Sitting on Top of the World

1930

Sitting on Top of the World is the title of a popular blues songs, written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon and was first recorded by their band, the Mississippi Sheiks. He has become a blues standard that have interpreted many well-known musicians of the genre over the years.

Origin and first recordings

Walter Vinson claimed to have the piece after a gig in Greenwood, Mississippi written for white audiences in the early morning hours. In how far the bandmate Lonnie Chatmon was involved in the composition, is not completely preserved. Subsequent publications from other artists often led only Vinson as a composer, if at all. Often the authorship of either the performers awarded ( see, for example, the version of Howlin ' Wolf) or the piece was was referred to as Traditional without known authors ( see, for example, the version of Bob Dylan ).

The first known recording of Sitting on Top of the World comes from the Mississippi Sheiks, the band led by Walter Vinson. They recorded the number for Okeh Records. The single was so successful that it became a crossover hit for the band and both - song and band - very poplulär made ​​. It is also the original version of the Mississippi Sheiks, who was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Cover versions

In May 1930 the first musician recorded a cover version of the song. The delta blues musician Charley Patton played a own version with some custom text, used as a title but One Summer Day. In the coming years, the song was then was covered by many blues musicians, including The Two Poor Boys, Big Bill Broonzy, Sam Collins and Milton Brown. Bob Wills also recorded the piece, making it also landed in the repertoire of western swing bands.

Sitting on Top of the World became a standard of the American blues and folk music scene, which was often referred to even as Traditional. Even Ray Charles, Howlin 'Wolf, The Grateful Dead, Cream, Bob Dylan, BB King and Willie Nelson have the piece - in different genres - played.

Text and structure

The high number of cover versions produced over the years a large variation in the original lyrics. So kept Howlin 'Wolf, in his very popular version of the song from 1957 only two of the five stanzas of the original text and added a new one. Similarly, other musicians walked around with the text.

Musically is Sitting on Top of the World Blue a song whose key may vary from artist to artist. A common chord progression of the song is EEEEAAEEBBA E.

The content of the song lyrics come back to be apart of leaving his loved ones. The titelgegebende line probably originates from the then well-known piece I'm Sitting on the Top of the World, which was published in 1926 by Al Jolson.