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Biography

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Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton only notched one national hit in her lifetime, but it was a true monster. "Hound Dog" held down the top slot on Billboard's R&B charts for seven long weeks in 1953. Alas, Elvis Presley's rocking 1956 cover was even bigger, effectively obscuring Thornton's chief claim to immortality. That's a damned shame, because Thornton's menacing growl was ...more

Lyrics

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  • "Let Your Tears Fall Baby" - They Call Me Big Mama (Proper)
  • "I Smell a Rat" - They Call Me Big Mama (Proper)
  • "I Smell a Rat" - The R&B Years 1954
  • "Let Your Tears Fall Baby" - 1950-1953
  • "I Smell a Rat" - 1950-1953

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  • Hound Dog
  • Ball and Chain
  • Little Red Rooster
  • Nightmare (#)
  • Oh Happy Day
  • Big Mama's New Love
  • Sassy Mama
  • Rolling Stone (Muddy Waters)

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  • Big Mama Thornton at The Music Box

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