I purposely watched many of these reviews. Funny thing is that most have never heard it and are skeptical. But....every single person hears it and does the involuntary head shake just like when it first came out in 1977. It is universal.
this is a cover of a military cadence from prior to civil war, where "Black Betty" was many things: in the first verse she is a musket that was very inaccurate due to lack of rifling, so the child (bullet) went wild (off target) and gone blind (the heavy smoke blocking vision after firing the weapon), 2nd verse is alcoholic drink of available for cheap to give to soldiers, and 3rd verse is an actual woman who "serviced" the soldiers at a local "men's club" in Alabama. "Bam a lam" is the reference sound of the musket firing and the beat of the singing cadence
@@tinaanderson6185 I read an interview with Bill Bartlett, lead vocals. He wrote the last two verses of this song. He said he wrote those verses thinking about Betty Page. She was a 1950’s sexy pinup model with long black hair. Google her.
This is when music was music😊no costume, dancers, theater acting, no lighting, no fireworks... just a band in the back yard... no dubbing...just talented people who love what they do and can do it... miss this...😢
"Black Betty" was a musket gun [or a bottle of whiskey in London among other meanings]. "Bamb-ba-lam"= the noise it made, The "child" was the musket ball. "Damn think gone wild" = not always accurate. "Damn thing gone blind" = missing it's target [like it viers off when shooting straight]. "She get's me high" = musket smoke. "So rock steady and she's always ready" = was reliable and not prone to failure. "Shaking that thang" = shaking the bottle or musket which "makes me sing" = being drunk or marching song to a battle.
did the band ever confirm this? just curious. because it obviously has to be innuendo.. there is no way it's not meant to be heard as if talking about a woman
Actually Anglo Saxon is right, though it's also about a woman (at least the double-entendres were intentional). It's about a musket, a liquor and a woman. This version of this song has a verse for all three in that order.
The producer didn’t have a lot money to make this video so he asked the band how much they needed to film this video and they said, “ $200” which they used to buy bag weed and got high then filmed the video in one of the band members back yard.
Your interpretation was hysterical, I wish I was there when you read the comments and find out the truth about Black Betty! Great reaction, positively fabulous!
This old lady rocked to this song even though a lot of radio stations banned it. They really got us dancing with it. The studio recording is longer but mostly more guitar solos. Too bad they were a one hit wonder.
Black Betty is said to be a revolutionary war musket. The child is said to be the musket it replaced as some said was not as good. There is a controversy though if it refers to a British or American musket. This song's origin was reportedly originally a marching cadence song. Some lyrics were later added which clouded it's meaning. However it still refers to BB as "it".
Back in the 70s and 80s I saw many local friends who had bands practice in the backyard or garage lol good times and good music. Most of them did covers and actually were pretty good at mimicking what they heard.....
Birmingham, Alabama... he sings way down in Alabam... yep BSA did make firearms, but also motor bikes.. love from a Brummie that had a Mom that worked at BSA in Golden Hillock Road, during the war... been dancing to this since the 70's.. a song written back in 1933 by Lead Belly, Ram Jam made next to nothing as Lead Belly's family were granted the rights to it...
What a great song, I love how he busts out these killer solos so causally in the backyard like "whatever". There's a lot of speculation about what Black Betty means - is it a woman, or a bottle of whiskey, or cocaine, or a few other explanations.
It’s fun to watch people of different generations and ethnicities experience real music. Music that is not mixed a d re-mixed in a studio with synthetic instruments. This was shot in the backyard of one of the band members parents house.
This is a cover of a song that is over 100 years old black work song, first recorded in 1933 but older than that. Black Betty is thought to be originally code for whiskey in Scottish tradition, but the song changed over time to be talking about a woman.
3 of my favorite reactions to Black Betty, House of The Rising Sun and Moma Told Me Not To Come. All listened to with the volume cranked. 70s were good
According to Louder Sound....Bill Bartlett said, "My version is about Bettie Page. She’s not a black girl, she’s a pin-up queen from the fifties. She was the tops. She was my inspiration for writing the last two verses. I don’t know what Lead Belly was writing about. That’s up to anybody to guess. But music can be whatever you want it to be about. As long as you’re having a good experience listening to the music, I don’t care what you think it’s about.”
