There is a live version of this out there with Mountain and Ted Nugent doing this song together. ~It's worth a substantial listen. This song has got lots for Ted to look after while serving it up.
From "Best Classic Bands" website: West was asked how the song came about. “Corky Laing had this lyric and he came to my apartment in Manhattan. He says, ‘Look, I have this lyric, ‘Mississippi Queen.’ He said when he was in Nantucket and playing this bar and the power went out, he was just playing the drums and shouting the words ‘Mississippi Queen, do you know what I mean?’ He’s watching this girl dance-this is what he says. So, I started fooling around with the guitar in the apartment and I came up with this riff and it’s three chords. We went really quickly into the studio and Felix told him to count it off and he counted it off with a cowbell. We left it in there.”
We are beginning to lose a lot of the iconic members of the "Classic Rock" music era that spans the mid 1960s to about the early 1980s. Age and illness are starting to take some of the greats. We still have their music. God Bless Leslie West's Family
Leslie West is one of my favorite guitarist/vocalists, he was a diabetic with an above the knee amputation, many health issues over the years. Their song Theme For An Imaginary Western has one of my favorite guitar solos, written by Jack Bruce of Cream, heard was rejected by Eric Clapton, therefore recorded by Mountain. West and Bruce also recorded together in West, Bruce and Laing. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everybody!
@@dangabbert3944 I was lucky, my brother and sister had Mountain, The Who, Yes, Allmans , James Gang to name a few, got me off to a great musical start
Was this before Mick Ronson played with Mott the Hoople? You were very lucky to have seen Traffic. One of the very few bands I love that I never got the chance to see. But I did see Mountain once and also Mott sometime in the early 1970s. There’s a small supper club in NYC (City Winery) where I’ve seen quite a number of shows in the past 15 years, walking distance from my job, which made mid-week shows easy, plus tickets were not expensive and Never scalped-not even “legally” through those horrible resell places. You go online, choose your seat from what’s available, purchase it $30-60 except some big artists like Stephen Stills, Greg Allman, Leon Russell (saw all three) charged $100. But it’s a small club and I sat 10 feet from these guys. Watching Leon Russell’s hands on the piano was phenomenal-he played every single hit: amazing. (Both Russell and Allman died not long after those shiws😿.) You arrive at the club and someone greets you with a laptop and checks off your name and someone brings you to your seat. They don’t even ask for ID! (Of course if a problem ensued, I gather you’d have to show ID.) What a humane way to see music! Anyhow I saw Ian Hunter (Mott...) in 2015 and 2019. He played frequently in these years. He actually stopped touring due to tinnitus (ringing in ear) after that show (May 2019-his 80th birthday celebration) but would have returned to the stage had Covid-19 not happened.
@@dangabbert3944 When I saw them in concert in Santa Monica in the early 70's it blew me away how talented they were. So much more than Mississippi Queen.
@@gillespiehazlewood696 I agree. Interesting how if the bands during this time frame were good on the album they were always so much better live. I guess when you give real musicians a chance to perform this is what your get.
I highly recommend listening to Theme For An Imaginary Western. He doesn’t sing, bassist, Felix Pappalardi does, but the guitar, the tone , is amazing, and it’s an incredibly beautiful song.
Felix Pappalardi was killed (gunshot in neck) by his wife Gail Collins in 1983, who co-produced albums, wrote many lyrics to Mountain songs (co-wrote Strange Brew with Clapton and Pappalardi!); her art work appeared on many Mountain albums. Claiming it was an accident, she got a light sentence and was paroled after less than 2 years. Died of cancer 2013. 30 years after she killed her husband. If you haven’t heard it yet, please listen for yourself or for review Strange Brew. 1967 by Cream. And of course follow Eric Clapton through his career.
Leslie West showed that you don't have to be a shredder to capture complete attention to a guitar solo. Tone, taste, style -- shaping the tone with your hands -- melody -- vibrato. All the old blues tricks, amped up to the highest level of hard rock. Outstanding!
Lesley West plays lead with The Who on a live studio recording of Love Aint For Keeping, with Pete Townshend doing the vocals. Its on a remadtered extended version of Whos Next.
Leslie West a giant literally and figuratively in the world of hard rock as it was called then...saw him in 1970 in Worcester at WPI with his wall of marshalls...Gibson slung below his waist...he couldnt see it but played the hell out of it.....unsung and underappreciated an original at the cutting edge of what would come to be called heavy metal...Corky Laing...pounding on the skins and heaving drumsticks out into the crowd (caught one)...Felix Papalardi...great bass man and producer...Steve Knight.....great on keyboards.......unbelievable guitar sound/tone.....a Mountain of a band...led by a Mountain of a man........
Yesterday, I told my wife of 39 years that Leslie West had passed. She said "who"? But when I sang two words, "Mississippi Queen", she immediately recognized it and figured out of whom I spoke. This was an iconic song during our youth. RIP indeed.
