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Mississippi (Charlie Daniels song)

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"Mississippi"
Single by Charlie Daniels Band
from the album Million Mile Reflections
B-side"Passing Lane"
ReleasedSeptember 24, 1979
GenreCountry rock
Length3:09
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Charlie Daniels
Producer(s)John Boylan
Charlie Daniels Band singles chronology
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
(1979) 		"Mississippi"
(1979) 		"Behind Your Eyes"
(1979)

"Mississippi", is a song written by Charlie Daniels and first released on the Charlie Daniels Band's 1979 album Million Mile Reflections. It was also released as a single in September 1979 as the follow-up to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." It reached the top 20 on the country singles charts in both the U.S. and Canada.

Lyrics and music

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The lyrics of "Mississippi" have the singer thinking about his earlier times in the state of Mississippi.[1] The Clarion-Ledger described the mood of the song as quiet and contemplative.[2] Bill Hance of Gannett News Service described it as a "bluesy ballad" that would appeal to older, more middle-of-the-road listeners than some of Daniels' earlier material.[3]

According to Daniels, the melody he used happened to fit the 4 syllable name "Mississippi" and could have been applied to a different place name with 4 syllables, stating "I coulda made it Cincinnati except they ain't no Spanish moss hangin' from no live oak trees in Cincinnati."[4]

Reception

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"Mississippi" did not repeat the mainstream success of its predecessor "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" but it was nonetheless a success on the country music charts. It reached #19 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the U.S. and performed even better on the Canadian country singles chart where it peaked at #3.[5][6][7] It was also noted as one of the "1980 Most Performed Songs of the Year" by the BMI Awards.[8]

Billboard chose "Mississippi" as a recommended country music single.[9] Cash Box said that "lush strings and piano, and soft, meandering vocals highlight this song that flows as smooth as the Mississippi."[10] Record World said that compared to its predecessor, the band "slows the pace down with a warm, mellow tune" and that "The band shows its versatility here with a smooth vocal and instrumental style."[11] Gannett contributor Herb Ditzel praised "Mississippi" for expressing how much the singer misses Mississippi without resorting to "fancy guitars, piano or screeching vocals."[1] He refers to "Mississippi" as Daniels' answer to "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."[1] Robert Christgau described it as a "sentimental reminiscence."[12] Music critic Ronald Hawkings criticized the song for being too "saccharine."[13]

"Mississippi" was included on Daniels' 1996 box set The Roots Remain.[14]

On April 25, 1979 – before it was released as a single – Daniels presented a special pressing of the song to Mississippi governor Cliff Finch.[15]

Chart performance

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Chart (1979) Peak
position
Billboard Hot Country Singles[5] 19
Canadian RPM Country Tracks[7] 3

"Passing Lane"

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The b-side of "Mississippi" was "Passing Lane". Billboard described "Passing Lane" as " a consistently good mix of Southern rock/boogie," praising both the vocals and the instrumentation.[16] Cash Box called it a "kind of redneck blues-rock number" with "a witty lyric hook" and "strong instrumentation."[17] Record World called it a "tale spun over a blockbuster rhythm with nifty basslead duets."[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Ditzel, Herb (November 16, 1979). "Charlie Daniels says he's been "rocked till he's ragged". Courier-Post. p. 98. Retrieved 2018-12-28 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Charlie's dad gave good advice". The Clarion-Ledger. July 10, 1979. p. 44. Retrieved 2018-12-29 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Hance, Bill (December 7, 1979). "1979's been good to Charlie Daniels". Ithaca Journal. p. 63. Retrieved 2018-12-28 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Hurst, Jack (December 2, 1979). "Daniels a Unique Breed". Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 100. Retrieved 2018-12-28 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Hot Country Singles". Billboard Magazine. December 1, 1979. p. 33. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  7. ^ a b "RPM Country 75 Singles". Library and Archives Canada. December 8, 1979. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  8. ^ "Charlie Daniels Band". Wirth Entertainment. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  9. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. September 29, 1979. p. 71. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  10. ^ "Country Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 22, 1979. p. 34. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  11. ^ "Country Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. September 22, 1979. p. 83. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  12. ^ Christgau, Robert. "The Charlie Daniels Band". Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  13. ^ Hawkins, Ronald (April 28, 1979). "On the Tracks". Muncie Evening Press. p. 28. Retrieved 2018-12-28 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Roots Remain". Allmusic. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
  15. ^ Warren, Sam (April 19, 1979). "Where It's At". Northside Sun. p. 13. Retrieved 2018-12-29 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. September 22, 1979. p. 71. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  17. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 22, 1979. p. 20. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  18. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 22, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
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