A collaboration between John Lee Hooker and Bob Dylan is yet another of those matches made in heaven. Consider the overarching quality of musicians across the globe, and how lucky we should be that two of the all-time greats decided to work together. Hooker and Dylan work well together on Good Rockin’ Mama, a collaboration which appears to come out of nowhere. One of the great influences on Dylan, an artist he opened for in his early years and arguably eclipsed in fame and popularity in the years to follow. It is no knock at Hooker or Dylan, for that matter, because the two playing together is a dreamy experience. Good Rockin’ Mama plays up the classics of the time, the music which influenced Dylan and was made best of all by the likes of Hooker. A sudden collaboration and with Tom Petty filling in on guitar, no less, this cover of Good Rockin’ Mama is a wild stage experience.
Yet it should be no surprise to those who have dug deep into the bootleg discography of Dylan. His collaborations with everyone from Stevie Nicks to Elvis Costello are legendary, not because it pairs one great with another, but because there seems to be a never-ending, infectious chemistry between this pool of creatives. Hooker is no exception, a man who Dylan even now, on Rough and Rowdy Ways is in some way indebted to. More in the focus and form of his music than the instrumental flourishes themselves. Influence all the same, and to hear an artist influenced by another, for them to work together, is never not beautiful. Hooker is given the spotlight, and it shines on him beautifully. Make no mistake, this is not one artist supporting another, this is two huge names sharing the stage for the thrill of it.
That thrill is transfered to a reciprocating crowd, a welcome and steady guitar backdrop for the “special man in the house tonight,” as Dylan says of Hooker. He gives a stellar performance. A call to those in the crowd, a simple and straight-shooting message asking them to rock. What separates Hooker, Dylan and Petty from the modern rabble of rockers who are set to coast on plain-sailing, easy to grab messages of binary opposites and persevering when the going gets tough, is heart. Hooker is a master of the genre. An old hand who was, at this time, still firm in its guidance, in influencing the very shape of the genre. That is lost now. Few can follow in his footsteps and many have forgotten the roots of the genre they use to pose for photoshoots and sold-out stage shows.
Good Rockin’ Mama is a pure and fundamental, accessible piece of guitar rock. In simplicity there is skill, and in skill, there is a reason to return. What amounts to a one-off performance, which is more to entertain the artists on stage than those in the crowd evolves into a rock and rolling thrill ride which observes those fundamental practices. It is a visit to the tones which gave Dylan and Petty their break. Artists are keen to say they were influenced by this person or that band, but rare it is that they will show it. Good Rockin’ Mama is more than just a welcome performance, it is a debt paid to the past and lovingly so. Artists should not fear what moulded them, nor should they feel inclined to avoid interacting with those who still influence their work. Dylan separates himself from the pack, Petty too, by engaging the past, learning from the history, and showing their respect for it alongside an interested audience.
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