The American rock and folk-singing star Steve Earle and the British rock group The Dukes are back to collaborate on a new rendition single. “Mr. Bojangles” was a hit classic from the famous country singer and songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker. The song was recorded in 1969, however, a rendition done by Nitty Gritty Band in 1970.
Even the origin of the song itself sparks sheer adventure. According to Wide Open Country, the song is about a man who Walker met in prison. The man tried to remain his identity a secret from the police, so he created “Bojangles”. From then on, Bojangles talked about his dead dog and other life stories to Walker.
The song dedicated to Bojangles is a five minute thriller talking about his tap-dancing abilities that was said by Walker to make everyone cheer up. The track was a hit to everyone, as Earle and The Dukes’ rendition of the track still shares many similarities to the classic. Unlike the original, the rendition starts off slow, almost changing the genre entirely. Earle’s voice adds a new underlying texture to the classic. You can also hear the breaths of Earle’s voice that adds to the calming harmony of the instrumentals. Then, just when the audience thinks they had it all, the chorus is sung along with The Dukes, creating a beautiful addition to Walker’s hit.
Despite the slower beat, the song ends almost exactly the same time that the original does. Although Walker passed in October 2020, fans can almost here his voice with the remake, a wonderful celebration to Walker.
Earle and The Dukes plan to release a whole album dedicated to Walker this month. You can check that out here!
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