Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 35^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Texas Flood” by Stevie Ray Vaughan. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 35^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Texas Flood”, performed by Stevie Ray Vaughan.  

Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954 – 1990) only lived to be 35 years old. Despite his tragic death in a helicopter crash, the blues musician left an incredible legacy – he was a special, special talent.  One of guitarist and singer’s most beloved songs is “Texas Flood”, which he covered on his 1983 debut album, also titled, Texas Flood.  Originally, “Texas Flood” was written by Larry Davis (who also recorded it) and Joseph Scott in 1958. Vaughan, of course, makes the energetic classic his own.

“Well, it’s floodin’ down in Texas / All of the telephone lines are down,” Vaughan sings expressively in the first verse.  He serves up a gritty brand of vocals, delivering a distinct, personality-laden performance.  “Well, dark clouds are rollin’ / Man, and I’m standin’ out in the rain,” he sings in the second verse, capping it off with, “Yeah, flood water keep a-rollin’ / Man, it’s about to drive poor me insane.” The third verse is ear-catching too, as he asserts at the end, “Well, back home there’re no floods or tornadoes / Babe, and the sun shines on every day.” Woo! Of course, it’s not just the vocals that shine when it comes to Stevie Ray Vaughan.  He was as kick ass guitarist, something that’s evident in the bluesy instrumental intro as well as a guitar solo that appears between the second and third verses.  “Texas Flood” is nothing short of marvelous!

Stevie Ray Vaughan // Texas Flood // Sony Music Entertainment // 1983

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Texas Flood: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 35 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment; OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom via  Pixabay]