Haha, Black Betty was a gun, no joke. But... I worked at Holiday Inn in Benton Harbor Michigan with Betty the cook and her daughter, when this came out and this is dedicated to Betty and her daughter Suki, love you girls!
It's funny, growing up when I heard this song I always just assumed he had a girlfriend named Betty and he was really excited because this was the era when it was starting to become far less taboo for a black person and a white person to be in a relationship and he just wanted to Tell the world. It was only later that I found out that this is actually a modernized cover of a 1940's recording of a Plantation folk song. Black Betty is another name for a multi headed whip.
I love your enthusiasm but you kinda remind me of Herkel. Thank you for reacting to this classic. This was a cover of a song by Blues artist Lead Belly so Ram Jam made very little from this even though it was a big hit.
Cam, I am so sorry. I told you that there was no person named Black Betty. I was wrong. The woman he wrote about in this song is Betty Page. She was a pin up star in the 1950’s. Google her. She is hot stuff for sure!
Black Betty...Revolutionary War musket. Her child was the Brown Betty, 2nd gen musket which wasn't too accurate...damn things gone wild. I'll quit nerding now but 3rd verse was about a chick.
Genetics. Entrapment. First signs of SIMPing, supply and demand, who knows. I'm going with having "junk in the trunk" that led to genetics/Mauri Povish show.
So much fun watching a young person enjoy this old lady's favorite tunes.
Hear hear *says an old geezer* :)
Another old gal agrees with you and the old geezer!
Old geezer here, keep on rocking
Fun to hear what pops into ppl's heads!
@@finallythere100 *ram jammed into peoples heads🤭
I love watching people hear real music for the first time
I purposely watched many of these reviews. Funny thing is that most have never heard it and are skeptical. But....every single person hears it and does the involuntary head shake just like when it first came out in 1977. It is universal.
this is a cover of a military cadence from prior to civil war, where "Black Betty" was many things: in the first verse she is a musket that was very inaccurate due to lack of rifling, so the child (bullet) went wild (off target) and gone blind (the heavy smoke blocking vision after firing the weapon), 2nd verse is alcoholic drink of available for cheap to give to soldiers, and 3rd verse is an actual woman who "serviced" the soldiers at a local "men's club" in Alabama. "Bam a lam" is the reference sound of the musket firing and the beat of the singing cadence
@@tinaanderson6185 I read an interview with Bill Bartlett, lead vocals. He wrote the last two verses of this song. He said he wrote those verses thinking about Betty Page. She was a 1950’s sexy pinup model with long black hair. Google her.
This is when music was music😊no costume, dancers, theater acting, no lighting, no fireworks... just a band in the back yard... no dubbing...just talented people who love what they do and can do it... miss this...😢
i mean david bowie, kiss and alice cooper all existed.
@@MrShivshank 2nd hand music
@@MrShivshank 2nd hand music
@@MrShivshank 2nd hand music
@@MrShivshank 2nd hand music
This is when musicians actually played instruments. A bag of weed an a case of beer in the backyard. Always a blast. Love your reaction.
"Black Betty" was a musket gun [or a bottle of whiskey in London among other meanings]. "Bamb-ba-lam"= the noise it made, The "child" was the musket ball. "Damn think gone wild" = not always accurate. "Damn thing gone blind" = missing it's target [like it viers off when shooting straight]. "She get's me high" = musket smoke. "So rock steady and she's always ready" = was reliable and not prone to failure. "Shaking that thang" = shaking the bottle or musket which "makes me sing" = being drunk or marching song to a battle.
did the band ever confirm this? just curious. because it obviously has to be innuendo.. there is no way it's not meant to be heard as if talking about a woman
Not a gun in this song, Give it up Anglo Man!!!!!!!!!!
@@barbarapennell9717 Shut up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually Anglo Saxon is right, though it's also about a woman (at least the double-entendres were intentional). It's about a musket, a liquor and a woman. This version of this song has a verse for all three in that order.
@@bostonvair just another gun Fanatic.
As an 80 year white gal, who lived through this time, I am delighted to witness your musical discovery
First time someone did this reaction right. Gotta hear it more than once. Thank you. And well done.
The producer didn’t have a lot money to make this video so he asked the band how much they needed to film this video and they said, “ $200” which they used to buy bag weed and got high then filmed the video in one of the band members back yard.
