Talkin’ that Mumbo Jumbo
"Blues and rock ‘n roll have long made use of the “jungle beat,” or as it more famously known, “the Bo Diddley Beat.” Some examples made famous by Ellas McDaniel are “Bo Diddley,” (McDaniel’s professional stage name), and “Pretty Thing.” “Not Fade Away,” by Buddy Holly, (later a hit for the Rolling Stones) is another such tune, as are the Billy Boy Arnold records, “I Wish You Would,” and “Rockinitis.” Bruce Springsteen had “She’s the One,” on his “Born to Run” album, and “I Want Candy,” a hit by the Strangeloves in the ‘60’s, later hit for the band “Bow-Wow-Wow” in the ‘80’s. There are a host of others.
“Talkin’ that Mumbo Jumbo,” uses this beat as a jumping off point; starting out with the universal blues and rock theme of men and women and their romantic dealings, moving on to the (also universal problem) of money and not having enough of it, before finally winding up addressing some well known world and political events. I wanted to write a song with a sound and structure that was extremely basic; one which had a connection to blues and rock tradition, but one where I could also branch off and say something of my own. I’m hoping “Talkin’ that Mumbo Jumbo” succeeds in that respect.
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