Mustang Sally (Wilson Pickett)

• 18 Aug 15:22
• •
• 3 lists

"Mustang Sally" is an R&B/straight-forward blues song written and first recorded by Sir Mack Rice in 1965. It gained greater popularity when it was covered by Wilson Pickett on a single the following year. Pickett's version was also included on his 1967 album The Wicked Pickett.

According to music historian Tom Shannon, the song started as a joke when Della Reese wanted a new Ford Mustang. Rice called the early version "Mustang Mama," but changed the title after Aretha Franklin suggested "Mustang Sally."

Rice's version made it to #15 on the U.S. R&B charts in 1965. Pickett's version climbed to #6 R&B and #23 Pop in 1966.

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Wilson Pickett's recording of the song at #434 on a list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song dropped seven spots to #441 when the magazine published its 2010 update of the list.

The song featured prominently in the 1991 film The Commitments, and appears on the film's soundtrack album, as sung by Andrew Strong.

Wilson's version was also set to the Pecos Bill segment from Disney's Melody Time in DTV. Album track listing at amazon.com

The song was played by NASA Mission Control as a morning wakeup song for astronaut...

Read more...