I did the exact same thing, Ken. My wife of 43 years. I got the same response~ " Who?" .....And after saying ..." Ya know,....Mississippi Queen." See acknowledged immediately. Such a great player ! RIP ( We're gettin' old, Ken )
@@00wn We share something in common besides knowing who this musician was. We found a woman who could put up with us for the long haul! (Well, that's my story anyway!)
I remember one of my fifteen year old cousins writing his girlfriend about this crazy song he just heard on AM radio. The song was Mississippi Queen. 1970. I was 10 years old. This song comes on now, I stop what I am doing snd enjoy. I am 61 years old.
Amen amen to when people were cool and music available en masse !!! I also had music in high school, when thinking for yourself was encouraged for the last time ever btw!!!!! Wtf is this overt fascism presently that we arent calling out as its happening? Remember how germany took that wrong turn in Albuquerque? Lmao.....Wake up people its a step above woke....love these throwback reaction vids....i am 48 and still go listen to music before i was even incarnated....music makes life tolerable!!!
That guitar he's playing is a 1950s Gibson Les Paul Junior, The guitar is actually one that Waddy Watchel had owned previously, which 'he' had bought for $350 from Stephen Stills (CSN&Y). Waddy had given it to Leslie when they met each other in New York where they lived. Waddy is well known as a session player and also playing guitar on a lot of Linda Ronstadt hits. You recently reacted to Linda.
Knew of Leslie West and Mountain as a youngster, but never really followed them closely. Wish I had. Seems like a little harder version of The Marshall Tucker Band, which I've always loved. RIP Mr. West.
A year ago today, I arrived home from a round trip, cross country train trip on Amtrak, Philadelphia to Santa Ana, Ca. On the return trip, I'm having lunch in the dining car with a couple from Kansas. As the waitress was bringing our meals, we're on a bridge and the waitress says, "You're crossing the Mississippi River." That was pretty cool. Cross country train travel. I highly recommend it. It should be on everyone's bucket list.
RIP Leslie, what a great song. This song was definitely a banger. What is sad this sound was less than 3 minutes. Many great songs back then were under 3 minutes. Great choice to honor Leslie.
You just got another patron! I'm hooked!!! 😃 Please tell your sister I think she is precious!! If you can... could you listen and give your interpretation of Cinderella...I'm Coming Home. My husband is a truck driver. He's on the road right now. Peace.
Rest in Peace Leslie West! All the great rockers are dying off, but youtube lives forever. If you like this, check out the band Blackfoot, song "Train Train" if you haven't already.
Leslie's guitar is just so great on this, and I just realized that it's been far too long since I listened to Mountain. My personal favorite is Nantucket Sleigh Ride, which has a very different feel and a very eerie story behind it.
So sorry to hear the news. Leslie West was one of the first to intentionally combine pinch harmonics and distortion. He was heavily influenced by Eric Clapton's playing in Cream, and Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi had formerly been a producer on albums by Cream. One of Mountain's biggest hits, "Theme From An Imaginary Western", (highly recommended) was written by Cream bassist Jack Bruce, and after Mountain ended (Pappalardi was murdered), Leslie West teamed up with Bruce for a while in the group West, Bruce, and Lang. For the last few years, West had continued touring, even though he had lost part of one leg as a diabetic complication. "Never In My Life", from the same album, has one of the catchiest guitar riffs ever, and I think you would like the spirituality of the song "For Yasgur's Farm" (Max Yasgur owned the farm that the Woodstock Festival took place on.) The 3 other songs mentioned are also on this album.
Leslie West was never the fastest or flashiest guitarist, but no one played with more feel and passion. This song is rock guitar perfection. Many more famous rock guitarists were in awe of his talent. BTW, there's a great tutorial on this song on the "Shutup and Play" series. RIP.
That man was a legend. I had uncles that brought all the best music to my attention when I was a kid so I pretty much knew this album back to front right after it was released. The guitar he played on this song and soooo many others was Gibson Les Paul Junior. He loved the sound of a single P90 pickup, it gave him the growl he wanted out of a guitar. I have one like the one he played, and it RIPS! Heaven just got a lot louder!
a great loss to us folks who grew up with this stuff. Leslie was BADASS...was never overly flash, i say he applied the three T's....Taste, Touch, Tone. His guitar had a smooth singing tone to it...unmistakable when you hear it., You should check out 'Theme from an imaginary western' (jack bruce wrote that one)....Never in my life, Nantucket Sleighride just to name a few. RIP Mr West!
I recall there was a concert which was promoted as The Night of the Guitar. I just googled to learn there were two such concerts, the first of which happened on 11/23/88 and featured Steve Hunter / Randy California / Leslie West (Mountain) / Night of the Guitar / Alvin Lee 10 years after / Hank Marvin shadows / Andy Powell wishbone ash / Robbie Krueger Doors / Ted Turner Wishbone ASh / Steve Howe Yes. All great guitarists but my favorite was Randy California of Spirit RIP Randy. Must have been awesome to be at that show. Videos are available.
