Album: The Healer (1989)
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Songfacts®:

  • A duet between Hooker and Raitt, this was included on Hooker's album The Healer, but not on Raitt's Nick of Time, which was released the same year.
  • This won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Recording. It was the first for Hooker, and one of four Raitt won that night. Those were her first Grammys.
  • When they recorded this, the lights were dimmed in the studio to get the right atmosphere. Raitt called the recording of this song, "One of the highest erotic experiences of my life."
  • The Healer is an album of duets between Hooker and artists like Carlos Santana and George Thorogood.
  • Raitt and Hooker met a full two decades before recording this song. They used to flirt in real life, too.
  • Raitt was always a huge fan of Hooker. She said that working with him changed the way she thought about men in their 70s and 80s.

Comments: 5

  • Tom from San Antonio, TxThis duet can also be found on the Hooker album "Gold" (Disc 1) (2007 release, runtime 4:29). "The Healer" wasn't available on Rhapsody as of March 2009. And naturally, you can see them perform it together on YouTube.

    But does Anyone know whether this latest release is a reproduction of the 1990 version or the 1989 version--or a new recording? It didn't sound like a live cut...

    And in case you're a fan of John Sandford's "Prey" books, in "Broken Prey" their duet version of this song made the list of Lucas Davenport's "100 Best Songs of the Rock Era".
  • Frank from ?s?hertogenbosch, NetherlandsA year later these two people did another recording of this song (Live, from the TV production "A Tribute To Roy Orbison"). You can hear it on 'John Lee Hooker, The Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)'. This recording (1989) is good, IMHO the other (1990) is far better.
  • Enzo from Adelaide, AustraliaYea:):):)Love this album,always one of my favourites
  • Paul from Chicago, IlThis is a hard one to add lyrics for. Lots and lots of moanin & groanin. John Lee & Bonnie improvised the heck out of this but the basic message is clear.......They're in the mood!!
  • Paul from Chicago, IlJohn Lee Hooker was (on occasion) known to do just one take when recording. He preferred the true feeling of the first recording as opposed to a "rehersed" set. I think Bonnie and John Lee together made this tune sound better than ever.
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