Another Great is Gone

Mose Allison, born near Tippo, Mississippi, in 1927, died at his home yesterday. He was an important musical bridge to the past. His mixture of country, blues and jazz was beautifully idiosyncratic; he whetted his lyrics on the hard stone of irony. I’ll miss him, and you will, too, once you listen to him.

This entry was posted in Music, Pop Culture. Bookmark the permalink.

24 Responses to Another Great is Gone

  1. Brianna Ladnier says:

    He sounds like an amazing artist. He is an obviously famous one on top of that, due to the coverage of his death in the New York Times. 2016 has taken a lot of famous icons from us, so we will have to add this to the long list of stars we mourn this year.

  2. Kamal Bhalla says:

    “I don’t worry about a thing, ’cause I know nothing is going to be alright.” I think that is by far the most relatable line I have heard from a song this year. Sadly but surely he is correct on that! I really like the way he sings…for some reason his voice is “soothing” somehow…I cannot really explain it but it is quite nice. Not the type of music I listen to, yet very delightful and I respect it. I hope that his soul is in peace just how is music peacefully comforted and continues to comfort people everywhere.

  3. Darby Meadows says:

    The jazz and blues pianist was pretty inspiring and realistic with his lyrics. He also has a good sense of humor. For example, in his song “News Nightclub,” he says “If I had a million dollars, I’d sit right down and relax/ I’d go buy myself a nightclub/ And write it off my income tax.” It definitely sparked a little bit of interest in 2oth century jazz.

  4. Madalyn Coln says:

    “Well I’m sittin’ over here on Number Nine
    And all I did was drink my wine
    Well I’m gonna be here for the rest of my life
    I’m gonna be on this farm for my natural life”
    “Well I don’t worry bout a thing
    Cause I know nothings gonna be alright”

    Mose Allison definitely protrudes from the pool of typical jazz artists- He perfected the art of being playful and ironic in such a way that the content is still relatable. I think that the cornerstone to his artistry is how he beautifully couples his lyrical style with his musical style- it is playful, energetic, and somehow unique, as if no one can pull this off as he did. It’s truly a shame that I didn’t find out about him until now… He will be missed.

  5. Patel says:

    It is sad to hear that an amazing artist passed away. We will miss Mose Allison and his music. He is the reason along with other musicians why Mississippi is known as the birth place of music. Also, he did a great job on mixing music and irony together.

  6. Sarah Swiderski says:

    I had no idea who Mose Allison was, but after hearing the sarcasm with which his work drips, I respect this man. Being from Mississippi, I’ve always appreciated jazz-it’s one of the few genres where you can feel the emotion behind the music. Allison’s work had this quality, but was also unique in its span across genres, as noted. His passing is unfortunate, but hopefully his work will have the newfound appreciation typical with the passing of an artist.

  7. Angella Osinde says:

    ” Well I don’t worry bout a thing
    ‘Cause I know nothing’s gonna be alright
    You know this world is just one big
    Trouble spot because
    Some have plenty and
    Some have not ”

    Moose Alison does a wonderful job of describing the meaning of life with to accompianemnt of witty and playful jazz. The section describes how one should acknowledge the good and the bad. Alison also reminds us that some people will always have more, and some people will always have less.

    RIP Moose Alison

  8. Angella Osinde says:

    Well I don’t worry bout a thing
    ‘Cause I know nothing’s gonna be alright
    You know this world is just one big
    Trouble spot because
    Some have plenty and
    Some have not

    Moose Alison – takes on the meaning of life – to the accompaniment of witty and playful music. Alison reminds us to take on whatever life brings us – and to be ok when life doesn’t work out our way. Alison also reminds us that some will always have more, and some will always have less.

    RIP Moose Alison

  9. AK Mynatt says:

    “If you would be so kind
    To help me find my mind
    I wanna thank you in advance”

    (Me at MSMS)
    All jokes aside, I had actually never heard of Mose Allison until reading this. After listening to this one song, I even made a Pandora radio station for him. His voice was soothing and definitely housed the southern drawl everyone talks about. Prayers go out to his family and friends. RIP Mose Allison.

  10. Mariana Strawn says:

    Although I am not extremely familiar with Moose Alison’s music, I have only heard a few of his iconic songs, his death marks a time of mourning in which all Mississippians should both feel the loss of a great musician and celebrate the ingenuity of his music. Even with my limited knowledge of his works I can definitely say he has had an impact on my life. Music is a large part of who I am, and the line “I don’t worry about a thing, ’cause I know nothing is going to be alright” was the ironically uplifting note that I often needed when I was feeling stressed.

  11. Aurelia Caine says:

    Mose Allison was fantastic artist. The following lyrics make me smile. He comes off as such a smooth ladies’ man. He also comes off very playful, but in a unique way! He will most definitely be missed by all.
    “Let’s talk it over, let’s get get it straight
    Don’t let th’ situation escalate
    You know there’s always problems when a man is wrapped up in his art
    But don’t you worry baby you can count on me to do my part”

  12. Kendall Wells says:

    I’m not familiar with Mose Allison, but after this post I listened to him. It’s no wonder he was loved by so many people. His voice is smooth and soothing, and his lyrics have actual meaning to them unlike most of today’s music. Glad I listened.