There is only one way to listen to Mountain, ALL the way UP. One early reviewer said this music was made for blowing up buildings and strafing airports. He lived large (literally and figuratively) while much of his life he lived like Morrison & Hendrix somehow made it to 75. RIP Big Man.
Definately a barn burner. Mountain performed at Woodstock in 1969. He was once considered for a spot in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Just an incredible guitarist. RIP Leslie. Check out Nantucket Sleighride, Travelling In the Dark and Never In My Life.
As a Mississippian, this gets played a lot on our local radio. I lived and worked in Vicksburg in the late eighties before the casinos. I lived in a house on a bluff overlooking the river local skateboarders used to love that street because it was good concrete with a nice slope. I learned a lot on that bluff but, my best lasting lesson was to be picky about which board to ride and which board to skip.
Grew up on Long Island and this New York band just could rip it up. Try Never In My Life, the heaviest/hardest song live I EVER heard in my years attending concerts. The Rhythm section of Mountain is epic and that vocal and guitar of Leslie are the start of Hard rock and the heavy metal to come.
I just discovered this channel , and being quarantined I have been watching it the past few days. You remind me of myself , back in the seventies , when I suddenly "discovered" music as a 12/13 year old , and started exploring my brothers' record shelves : Pink Floyd,Genesis,Yes,Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young,Camel,Caravan,Jethro Tull , almost all the bands you have been discovering these past months. I didn't care much for the lyrics back then , english isn't my mothertongue so I understood only fragments of what was being sung anyway. But , Man , the music, oh that wonderful music and the journeys it took me on.... days , weeks , months I spent with my brothers records on my fathers stereo , and it gave me the same feelings of awe you sometimes have in your videos. Now , almost 50 years later , sadly my brother isn't with us anymore , but I still have all those vinyl records in my own record shelves , all the music I discovered thanks to him , and all the music I came to discover myself over the years. Thank you for making me relive my own journey through your journey. My suggestions album-wise (not necesarily for a reaction video , just for your own pleasure) : The whole Post-Fish Marillion discography (I wasn't much of a Fish fan), The Edgar Allan Poe album from Alan Parsons , The Mountain Queen from Alquin (and/or the more compact and rocky "Nobody can wait forever"), The Focus 3 album from Focus , and perhaps for a reaction video : Cortez the Killer from the Zuma album by Neil Young (still my favorite NY track today) and "They get to know me" or "trust in the machine" from Kayak. Have a pleasant journey.
Jan...Daniel is only 16 years old...wise beyond his years...go back and check his past videos ...he has hundreds...he is a remarkable young man and you will enjoy them...
@@jazzyboy7784 That's exactly what I have been doing the past few days , and by Daniel''s reactions I remember how I reacted to the same music I heard for the first time back then.
Great group (Mountain). He did some fine solo work, too. Unique guitar sound, love his voice. Influenced many guitarists. Did lots of soft songs, too. West, Bruce, and Laing were another group he was in, with Jack Bruce of Cream. He will be missed. Thanks for covering this amazing tune. One of the early LOUD HARD ROCK songs. Just as powerful today as way back then. great ending, too! Much better than a stupid fade-out.
I always wanted this song to be at least three times as long......but it was made for radio, so was a short banger. I bet in concert they extended it....must have been epic.
Excellent memorable song, their best work is Nantucket Sleigh Ride which I highly recommend you react to!👍🏻❤️☮️✌🏻🎼🎤🎸R.I.P. Leslie West, Merry Christmas🎁🎅🏻🎉🎊🌲
Thanks for paying tribute to Leslie West (RIP brother), Daniel. He was pure grit. #turnthatup For another wonderful taste of Mountain, please check out Nantucket Sleighride (the single from the album of the same title).
This is just a technicality, but as someone that is fairly familiar with that region, you'll have to excuse that I'm a little bit of a stickler. Vicksburg, Mississippi (near the river on the eastern border of Louisiana) as well as all of North Louisiana in general, is not considered 'Cajun country' (Cajuns are in south Louisiana). But I digress, regardless, it still makes for great lyrics in what is truly a great classic rock song. This one was always one of my favorites!
Thank for reacting to Mountain. I first heard them and Leslie West when I was 12 in 1971. I got to see Leslie West and his band when they opened for The Edgar Winter Group. Daniel, if you want to hear more of that driving guitar on a fantastic riff, check out "Never In My Life" by Mountain!
Leslie was a huge influence on us young guitarists. What tone! Even though they released no radio songs, West, Bruce, and Laing was a powerhouse band, too. That was Leslie and Corky from Mountain plus Jack Bruce from Cream. Felix Pappalardi, Mountain’s bassist and second vocalist, had produced Cream. He was unfortunately shot and killed in his sleep by his wife... Quite a mess all around. His bass sound was as unique as Leslie’s guitar sound and his voice was a sweet counterpoint to Leslie’s primordial growl. I will take the opportunity to suggest “Sittin’ on a Rainbow” as a Mountain tune displaying the bass and guitar in full flight. 😉 RIP Leslie, and Felix and Jack. Thanks for everything.
I don’t think in his sleep. He had just walked in...I wrote about his wife (who co-wrote lyrics, co-produced, and did artwork for album covers!) in an earlier comment, or reply to a comment.
Nuthin' like Leslie West's simple perfection. All in the feel, the articulation, and the tone. Never flash, never speed. Just expression. Nuthin' like him.
A great inspiration to me back then, of all the great guitarists, Lesli West was my favorite. To see him live onstage with Felix, Corky and Stevie was awesome performing in front of those walls of Sunn amplifiers.
The Cripple Creek reference is the Band song 'Up on Cripple Creek' which is a great piece of country funk featuring a modified clavinet and great vocals by Levon Helm - definitely something you should check out.
Great cowbell, check out Nantucket sleigh ride by them it's a real classic. Part of the song, the heavy bit was the theme tune to a British political TV show, it was years before I realised it was mountain!
Mountain is one of the bands that had a large influence on hard rock and metal. They were awesome and I was lucky enough to see them play live. Check out "Theme for an Imaginary Western" - one of the tastiest guitar solos you'll ever hear.
Love Mountain RIP Leslie West. Daniel Mountain is great many more songs Nantucket Sleigh ride., Don’t look around , theme from imaginary Western the bass Player Felix Pappalardi was a great player singer and producer helped produce Cream check out more Mountain
"Let's turn this up all the way." Exactly what I say whenever this comes up on my playlist. RIP, Leslie.
Volume turned up is the best way to listen to this track!
There is a live version of this out there with Mountain and Ted Nugent doing this song together.
~It's worth a substantial listen. This song has got lots for Ted to look after while serving it up.
Only one problem with this one, it's too dang short! RIP, Leslie.
This song is so deliciously nasty. RIP, Leslie. You rocked. That's high praise coming from an old rocker like me.
the big man...with an even bigger sound...he hit all the right notes with stang
I got to see him in concert in the 70s. He was getting his guitar strapped on. We yelled at him and he flipped the bird at us.
From "Best Classic Bands" website:
West was asked how the song came about. “Corky Laing had this lyric and he came to my apartment in Manhattan. He says, ‘Look, I have this lyric, ‘Mississippi Queen.’ He said when he was in Nantucket and playing this bar and the power went out, he was just playing the drums and shouting the words ‘Mississippi Queen, do you know what I mean?’ He’s watching this girl dance-this is what he says. So, I started fooling around with the guitar in the apartment and I came up with this riff and it’s three chords. We went really quickly into the studio and Felix told him to count it off and he counted it off with a cowbell. We left it in there.”
We are beginning to lose a lot of the iconic members of the "Classic Rock" music era that spans the mid 1960s to about the early 1980s. Age and illness are starting to take some of the greats. We still have their music.
God Bless Leslie West's Family
Leslie West is one of my favorite guitarist/vocalists, he was a diabetic with an above the knee amputation, many health issues over the years. Their song Theme For An Imaginary Western has one of my favorite guitar solos, written by Jack Bruce of Cream, heard was rejected by Eric Clapton, therefore recorded by Mountain. West and Bruce also recorded together in West, Bruce and Laing.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everybody!
I’ll second you on Theme from an Imaginary Western! It’s one of my favorites, as well.
@@dangabbert3944 thanks Dan, I’m 59 and one of my earliest music memories of music I still listen to is Western, almost 50 years now.
@Brad Baker. It was one of the first 8-tracks that I bought, in high school and my car had a player. Good times.
@@dangabbert3944 I was lucky, my brother and sister had Mountain, The Who, Yes, Allmans , James Gang to name a few, got me off to a great musical start
@Brad Baker, I was lucky,too. Having an older brother was the reason I was able to see The Beatles, live, when I was only ten.
This is one of those songs that whenever it came on the radio, YOU TURNED IT UP!
About 1973, stood 10 feet away from Leslie West playing this and other songs. Can you say mesmerized? hahah RIP Leslie West.
RIP Leslie West. This one ROCKS
I bought this record way back then in 1970 when l was 14! LOVE it! ♥️ Was a huge Number One record here in Canada. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🎼🎶🎵
One of the best shows I ever attended back in the day Mountain, Mott the Hoople and Traffic. Mountain killed it Ft. Worth bout 1970
Was this before Mick Ronson played with Mott the Hoople? You were very lucky to have seen Traffic. One of the very few bands I love that I never got the chance to see. But I did see Mountain once and also Mott sometime in the early 1970s.
There’s a small supper club in NYC (City Winery) where I’ve seen quite a number of shows in the past 15 years, walking distance from my job, which made mid-week shows easy, plus tickets were not expensive and Never scalped-not even “legally” through those horrible resell places. You go online, choose your seat from what’s available, purchase it $30-60 except some big artists like Stephen Stills, Greg Allman, Leon Russell (saw all three) charged $100. But it’s a small club and I sat 10 feet from these guys. Watching Leon Russell’s hands on the piano was phenomenal-he played every single hit: amazing. (Both Russell and Allman died not long after those shiws😿.) You arrive at the club and someone greets you with a laptop and checks off your name and someone brings you to your seat. They don’t even ask for ID! (Of course if a problem ensued, I gather you’d have to show ID.) What a humane way to see music!
Anyhow I saw Ian Hunter (Mott...) in 2015 and 2019. He played frequently in these years. He actually stopped touring due to tinnitus (ringing in ear) after that show (May 2019-his 80th birthday celebration) but would have returned to the stage had Covid-19 not happened.
This was their big commercial hit. Check out Theme from an Imaginary Western and Nantucket Sleigh Ride.
Yes. ESP Nantucket!
Yep, my two favorites from them. They show a different side of the band.
@@dangabbert3944 When I saw them in concert in Santa Monica in the early 70's it blew me away how talented they were. So much more than Mississippi Queen.
Nantucket Sleighride was there best work. Not a bad cut on the whole album.
@@gillespiehazlewood696 I agree. Interesting how if the bands during this time frame were good on the album they were always so much better live. I guess when you give real musicians a chance to perform this is what your get.
Some rock just has to be blasted LOUD to really enjoy it and this song is one of them.
This being Christmas Eve, it's time to take a " Nantucket Sleigh Ride " !
I played this song in my college radio practically once a week. For four years! Love watching Leslie play guitar. RIP Mr. Leslie West.
RIP Mr. West. I highly recommend Nantucket Sleighride from Mountain. Laid back and hard rockin'. It's about a whale.
That guitar is like a buzzsaw.
Don't Look Around
I second Sleigh ride.
Thee Whale, the inspiration for Moby Dick.
NEVER IN MY LIFE,; ANOTHER BLASTER GUITAR AND COWBELL COMING AT YOU! RIP LEISLE WEST
I highly recommend listening to Theme For An Imaginary Western. He doesn’t sing, bassist, Felix Pappalardi does, but the guitar, the tone , is amazing, and it’s an incredibly beautiful song.
Great point, one of my favorite songs for almost 50 years now, classic guitar solo
Felix Pappalardi was killed (gunshot in neck) by his wife Gail Collins in 1983, who co-produced albums, wrote many lyrics to Mountain songs (co-wrote Strange Brew with Clapton and Pappalardi!); her art work appeared on many Mountain albums.
Claiming it was an accident, she got a light sentence and was paroled after less than 2 years. Died of cancer 2013.
30 years after she killed her husband.
If you haven’t heard it yet, please listen for yourself or for review Strange Brew. 1967 by Cream. And of course follow Eric Clapton through his career.
@@bradb3248 yes , excellent tune. many live contemporary version with Leslie singing and playing a Stienberger guitar, sounds awesome
Great song! One of the best songs used in the movie, "Vanishing Point"! RIP!
“This lady she asked me... if I would be her man,
You know that I told her... I do what I can”
Fucking great .
Leslie West showed that you don't have to be a shredder to capture complete attention to a guitar solo. Tone, taste, style -- shaping the tone with your hands -- melody -- vibrato. All the old blues tricks, amped up to the highest level of hard rock. Outstanding!
Lesley West plays lead with The Who on a live studio recording of Love Aint For Keeping, with Pete Townshend doing the vocals. Its on a remadtered extended version of Whos Next.
Leslie West a giant literally and figuratively in the world of hard rock as it was called then...saw him in 1970 in Worcester at WPI with his wall of marshalls...Gibson slung below his waist...he couldnt see it but played the hell out of it.....unsung and underappreciated an original at the cutting edge of what would come to be called heavy metal...Corky Laing...pounding on the skins and heaving drumsticks out into the crowd (caught one)...Felix Papalardi...great bass man and producer...Steve Knight.....great on keyboards.......unbelievable guitar sound/tone.....a Mountain of a band...led by a Mountain of a man........
Yesterday, I told my wife of 39 years that Leslie West had passed. She said "who"? But when I sang two words, "Mississippi Queen", she immediately recognized it and figured out of whom I spoke. This was an iconic song during our youth. RIP indeed.
I did the exact same thing, Ken. My wife of 43 years. I got the same response~
" Who?" .....And after saying ..." Ya know,....Mississippi Queen." See acknowledged immediately. Such a great player ! RIP ( We're gettin' old, Ken )
@@00wn We share something in common besides knowing who this musician was. We found a woman who could put up with us for the long haul! (Well, that's my story anyway!)
@@kendavis8046 God Bless our wives !!
Merry Christmas, Brotha. :)
@@00wn And to you and yours!
LESLIE WEST AND MOUNTAIN,,"MISSISSIPPI QUEEN" PASSED AWAY JUST ANOTHER REMINDER OF MY YOUTH DISAPPEARING ..... R.I.P.
Leslie West was the King of Tone. Although on Rolling Stones top 100 guitarist.. Never made the Hall of Fame while alive. R.I.P.
I remember one of my fifteen year old cousins writing his girlfriend about this crazy song he just heard on AM radio. The song was Mississippi Queen. 1970. I was 10 years old. This song comes on now, I stop what I am doing snd enjoy. I am 61 years old.
My (early-to-mid-70's) high school cafeteria had a jukebox...
~~~~And this was one song we HAD TO HEAR EVERY DAY !!!
Amen amen to when people were cool and music available en masse !!! I also had music in high school, when thinking for yourself was encouraged for the last time ever btw!!!!! Wtf is this overt fascism presently that we arent calling out as its happening? Remember how germany took that wrong turn in Albuquerque? Lmao.....Wake up people its a step above woke....love these throwback reaction vids....i am 48 and still go listen to music before i was even incarnated....music makes life tolerable!!!
Rest in peace, Leslie. What a great rocker he was. Thanks for the reaction.
That guitar he's playing is a 1950s Gibson Les Paul Junior, The guitar is actually one that Waddy Watchel had owned previously, which 'he' had bought for $350 from Stephen Stills (CSN&Y). Waddy had given it to Leslie when they met each other in New York where they lived. Waddy is well known as a session player and also playing guitar on a lot of Linda Ronstadt hits. You recently reacted to Linda.
Knew of Leslie West and Mountain as a youngster, but never really followed them closely. Wish I had. Seems like a little harder version of The Marshall Tucker Band, which I've always loved. RIP Mr. West.
A year ago today, I arrived home from a round trip, cross country train trip on Amtrak, Philadelphia to Santa Ana, Ca. On the return trip, I'm having lunch in the dining car with a couple from Kansas. As the waitress was bringing our meals, we're on a bridge and the waitress says, "You're crossing the Mississippi River." That was pretty cool.
Cross country train travel. I highly recommend it. It should be on everyone's bucket list.
RIP Leslie, what a great song. This song was definitely a banger. What is sad this sound was less than 3 minutes. Many great songs back then were under 3 minutes. Great choice to honor Leslie.
I've been hearing this since I was younger than you, and it still makes the hair on my arms stand up.
Saw him in concert they opened for Triumph great show
You just got another patron! I'm hooked!!! 😃 Please tell your sister I think she is precious!! If you can... could you listen and give your interpretation of Cinderella...I'm Coming Home. My husband is a truck driver. He's on the road right now. Peace.
I will tell her. We read her some of the kind comments under her videos, she loves all of you:)
@@DiconDissectionalReactions we don't have our own children so we live vicariously thru others. That's our blessing....
Rest in Peace Leslie West! All the great rockers are dying off, but youtube lives forever. If you like this, check out the band Blackfoot, song "Train Train" if you haven't already.
Leslie's guitar is just so great on this, and I just realized that it's been far too long since I listened to Mountain. My personal favorite is Nantucket Sleigh Ride, which has a very different feel and a very eerie story behind it.
So sorry to hear the news. Leslie West was one of the first to intentionally combine pinch harmonics and distortion. He was heavily influenced by Eric Clapton's playing in Cream, and Mountain bassist Felix Pappalardi had formerly been a producer on albums by Cream. One of Mountain's biggest hits, "Theme From An Imaginary Western", (highly recommended) was written by Cream bassist Jack Bruce, and after Mountain ended (Pappalardi was murdered), Leslie West teamed up with Bruce for a while in the group West, Bruce, and Lang. For the last few years, West had continued touring, even though he had lost part of one leg as a diabetic complication. "Never In My Life", from the same album, has one of the catchiest guitar riffs ever, and I think you would like the spirituality of the song "For Yasgur's Farm" (Max Yasgur owned the farm that the Woodstock Festival took place on.) The 3 other songs mentioned are also on this album.
@ RG Thankyou for sharing that info on the band, particularly about Leslie.
Leslie West was never the fastest or flashiest guitarist, but no one played with more feel and passion. This song is rock guitar perfection. Many more famous rock guitarists were in awe of his talent. BTW, there's a great tutorial on this song on the "Shutup and Play" series. RIP.
Thank you for the tribute. Mountain was the first rock band I ever saw in concert..Leslie West was always one of my favorite guitarists. He still is.
This song is a tribute to Leslie and the cowbell, both legends
Love! Love! Love! this song. R.I.P. Leslie West
A rock staple classic. Thanks for the music Leslie West may you RIP
This song, like his life: Too short.
That man was a legend. I had uncles that brought all the best music to my attention when I was a kid so I pretty much knew this album back to front right after it was released. The guitar he played on this song and soooo many others was Gibson Les Paul Junior. He loved the sound of a single P90 pickup, it gave him the growl he wanted out of a guitar. I have one like the one he played, and it RIPS! Heaven just got a lot louder!
Golly, Daniel, I was 17 when I first heard this too. That was 1970 but still. ;) Thanks for the memories. Merry Christmas to you and those you love.
