Mississippi Queen – Mountain | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#21); 1970
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
On the weekend of August 15-17, 1969, an estimated four hundred thousand young people at the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival heard band after band turn in blistering performances. Some were familiar names, while others were unknown; including a power-pop quartet whose playing pealed the paint off nearby farmhouses.
Even though it was only Mountain’s fourth gig ever, its founders were no strangers to rock ‘n’ roll. On guitar and vocals was the former Leslie Weinstein, who – as Leslie West – had led one of Long Island’s hottest local bands, The Vagrants.
At bass was Felix Pappalardi, who’d earned his musician’s stripes with folksters such as Tom Rush, before moving into production for the Youngbloods and Cream.
After Cream broke up, Felix formed Mountain with Leslie, whom he’d known since the Vagrants days. Mountain filled the loud-chord vacuum left by the Clapton/Bruce/Baker crew
with Mississippi Queen. Despite its initial success, Mountain almost immediately crumbled; leaving behind this heady slice of heavy metal.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Felix Pappalardi
Lyrics Written by:
- Leslie West
- Corky Laing
- Felix Pappalardi
- David Rea
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).