Bobby Rush’s “Mary Jane”

Mississippi blues legend Bobby Rush is releasing a 4-CD career retrospective box set, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, out on Omnivore Recordings on Nov. 27. Rush played with Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Jimmy Reed, and had a multi-generational career in music, spanning blues, soul and funk. This box set represents 50 years over the course of 20 labels: five hours of blues, soul, R&B, funk and even a touch of disco.

High Times is delighted to offer readers an exclusive premiere of Rush’s classic track “Mary Jane,” released more than 40 years ago and only available on (scratchy) 45 RPM—until now!

When releasing “Mary Jane,” Rush says, “The A&R guy asked if I had a B side for “Chicken Heads.” I said yes, “Mary Jane.” He said, “Oh yeah, Bobby Rush? I had a girl named Mary Jane—she did me so wrong, I don’t want to see her again.” It went right over their heads—I was talking about reefer… they were thinking I was talking about a girl.

‘I got high last night, I got high and I didn’t go home… Mary Jane Mary Jane can’t you see what you have done. I can’t even find my car, and baby all my money is gone.’ I was talking about getting high, and not finding your car or car keys. So I guess I can say that I’m still high on what I said to them back then.”

Burn one down, and check out our exclusive premiere of Bobby Rush’s super-groovy “Mary Jane.”