Mississippi Queen
Encyclopedia
"Mississippi Queen" is a song by the American rock band Mountain
. Considered a rock classic, it was their most successful single, reaching #21 in the Billboard Hot 100
record chart in 1970. "Mississippi Queen" was also a hit for Ozzy Osbourne
in 2005 and has appeared in several soundtracks.
. Drummer Corky Laing
recalled that he had developed some of the lyrics and the drum part prior to his joining the band. Later, when guitarist Leslie West
was looking for lyrics for a guitar part he had written, Laing pulled out "The Queen" and the two worked out the song together. When the group proceeded to record "Mississippi Queen", bassist and producer Felix Pappalardi
insisted on numerous takes. Growing weary, Laing started using the cowbell to count off the song. Pappalardi liked it so much he left it in the mix, creating the instantly recognizable intro to the song.
. His version was released as a single and peaked at #10 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Mountain's original song has appeared in several films, including Vanishing Point (1971), Leader of The Banned
by Sam Kinison
, Outside Providence
(1999), The Longest Yard
(2005), The Dukes of Hazzard
(2005), Comeback Season
(2006), and The Expendables
(2010). It also is briefly featured in the "Homerpalooza
" episode of The Simpsons
(1996) and an episode of Ed
(2000). The song is also featured in the video games Rock Band (cover) and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
.
Mountain (band)
Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
. Considered a rock classic, it was their most successful single, reaching #21 in the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
record chart in 1970. "Mississippi Queen" was also a hit for Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
in 2005 and has appeared in several soundtracks.
Original song
"Mississippi Queen" was recorded during the sessions for Mountain's 1970 debut album Climbing!Climbing!
-Personnel:Mountain*Leslie West – guitars on all tracks except 6; vocals on all tracks except 6 and 7*Felix Pappalardi – bass on all tracks except 6 and 7; piano on tracks 1, 2 and 9; rhythm guitar and vocals on track 7; production...
. Drummer Corky Laing
Corky Laing
Laurence Gordon "Corky" Laing is a Canadian rock drummer, best known as a longtime member of pioneering American hard rock band Mountain...
recalled that he had developed some of the lyrics and the drum part prior to his joining the band. Later, when guitarist Leslie West
Leslie West
Leslie West is an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.-Biography:Originally named Leslie Weinstein, West was born in New York City, grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and in East Meadow, Forest Hills and Lawrence. After his parents divorced, he changed his surname to West...
was looking for lyrics for a guitar part he had written, Laing pulled out "The Queen" and the two worked out the song together. When the group proceeded to record "Mississippi Queen", bassist and producer Felix Pappalardi
Felix Pappalardi
Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bass guitarist.- Early life :Pappalardi was born in the Bronx, New York...
insisted on numerous takes. Growing weary, Laing started using the cowbell to count off the song. Pappalardi liked it so much he left it in the mix, creating the instantly recognizable intro to the song.
Other version and appearances
In 2005, Ozzy Osbourne recorded "Mississippi Queen" for his 2005 album Under CoverUnder Cover
-Personnel:*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Jerry Cantrell – guitars*Chris Wyse – bass*Mike Bordin – drumsGuest musicians*Ian Hunter – vocals on "All the Young Dudes"*Leslie West – guitar solo on "Mississippi Queen"...
. His version was released as a single and peaked at #10 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Mountain's original song has appeared in several films, including Vanishing Point (1971), Leader of The Banned
Leader of the Banned
Leader of the Banned is the third Sam Kinison comedy album released in 1990. He performs tracks of classic rock songs by bands such as AC/DC, Mountain, Cheap Trick, and The Rolling Stones.-Track listing:The album contained the following tracks:...
by Sam Kinison
Sam Kinison
Samuel Burl "Sam" Kinison was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Kinison was known for his intense, harsh and politically incorrect genre humor...
, Outside Providence
Outside Providence (film)
Outside Providence is a 1999 American film adaptation of Peter Farrelly's 1988 novel of the same name. Like the book, the film is a fictionalized account of Farrelly's own experiences at Kent School, a prep school in Kent, Connecticut.-Plot:...
(1999), The Longest Yard
The Longest Yard (2005 film)
The Longest Yard is a 2005 American sports comedy film remake of the 1974 film of the same name. Adam Sandler plays the protagonist, Paul Crewe, a disgraced former professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who is coerced to form a team from the prison inmates to play...
(2005), The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard (film)
The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 comedy film based on the American television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures...
(2005), Comeback Season
Comeback Season (film)
Comeback Season is a 2006 film directed by Bruce McCulloch. It stars Ray Liotta as Walter Pearce, a married man who, with the help of local football star Skylar Eckerman , tries to win back his wife after cheating on her...
(2006), and The Expendables
The Expendables (2010 film)
The Expendables is a 2010 American ensemble action film written by David Callaham and Sylvester Stallone, and directed by Stallone. Filming began on March 28, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, and the film was released in theaters on August 13, 2010 in North America.The film is...
(2010). It also is briefly featured in the "Homerpalooza
Homerpalooza
"Homerpalooza" is the 24th episode of The Simpsons seventh season and originally aired on May 19, 1996. The plot focuses around Homer's depression about aging and no longer being cool, and his quest to become cool again by joining the "Hullabalooza" music festival as a carnival freak. The episode...
" episode of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
(1996) and an episode of Ed
Ed (TV series)
Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004....
(2000). The song is also featured in the video games Rock Band (cover) and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
.