  13. Kayla Patel says:

    Even though I was not familiar with Mose Allison before today, I along with many others, will truly miss him. It is sad to hear that an amazing artist passed away.

  14. Kayci Kimmons says:

    There’s a mural painted on the square in Charleston, Mississippi, about fifteen miles from my hometown of Batesville, with Mose Allison’s name written in fading colors. I’ve gone through that square and seen that mural countless times, as Charleston is my mother’s hometown, and I’ve always wondered who Allison was and why he deserved to have his name on the mural alongside Morgan Freeman’s. Today is the first day that I’ve actually stopped to find out, and now I realize what I’ve been missing. Mose Allison has a very cool, nonchalant sound that you just have to appreciate. I wish that I had taken the time before to acknowledge yet another great voice from a little town in Mississippi.

  15. Briana Johnston says:

    “My brain is always ticking” at MSMS.
    Mose Allison was unfamiliar to me until I read this post, but his playful lyrics and soothing voice is endearing and easy to listen to. His lyrics are ironic and kinda funny (especially the song “Certified Senior Citizen”). I’ve always enjoyed jazz music, and Mose Allison is definitely an easy listen. He reminds me of a jazzy Damien Rice with Watsky-esque lyrics. Mose Allison creates entertaining lyrics with wonderful music sung with a voice that perfectly fits his style. I’m glad I’ve been introduced to him. Thank you.

  16. Landry Filce says:

    Mose Allison is one of the great artists of the 20th century. His lyrics are unlike those of any other jazz musician, and that makes him stand out from the crowd of people who sought fame and fortune by means of jazz music. His tone is not quite serious in most of his songs, which plays well when coupled with his less-than-optimistic lyrics. He will be missed by music lovers everywhere, and I believe that his music will influence many generations to come.

  17. Lydia Holley says:

    He was an amazing artist, and it is sad that he is gone. This year has been a rough year already, but adding all the losses of famous icons just makes it worse. Mose Allison will be missed just like all the other famous icons.

  18. John Bowlin says:

    He sounds pretty great. Pretty much a famous icon back then. There’s been so many artists deaths this year, it just needs to stop. Along with everyone else, he will be added to this list. I sorta wished I would’ve discovered his music earlier. It would’ve been nice to just calm down and chill for a while.

  19. Yousef Abu-Salah says:

    It truly is a sad occurence. Throughout this year, we have lost countless legends within the musical industry, ranging from the likes of Prince to David Bowie. I have listened to a great deal of his songs, and they just seem to ooze talent and creativity. Above all else, the genius of his lyrics will never be matched, because they were so realistic and truly unforgettable. Mose Allison was one of the early greats in Mississippi music, and he will surely be missed.

  20. Vera L. Taire says:

    I had not previously listened to Mose Allison.

    However, I want to add something to this conversation other than commenting about how sad it is. Or how great he was. Because while he was great, and while death is sad, death is not the end. I don’t mean to go on a Christian rant, however. Nor do I intend to pull Dickinson into it- Mose Allison’s death is not the same as sex. Not this time.

    But death is a good thing. It pulls people together in times of sadness, it makes room for new life. Or in this case, it etches his legacy forever into the stone tablet of history while allowing new styles to develop from his work.

    Think of inhaling and exhaling. What’s the benefit of either? By this I mean death can be seen as a benefit and a detriment and something in between.

    Time and life are precious. They are opportunities to expand the sense of self. Death is a part of the circle of life. No one can live and make use of that time and opportunity unless there’s continual death. I also think the gift of life and death go hand in hand. Mose would not be nearly so great if he didn’t know he would at one point die.

    Anywho, that’s my two cents. Now go get saved, before you die. Or at least have (married) sex.

  21. Samuel Patterson says:

    He sounds great. I wish his music would have been shared with us before his death. I have more of a R&B taste with deep rhythm and amazing vocals and I’m intrigued by Mr. Allison’s music

  22. Jagger Riggle says:

    2016 has not necessarily been the greatest of years. We have had two of the most controversial presidential candidates and many great people die. Although this is not a good thing, it will start happening more and more often. The population in the early 1900s soared higher than it ever had before, and since it has only gotten bigger. That means the number of famous figures has gotten bigger as well. Now with modern technology, we become more attached to these figures because we can feel as if we are closer to them. That means, when they inevitably die, the country will feel the loss. It is always a shame to see these people go, and we may think that “Oh, it’s just 2016 acting up again.” but, in reality, it’s just our growing population and modern social media and technology that makes these losses especially bad.

  23. Shuchi Patel says:

    I have never heard of Mose Allison until now. I believe his songs are pretty enjoyable. They are calming, and the tempo of Your Mind is on Vacation is nice. I hope his music inspires others and hope is at peace.

Leave a Reply to Madalyn Coln Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *