encyclopedia
"Mercury Blues" is the title of song written by K. C. Douglas
and Robert Geddins
in 1949. The song, originally titled "Mercury Boogie," pays homage to the American
automobile
, which ended production in 2010.
The song has been covered among others by the Steve Miller Band
(1976), David Lindley
(1981), Alan Jackson
(1993), the Finn
Pave Maijanen
(1987), Meat Loaf
(2003) and Dwight Yoakam
(2004). Lindley's version, from his 1981 album El Rayo-X
, peaked at number 34 on the Billboard
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Meat Loaf
's version appears as a hidden track at the end of his 2003 album Couldn't Have Said It Better
. Dwight Yoakam
's version appears on his 2002 boxed set
, Reprise Please, Baby, and later on his 2004 compilation album
, Dwight's Used Records
.
Rights to the song were purchased by the Ford Motor Company
, which used it for a television commercial for Ford trucks (albeit with the lyrics changed to "Crazy 'bout a Ford truck").
recorded the song for his album , A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love)
. It was released in September 1993 as the fourth single from the album. His version of the song peaked at number 2 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) chart and the RPM Country Tracks in Canada.
makes an appearance in the video as a guitar player.
for Ford pickup truck
commercials, changing the line "crazy 'bout a Mercury" to "crazy 'bout a Ford truck." Jackson performed the original "Mercury" version of the song live "in-studio" on an episode of the hit ABC
sitcom Home Improvement in 1996.
K. C. Douglas
K. C. Douglas was an American blues singer and guitarist.-Career:Born in Sharon, Mississippi, Douglas was a rural blues stylist in the San Francisco/Oakland area of California. Douglas was influenced by Tommy Johnson, whose "Canned Heat Blues" he adapted on his album, Big Road Blues...
and Robert Geddins
Bob Geddins
Robert L. "Bob" Geddins was an American San Francisco Bay Area blues and rhythm and blues musician and record producer....
in 1949. The song, originally titled "Mercury Boogie," pays homage to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
, which ended production in 2010.
The song has been covered among others by the Steve Miller Band
Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967 in San Francisco, California. The band is managed by Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of mid-1970s hit singles that are staples of the classic rock radio format.-History:In 1965, Steve Miller and...
(1976), David Lindley
David Lindley (musician)
David Perry Lindley is an American musician who is notable for his work with Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and other rock musicians. He has worked extensively in other genres as well, performing with artists as varied as Curtis Mayfield and Dolly Parton...
(1981), Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
(1993), the Finn
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Pave Maijanen
Pave Maijanen
Pekka Juhani "Pave" Maijanen is a famous Finnish musician, who has acted as a singer, songwriter, bass player, keyboard player, drummer, guitarist and producer during his long career...
(1987), Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
(2003) and Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
(2004). Lindley's version, from his 1981 album El Rayo-X
El Rayo-X
El Rayo-X is David Lindley's first album, released in 1981 .-Track listing:#"She Took off My Romeos" - 3:00#"Bye Bye Love" - 2:50#"Mercury Blues" El Rayo-X is David Lindley's first album, released in 1981 (see 1981 in music).-Track listing:#"She Took off My Romeos" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) -...
, peaked at number 34 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
's version appears as a hidden track at the end of his 2003 album Couldn't Have Said It Better
Couldn't Have Said It Better
Couldn't Have Said It Better is a 2003 album by Meat Loaf.Only for the third time in his career, Meat Loaf released an album without any songs written by Jim Steinman...
. Dwight Yoakam
Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter, actor and film director, most famous for his pioneering country music...
's version appears on his 2002 boxed set
Boxed set
A box set is a compilation of various musical recordings, films, television programs, or other collection of related items that are contained in a box.-Music box sets:...
, Reprise Please, Baby, and later on his 2004 compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Dwight's Used Records
Dwight's Used Records
-Chart performance:...
.
Rights to the song were purchased by the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, which used it for a television commercial for Ford trucks (albeit with the lyrics changed to "Crazy 'bout a Ford truck").
Alan Jackson version
American country music singer Alan JacksonAlan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
recorded the song for his album , A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love)
A Lot About Livin' (And a Little 'Bout Love)
A Lot About Livin' is the third studio album by American country music artist Alan Jackson. It was released on October 9, 1992, and produced the singles "Chattahoochee", "She's Got the Rhythm ", "Tonight I Climbed the Wall", " You Can't Have It All" and "Mercury Blues"...
. It was released in September 1993 as the fourth single from the album. His version of the song peaked at number 2 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) chart and the RPM Country Tracks in Canada.
Music video
The music video was directed by Piers Plowden and premiered in mid-1993. Keith UrbanKeith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban is a New Zealand-born Australian, country music singer, songwriter and guitarist whose commercial success has been mainly in the United States and Australia. Urban was born in New Zealand and began his career in Australia at an early age...
makes an appearance in the video as a guitar player.
In popular culture
His rendition was used by the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
for Ford pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
commercials, changing the line "crazy 'bout a Mercury" to "crazy 'bout a Ford truck." Jackson performed the original "Mercury" version of the song live "in-studio" on an episode of the hit ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom Home Improvement in 1996.
Chart positions
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |