His work has been recorded and performed by artists such as Joe Cocker, Etta James, Otis Clay, and Lynyrd Skynryd. Mustang Sally was his most famous hit, reaching #15 on The Billboard R&B chart in 1965.Īlthough he continued to perform live for many years, the bulk of his success came from writing for other artists.Īnother of Mack Rice’s most well-known compositions was Respect Yourself, performed by The Staple Singers. Rice began writing for other artists while he was in The Falcons and broke off as a solo vocalist in 1963. He became a significant player in the Detroit rock and soul scene, singing with The Five Scalders in 1955 and The Falcons in 1957. In his early teens, his family moved to Detroit, another music hub.
Mack Rice was Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the home of the blues, in 1933. But that didn’t mean he was any less popular.
Rice’s discography was mainly single records. It was cheaper to produce and extremely popular with younger people. During the 50s and early 60s, many artists released singles only instead of entire albums. R&B singer Mack Rice released Mustang Sally as a single in 1965. So Mustang Sally is an amalgamation of a traditional African American folk song and a playful nod to Mack Rice’s fellow musician Calvin Shields. The chorus of Ride Sally Ride came from the playsong’s verse Rise Sally Rise. The role would pass along to another youngster after finishing the rhyme. One child would play Sally, with the others singing and forming a circle around them. Nothing is written down, and the folklore is passed on via group tradition. Like most traditional folk songs, the words and verses can change with time. Around the turn of the 20th century, kids would sing this play song in groups. The other side to the origin story of Mustang Sally stems from a traditional African American folk song called Little Sally Walker. The jovial vibe of the occasion inspired the story of a woman who just wants to ride around in her new car all day.Īretha Franklin heard Rice’s new song before it was released and suggested calling it Mustang Sally instead of Mustang Mama. If he only knew how popular those Fords would be in coming years! According to Rice, it was so small – too small for a man! He’d never seen these new Ford Mustangs before, as the enormous Lincolns were much more common. When Rice saw the size of car Shields wanted, he laughed. Reese was going to buy her drummer, Calvin Shields, a brand new car. Singer and songwriter Mack Rice wrote the tune after visiting his friend and fellow singer Della Reese. The origin story of Mustang Sally is two-pronged. We’re taking a drive down the rock and roll highway to find out. Chances are you’ve heard the song Mustang Sally, and you know that all she wants to do is ride around town.
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