Thursday, January 15, 2026

Juke Box Mama - Sonny Landreth

Juke Box Mama - Sonny Landreth
4:05
The Road We're On, 2003
Written by Sonny Landreth

This song is a paean to an unnamed dance-floor enchantress.  He puts money in the "magic box full of lights," and she starts sliding.  All his cares fade away then: "You can put a smile back on my lips / Just snap your fingers and shake your hips."  It's a catchy groove, and Landreth has a pleasant voice, but what makes the song shine is his guitar work.  He's known as the "king of Slydeco," referring to his Zydeco-tinged rock and master of slide guitar.  He plays frets and pops the notes behind the slide, slapping and picking while engaging the slide, basically turning the guitar into a percussion instrument and lead voice at once. It’s virtuosic without showing off, the kind of playing that makes your shoulders start moving before you even realize it.

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Juke Box Mama - Sonny Landreth

Juke Box Mama - Sonny Landreth 4:05 The Road We're On , 2003 Written by Sonny Landreth This song is a paean to an unnamed dance-floor e...