Thank you for doing this. Great rockin' song! RIP Leslie West
75 is too soon ... RIP The Mountain King
a great loss to us folks who grew up with this stuff. Leslie was BADASS...was never overly flash, i say he applied the three T's....Taste, Touch, Tone. His guitar had a smooth singing tone to it...unmistakable when you hear it., You should check out 'Theme from an imaginary western' (jack bruce wrote that one)....Never in my life, Nantucket Sleighride just to name a few. RIP Mr West!
RIP Lesley West
Just an awesome song. R.I.P. Leslie. You rocked.
The guitar is absolutely dirty in this song. A song you will want to hear more than once.
God bless you Leslie West, y'all brought much love and fun to this fan with this song. Thx for this jam, from a real Mississippi queen.
Those riverboats were usually big floating gambling houses.
I recall there was a concert which was promoted as The Night of the Guitar. I just googled to learn there were two such concerts, the first of which happened on 11/23/88 and featured Steve Hunter / Randy California / Leslie West (Mountain) / Night of the Guitar / Alvin Lee 10 years after / Hank Marvin shadows / Andy Powell wishbone ash / Robbie Krueger Doors / Ted Turner Wishbone ASh / Steve Howe Yes. All great guitarists but my favorite was Randy California of Spirit RIP Randy. Must have been awesome to be at that show. Videos are available.
There is only one way to listen to Mountain, ALL the way UP. One early reviewer said this music was made for blowing up buildings and strafing airports. He lived large (literally and figuratively) while much of his life he lived like Morrison & Hendrix somehow made it to 75. RIP Big Man.
Large is the word, over 300 lbs Saw them play with Triumph back in the 80's and Rik Emmett referred to him onstage as the big man
Thanks for the breakdown..very informative!
Had many a fun times on The Mississippi Queen growing up. The place to take visiting relatives. Always loved the song too.Thanks for the memories.
Definately a barn burner. Mountain performed at Woodstock in 1969. He was once considered for a spot in Lynyrd Skynyrd. Just an incredible guitarist. RIP Leslie. Check out Nantucket Sleighride, Travelling In the Dark and Never In My Life.
As a Mississippian, this gets played a lot on our local radio. I lived and worked in Vicksburg in the late eighties before the casinos.
I lived in a house on a bluff overlooking the river local skateboarders used to love that street because it was good concrete with a nice slope.
I learned a lot on that bluff but, my best lasting lesson was to be picky about which board to ride and which board to skip.
Grew up on Long Island and this New York band just could rip it up. Try Never In My Life, the heaviest/hardest song live I EVER heard in my years attending concerts. The Rhythm section of Mountain is epic and that vocal and guitar of Leslie are the start of Hard rock and the heavy metal to come.
Leslie West was a guitar God. In this tune it's Felix Pappalardi's fuzz base that really gives the song it's deep growl.
I just discovered this channel , and being quarantined I have been watching it the past few days.
You remind me of myself , back in the seventies , when I suddenly "discovered" music
as a 12/13 year old , and started exploring my brothers' record shelves : Pink Floyd,Genesis,Yes,Allman Brothers Band,
Neil Young,Camel,Caravan,Jethro Tull , almost all the bands you have been discovering these
past months.
I didn't care much for the lyrics back then , english isn't my mothertongue so I understood
only fragments of what was being sung anyway.
But , Man , the music, oh that wonderful music and the journeys it took me on....
days , weeks , months I spent with my brothers records on my fathers stereo , and it gave me
the same feelings of awe you sometimes have in your videos.
Now , almost 50 years later , sadly my brother isn't with us anymore , but I still have all
those vinyl records in my own record shelves , all the music I discovered thanks to him , and
all the music I came to discover myself over the years.
Thank you for making me relive my own journey through your journey.
My suggestions album-wise (not necesarily for a reaction video , just for your own pleasure) :
The whole Post-Fish Marillion discography (I wasn't much of a Fish fan), The Edgar Allan Poe
album from Alan Parsons , The Mountain Queen from Alquin (and/or the more compact and
rocky "Nobody can wait forever"), The Focus 3 album from Focus , and perhaps for a reaction
video : Cortez the Killer from the Zuma album by Neil Young (still my favorite NY track today)
and "They get to know me" or "trust in the machine" from Kayak.
Have a pleasant journey.
Jan...Daniel is only 16 years old...wise beyond his years...go back and check his past videos ...he has hundreds...he is a remarkable young man and you will enjoy them...
@@jazzyboy7784 That's exactly what I have been doing the past few days , and by Daniel''s reactions I remember how I reacted to the same music I heard for the first time back then.
@@jansteen6416 ...I wish I was half as smart as he is now when I was 16...hell...I wish I was half as smart as he is right now...lol
Leslie west hooked up with Hendrix one day Hendrix was so impressed with the intro lick that they jammed it for about 3 hours true story
Great group (Mountain). He did some fine solo work, too. Unique guitar sound, love his voice. Influenced many guitarists. Did lots of soft songs, too. West, Bruce, and Laing were another group he was in, with Jack Bruce of Cream. He will be missed. Thanks for covering this amazing tune. One of the early LOUD HARD ROCK songs. Just as powerful today as way back then. great ending, too! Much better than a stupid fade-out.
