"Big Long Slidin' Thing" is a 1954

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

song written by Eddie Kirkland and Mamie Thomas, sung by

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

, and arranged by Quincy Jones. It has been covered by a number of different artists, and has been rated as one of the best

double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...

songs of all time.

Double entendre

The song was written by Eddie Kirkland and Mamie Thomas. It is remembered for its sexual

lyrics, referring to the singer's trombonist boyfriend and his skill in playing his instrument. The lyrics describe the singer's search in every bar and honky tonk for her trombone-playing man "with that big long slidin' thing". She encounters a guitar player who hitches his guitar amp in her "plug" and then "planked it" and "plunked it", but he is not "good enough" because she needs her daddy with that "big long slidin' thing". A piano player proposes "tinklin'" on her piano keys, but she wants her daddy. She describes how he can "blow through here" while working his finger and thumb, and "slide it right up" then "slide it back again". Upon its release, the song caused outrage over its sexually suggestive lyrics. One newspaper predicted it would "probably be banned in Boston and on the networks." In 2014, ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

'' rated "Big Long Slidin' Thing" as one of the 19 greatest double entendre songs of all time. The record was dedicated to Washington's boyfriend and trombonist, Gus Chappell. However, three months after the song's release, Washington was injured when Chappell struck her in the head with a music stand.

Versions

Original

The song was first recorded by Dinah Washington and released in 1954 as a single on

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

. It was the first collaboration between Washington and Quincy Jones. Washington's original version of the song was re-issued in 1992 on

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

' compact disc, ''Risque Rhythm'', a compilation of classic R&B songs featuring sexually suggestive lyrics.

Covers

The song has subsequently covered by various artists, including: * Michelle Wilson on ''Evil Gal Blues'' (1994) * Miranda Louise on ''Face in My Dreams'' (1997) *

Sandra Hall Sandra L. Hall (born September 5, 1951) is an American blues and soul blues singer and songwriter. She has been billed as Atlanta's "Empress of the Blues" Hall is an Honorary Member of the Atlanta Blues Society. To date she has released five ...

on ''One Drop Will Do You'' (1997) * The Randy Oxford Band on ''Festival'' and ''Teach You a Lesson'' * Denise Perrier on ''Live at Yoshi's: Blue Monday Party'' (2004) * Jeannie Lambert on ''Jeannie-ology'' (2005) * Kristie Agee on ''Use What You Got'' (2006) *

Candye Kane Candice Caleb (November 13, 1961 – May 6, 2016), known professionally as Candye Kane, was an American blues singer, entertainer and adult film star. She loved to sing as a young girl and even appeared on "The Gong Show," as a kid. She dreame ...

on ''Burlesque Swing'' (2011) * Ingrid Lucia & the Flying Neutrinos on ''Don't Stop'' (2007) Additionally, ''A Mad World, My Masters'', presented in 2013 by the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, opened with Linda John-Pierre, backed by a jazz band, singing "Big Long Slidin' Thing" at a night club referred to as the Flamingo Club.

References

{{authority control 1954 songs Rhythm and blues songs Dinah Washington songs Mercury Records singles