I do my best work after a huge splif. Always have, more focused. 😆
@@Bubbs1234 It literally kills me how they make weed out to be your brain as a fried egg. I'm like you it's a mind *stimulant* not like alcohol.
It's such a hoot that this has gone viral 45 years later! hehe hella guitar part...
There's a lot of them coming back with these "reaction videos"
Your interpretation was hysterical, I wish I was there when you read the comments and find out the truth about Black Betty! Great reaction, positively fabulous!
This old lady rocked to this song even though a lot of radio stations banned it. They really got us dancing with it. The studio recording is longer but mostly more guitar solos. Too bad they were a one hit wonder.
Black Betty is said to be a revolutionary war musket. The child is said to be the musket it replaced as some said was not as good. There is a controversy though if it refers to a British or American musket.
This song's origin was reportedly originally a marching cadence song.
Some lyrics were later added which clouded it's meaning. However it still refers to BB as "it".
Back in the 70s and 80s I saw many local friends who had bands practice in the backyard or garage lol good times and good music. Most of them did covers and actually were pretty good at mimicking what they heard.....
"She's from Birmingham, bam a lam" = Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) a British company
Birmingham, Alabama... he sings way down in Alabam... yep BSA did make firearms, but also motor bikes.. love from a Brummie that had a Mom that worked at BSA in Golden Hillock Road, during the war... been dancing to this since the 70's.. a song written back in 1933 by Lead Belly, Ram Jam made next to nothing as Lead Belly's family were granted the rights to it...
@@suepoole8323it’s about a hundred years older than ledbelly, predates the civil war.
But he was the first to record it.
Excelente reaccion, saludos desde Costa Rica, pura vida !!!
50 years ago our back yard/garage bands were better than the top bands of today. By FAR.
This was most folk’s reaction to this on the 70s: 😳 it was before it’s time
What a great song, I love how he busts out these killer solos so causally in the backyard like "whatever".
There's a lot of speculation about what Black Betty means - is it a woman, or a bottle of whiskey, or cocaine, or a few other explanations.
You should listen to the full solo, it’s cut in the music video. One of my favorite solos of all time
Unexpected, always! Wish it was longer :D
t is a lot longer to listen to the studio version they cut a lot out for the video
I love when you said: She's doing all that to you?!
THIS is how our weekend went….someone’s backyard, a local band, friends, weed & drink…talk about a good time!!!
Great reaction! Hi from Calgary, Alberta, Canada!!!
The film you watched (not even video cassettes then) cost the band $20 and a buzz. Those were good times!! 😵💫🥳
Reminds me of my grandmother's house all my uncles playing music
Yo, they are having a kegger in the back yard with the local band playing for beer, like we did in the 80s. lol
And they did this tune!!! Awesome
It’s fun to watch people of different generations and ethnicities experience real music.
Music that is not mixed a d re-mixed in a studio with synthetic instruments.
This was shot in the backyard of one of the band members parents house.
This is a cover of a song that is over 100 years old black work song, first recorded in 1933 but older than that. Black Betty is thought to be originally code for whiskey in Scottish tradition, but the song changed over time to be talking about a woman.
the song was a omage to Pam Grier
EVERY GUY SHOULD BE WITH A BLACK BETTY, OR YOU ARE JUST LETTING THE BEST IN LIFE PASS YOU BY.
Excellent, Keep up the great work.
I'm new. I subscribed, hit the bell and the like button 🎉🎉🎉
3 of my favorite reactions to Black Betty, House of The Rising Sun and Moma Told Me Not To Come. All listened to with the volume cranked. 70s were good
Black Betty had to be a true queen from 1977.
Black Betty has a history going back about 100 years , check it out .
Great reaction. You made me laugh. 😁👍🏾
I died after you said (Who is black betty she's doing all this to you ) 🙂
Black Whiskey from Scotland, they call it Black Betty m, it’s just a nickname for whiskey !
Your face makes me smile. Your reactions make me laugh.
It just gets you body shaking
Great reaction! Lol you made the same faces I make when I listen to it... It's really too bad this was their only hit. They could really play.
