Mississippi (Charlie Daniels song)
1979 single by Charlie Daniels Band
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"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.
| "Mississippi" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Single by Charlie Daniels Band | ||||
| from the album Million Mile Reflections | ||||
| B-side | "Passing Lane" | |||
| Released | September 24, 1979 | |||
| Genre | Country rock | |||
| Length | 3:09 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter | Charlie Daniels | |||
| Producer | John Boylan | |||
| Charlie Daniels Band singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Lyrics and music
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]
Critical reception
"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
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Hot Country Singles[5] | 19 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks[7] | 3 |
"Passing Lane"
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]