February | 2015 | BradshawTwin

Muddy Waters recorded “Rollin’ Stone” in the 1950’s. His role towards the blues genre, became iconic and legendary for all upcoming generations. As he made a change to the sound of the blues, adding an edge to his music with his electric guitar, he began to transform his music to a vibe that approached less of rustic music consumers and more to a different variety of people. His music left audiences captivated and left a remarkable legacy to many artists today.

John Mayer is an artist that reached most of his fame from earlier albums beginning in the 2001. The tone of his music first began with acoustic rock melodies, however, as time progressed his music moved towards a blues genre type of vibe. With his delicate use of his electric guitar and sonorous vocals, he created smooth melodies that I believe were similar to Muddy Waters’.

With the use of repetition and low pitched lyrics, Muddy Waters and John Mayer both create music that reach into the souls of a human being in a bittersweet and subdued matter.

“Slow dancing in a burning room” by John Mayer is a song that focuses on the personal, unhealthy struggles of two people fighting to keep their relationship alive. Where this song may be more gloomy and tense, its a great expression of the type of blues John Mayer sings about. The beat of the song is steady while the guitar keeps the main chord in repeat.

We’re going down

And you can see it too

We’re going down

And you know that we’re doomed

My dear, we’re slow dancing in a burning room

Following a theme of knowing, this song brings me to the conclusion that we all are aware about the personal incidents that we find ourselves in and choose to stay in. We ultimately choose our own destiny.

Well, my mother told my father,

Just before hmmm, I was born,

“I got a boy child’s comin’,

Gonna be, he gonna be a rollin’ stone,

Sure ‘nough, he’s a rollin’ stone

In Waters song, I continue with the theme of knowing in contrast with what’s been implemented in our minds about what we already know about ourselves. In what we had to grow up believing.

I believe that Muddy Waters left a musical influence on John Mayer because thanks to him a new form of blues genre developed, one that Mayer uses now. His act to write about what he knew and understood about his own life is what I believe made him so successful and what continues to make John Mayer now. They blend electric guitar with soul in a way that makes their genre one of a kind. Without the lasting influence Muddy Waters left for blues, John Mayer’s music would probably not have the deep chilling effect it has now.