According to Louder Sound....Bill Bartlett said, "My version is about Bettie Page. She’s not a black girl, she’s a pin-up queen from the fifties. She was the tops. She was my inspiration for writing the last two verses. I don’t know what Lead Belly was writing about. That’s up to anybody to guess. But music can be whatever you want it to be about. As long as you’re having a good experience listening to the music, I don’t care what you think it’s about.”
A "Betty" is a full value beautiful woman, this one is Black.
I love seeing you appreciate music I loved
As you now probably know, "Black Betty" was a Rifle! This was from WAY back when.
Epic song. Great choice!
They made this video for $100. $25 on the camera, $75 on weed.
Your reaction is priceless
Haha, Black Betty was a gun, no joke. But... I worked at Holiday Inn in Benton Harbor Michigan with Betty the cook and her daughter, when this came out and this is dedicated to Betty and her daughter Suki, love you girls!
Weren't none of mine=not his child.
Black betty was the song originated by muddy waters and redone by ram jam
Ain't this a fun one🤣🤣
black betty..name of the rifle during american civil war..
Damn we had good music!!
It's funny, growing up when I heard this song I always just assumed he had a girlfriend named Betty and he was really excited because this was the era when it was starting to become far less taboo for a black person and a white person to be in a relationship and he just wanted to Tell the world. It was only later that I found out that this is actually a modernized cover of a 1940's recording of a Plantation folk song. Black Betty is another name for a multi headed whip.
Black Betty is red yellow black and white 🫵🏾❤️☝🏾💯💋💋👋🏾
🙌
Feel good music 😁
This is so dope!
i KNOW its a blast
The audio version is much longer because of more solo's.
Subbed!
✌️ ❤
Yes!!!!!!
I love your enthusiasm but you kinda remind me of Herkel. Thank you for reacting to this classic. This was a cover of a song by Blues artist Lead Belly so Ram Jam made very little from this even though it was a big hit.
They had some fun doing it and a bag. They went home happy. Too bad it took so little to keep them content. We might have gotten more out of them.
Cam, I am so sorry. I told you that there was no person named Black Betty. I was wrong. The woman he wrote about in this song is Betty Page. She was a pin up star in the 1950’s. Google her. She is hot stuff for sure!
Cute kitty!
Awesome video sir 👍 Betty must have been smoking hot
Black Betty was an old jazz song from around 1930s. Google the original
😂😂WHISKEY 😂😂
Black Betty...Revolutionary War musket. Her child was the Brown Betty, 2nd gen musket which wasn't too accurate...damn things gone wild. I'll quit nerding now but 3rd verse was about a chick.
Thank God someone is familiar with the term Black Betty and can explain to the uninformed DJ what he s hearing! I hope he learns something.
STAGED..,.
He said she ain't none of mine, so no she isn't saying he's his.
I defy anyone to listen to the first 24 seconds and not have their heads bouncing.
They changed the meaning of this song from being about a gun to about a black woman he was infatuated with.
I think black Betty was a fictional African American woman dancing her heart out but this was even before my boomer ass.
😎
That was in 1977.
It 's a lot longer to listen to the studio version they cut a lot out for the video
Story goes, they needed money for a video so their producers gave them $500. They bought $450 of beer and made the video in their front yard.
The song Black Betty was written over a 100 years ago. Not in this version obviously but if black betty was a real person she's long dead.
They did the music video for $200.
They spent it on weed and filmed it in the back yard of the drummer’s house I think.
Black Betty is a drug…makes me feel good.
They blew their budget on hair perms & weed
OTHER SITES MAKE US SEE THE VID.....................
Sounds like his lady. 1989 Spiderbait took this song and made a version, just as good and longer.
turn your stuff up bro
I'm 700 ...you're welcome 🤣
Dudo, I think your cat just pissed on your wall.
Genetics. Entrapment. First signs of SIMPing, supply and demand, who knows. I'm going with having "junk in the trunk" that led to genetics/Mauri Povish show.
Why your video backward?
This was an old, old song.
70s bro
Why can other reactors show the video and you can't.
The sound quality of the vid is bad bro - just some constructive criticism
Research Lead Belly
so they got $500 to make the video so they spent on beer and weed and filmed it in the back yard
Why a block that irritates me
I like you, but whoever you’re working for or doing your reactions with him I probably won’t try him