Leslie West the reason I started playing guitar back in the early 70's. His tone is un matched. Good reaction
I always wanted this song to be at least three times as long......but it was made for radio, so was a short banger. I bet in concert they extended it....must have been epic.
Guitar players call that vintage tone "FAT"
Awwwww,, Godspeed, Leslie
Excellent memorable song, their best work is Nantucket Sleigh Ride which I highly recommend you react to!👍🏻❤️☮️✌🏻🎼🎤🎸R.I.P. Leslie West, Merry Christmas🎁🎅🏻🎉🎊🌲
Thanks for paying tribute to Leslie West (RIP brother), Daniel. He was pure grit. #turnthatup For another wonderful taste of Mountain, please check out Nantucket Sleighride (the single from the album of the same title).
This is just a technicality, but as someone that is fairly familiar with that region, you'll have to excuse that I'm a little bit of a stickler. Vicksburg, Mississippi (near the river on the eastern border of Louisiana) as well as all of North Louisiana in general, is not considered 'Cajun country' (Cajuns are in south Louisiana). But I digress, regardless, it still makes for great lyrics in what is truly a great classic rock song. This one was always one of my favorites!
Wow. So good and so HARD! RIP, Leslie.
Thank for reacting to Mountain. I first heard them and Leslie West when I was 12 in 1971. I got to see Leslie West and his band when they opened for The Edgar Winter Group. Daniel, if you want to hear more of that driving guitar on a fantastic riff, check out "Never In My Life" by Mountain!
Rock In Peace Leslie.
Wow !! Some real heavy rock n roll.🎶
I've been waiting for you to react to this for a long time! I actually recommended this a few months ago when you reacted to Grand Funk Railroad.
Been listening to this song for about 50 years. Watching you discover it is a rush. Mountain has so much more for you to listen to.
Leslie was a huge influence on us young guitarists. What tone!
Even though they released no radio songs, West, Bruce, and Laing was a powerhouse band, too. That was Leslie and Corky from Mountain plus Jack Bruce from Cream.
Felix Pappalardi, Mountain’s bassist and second vocalist, had produced Cream. He was unfortunately shot and killed in his sleep by his wife... Quite a mess all around. His bass sound was as unique as Leslie’s guitar sound and his voice was a sweet counterpoint to Leslie’s primordial growl.
I will take the opportunity to suggest “Sittin’ on a Rainbow” as a Mountain tune displaying the bass and guitar in full flight. 😉
RIP Leslie, and Felix and Jack. Thanks for everything.
I don’t think in his sleep. He had just walked in...I wrote about his wife (who co-wrote lyrics, co-produced, and did artwork for album covers!) in an earlier comment, or reply to a comment.
@@foxandscout you are probably correct. I got my story through the grapevine.
Nuthin' like Leslie West's simple perfection. All in the feel, the articulation, and the tone. Never flash, never speed. Just expression. Nuthin' like him.
I find it sad that it took death for anyone to get around to this song.
RIP LESLIE. VERY COOL, ROCKIN' TUNE!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS! 😎❤
Oh yes, Raw and Gritty, fantabulous...RIP Leslie...Got me movin at 12:30am...lol Thanx Daniel
Excellent Rock Group!!! Very Iconic!!!!
Theme of the Howard Stern show for years (West was a regular guest)...
"The unironic cowbell"...lol. Leslie West is a legend. Yet another power trio.
That's one badass song!
Great, Nantucket Sleighride is another one Thank youu
A great inspiration to me back then, of all the great guitarists, Lesli West was my favorite. To see him live onstage with Felix, Corky and Stevie was awesome performing in front of those walls of Sunn amplifiers.
The Cripple Creek reference is the Band song 'Up on Cripple Creek' which is a great piece of country funk featuring a modified clavinet and great vocals by Levon Helm - definitely something you should check out.
Great cowbell, check out Nantucket sleigh ride by them it's a real classic. Part of the song, the heavy bit was the theme tune to a British political TV show, it was years before I realised it was mountain!
Rip, Grear song& singer!
That guitar is LESLIE WEST. R.I.P.
Mountain is one of the bands that had a large influence on hard rock and metal. They were awesome and I was lucky enough to see them play live. Check out "Theme for an Imaginary Western" - one of the tastiest guitar solos you'll ever hear.
Love Mountain RIP Leslie West. Daniel Mountain is great many more songs Nantucket Sleigh ride., Don’t look around , theme from imaginary Western the bass Player Felix Pappalardi was a great player singer and producer helped produce Cream check out more Mountain
Rest in peace brother man
Total double entendre. Is it about a river boat or a girl? Yes! Both and neither and both all at once! :) Great reaction as always!
My favs are "Theme for an Imaginary Western", "Nantucket Sleighride", and "For Yasger's Farm"
Balls. This song is pure balls.
This is kick ass rock and roll 🤘