Eddie Floyd (born June 25, 1937) – Big Bird (1968)

A high energy soul/garage rock masterpiece written by Floyd as he was waiting to catch a delayed flight back to the U.S. for Otis Redding’s funeral.

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The great singer/songwriter Eddie Floyd is a living soul legend who helped define the Stax sound in the 1960s and 70s.

Floyd first began working at Stax as a songwriter in 1965. He and the label’s house guitarist Steve Cropper teamed up to write for Wilson Pickett. They later co-wrote “Knock On Wood,” which was originally meant for Otis Redding before Floyd recorded it himself. It became his signature song.

In December, 1967, he wrote the soul/garage rock masterpiece “Big Bird” while waiting in a London airport to catch a delayed flight back to the U.S. for Redding’s funeral.

It was never a hit, only climbing as far as #132 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released early the following year in 1968, but was later covered by The Jam and Alex Chilton.

The track featured Stax house band members Booker T. Jones on organ and guitar, Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson, Jr. on drums, aka 3/4 of Booker T. & the M.G.’s.  Jones also co-wrote and produced the track. Its B-side was the superb jam “Holding On With Both Hands,” co-written by Floyd with Steve Cropper, the missing M.G. on “Big Bird,” who also produced it.

#soul #OtisRedding #Stax #EddieFloyd