They're Red Hot

"They're Red Hot" is a song written and performed by Delta blues musician Robert Johnson.[1] 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 and released in July 1937.[1]

"They're Red Hot"
Original 78 record label
Single by Robert Johnson
Released	July 1937
Recorded	November 27, 1936
Studio	Gunter Hotel, San Antonio, Texas
Genre	Blues, hokum
Length	2:58
Label	Vocalion, ARC
Songwriter(s)	Robert Johnson
Producer(s)	Don Law

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.[2]

Renditions

• The Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded the song for their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik.[3] The band recorded this song outside of The Mansion on top of a hill at two in the morning, as seen in the 1992 documentary Funky Monks. This cover was formerly available for download for the Rock Band series.
• Eric Clapton recorded it for his 2004 homage to Johnson, Me and Mr. Johnson.[4]
• American jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson recorded her own version on her album Belly of the Sun. However, the song appeared under the title "Hot Tamales".[5]
• Richie Kotzen has his version of this song on his Bipolar Blues album.[6]
• The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performs a version of this song on their DVD Anarchy in the Ukulele under the title, "Hot Tamales, They're Red Hot".
• Peter Green and Nigel Watson recorded the song for their 2004 album Hot Foot Powder.[7]
• Actor/musician Hugh Laurie covered the song on his 2011 album Let Them Talk.[8]
• Andrew Bird, as Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, uses the structure of this song in one of his own, "Cock O' the Walk", which appears on the 1998 album, Thrills.[9]

References

1. LaVere, Stephen (1990). The Complete Recordings (Box set booklet). Robert Johnson. New York City: Columbia Records. p. 46. OCLC 24547399. C2K 46222.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
2. Gioia, Ted (2008). Delta Blues (Norton Paperback 2009 ed.). New York City: W. W. Norton. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-393-33750-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
3. Huey, Steve. "Blood Sugar Sex Magik – Red Hot Chili Peppers". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Me and Mr. Johnson – Eric Clapton | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
5. Adler, David R. "Belly of the Sun – Cassandra Wilson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
6. "Bi-Polar Blues – Richie Kotzen | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
7. Griggs, Tim. "Hot Foot Powder – Peter Green | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Let Them Talk – Hugh Laurie | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
9. Gottlieb, Bob. "Thrills – Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.