They're Red Hot

Robert Johnson

About They're Red Hot

"They're Red Hot" is a song written and performed by Delta blues musician Robert Johnson. The song was recorded on November 27, 1936, in an improvised studio in San Antonio, Texas, and released on a 78 rpm record by Vocalion Records and ARC Records. Music historian Ted Gioia describes "They're Red Hot" as: [one] of his best dance numbers ... evoking the pitches of street vendors, [a] look backward to the world of medicine shows and itinerant merchants ... This is the most lighthearted interlude in all of Johnson's oeuvre, opening up a different perspective on this supposedly devil-haunted soul.  


Year:
1999
3:00
43 

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Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
She sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime
Would sell you more, but they ain't none of mine
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yes, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a letter from a girl in the room
Now she got something good she got to bring home soon, now
It's hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got em for sale (they're too hot boy)
The billy got back in a bumble bee nest
Ever since that he can't take his rest, yeah
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes you got'em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got'em for sale

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Man don't mess around em hot tamales now 'cause they too black bad,
If you mess around 'em hot tamales
I'm gonna upset your backbone, put your kidneys to sleep
I'll due to break away your liver and dare your heart to beat 'bout my
Hot tamales 'cause they red hot, yes they got em for sale, I mean
Yes, she got em for sale, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
You know grandma loves them and grandpa too
Well I wonder what in the world we children gonna do now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Me and my babe bought a V-8 Ford
Well we wind that thing all on the runnin' board, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale (they're too hot boy!)
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes, now she got em for sale
You know the monkey, now the baboon playin' in the grass
Well the monkey stuck his finger in that old 'Good Gulf Gas', now
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah

Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale
I got a girl, say she long and tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feets in the hall, yes
Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got'em for sale, I mean
Yes she got'em for sale, yeah

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Robert Johnson

Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues singer and musician. His landmark recordings from 1936–37 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. Johnson's shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given rise to much legend, including the Faustian myth that he sold his soul at a crossroads to achieve success. As an itinerant performer who played mostly on street corners, in juke joints, and at Saturday night dances, Johnson had little commercial success or public recognition in his lifetime. more »

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Written by: ROBERT JOHNSON

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


9 facts about this song

Origin
"They're Red Hot" is a song written and performed by blues legend Robert Johnson. He recorded the song in 1936 in a San Antonio hotel room during his first ever recording session.
Distinctive Sound
Unlike most of Johnson's works, this tune is upbeat and not a Delta blues song. It’s one of the few songs he recorded that show his proficiency in a ragtime-based guitar style, and it prominently features foot-stomping rhythms.
Lyrical Content
The song features suggestive lyrics consistent with “hokum” blues, a sub-genre known for its humorous, raunchy or dirty theme. The song equates hot tamales, a popular Southern dish, to sexually desirable women.
Time Duration
"They're Red Hot" is short in duration, clocking in at just 2 minutes and 58 seconds.
Recognition
In 2019, The National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress selected "They're Red Hot" as one of the 25 recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by several artists over the years, including Pete Seeger and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Red Hot Chili Peppers version appeared on their 2002 album, "By the Way."
Influence
Robert Johnson’s influence on blues and rock music is significant and "They’re Red Hot" is a testament to his varied skills. By stretching the boundaries of Blues and paving the way for Rhythm and Blues (R&B), Robert Johnson is rightfully considered a pioneer in music history.
Music Style
"They're Red Hot" exhibits the Piedmont blues style, which originated from the Southeast region of the USA. It is distinguished by its ragtime-based guitar fingerpicking technique, different from the Delta blues style that Johnson was known for.
Recording Equipment
When recording "They're Red Hot," Johnson used a single cone resonator guitar, also known as a dobro. This type of guitar is renowned for its loud, metallic tone.

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