I’ve posted various versions of this tune in the past – because it’s a fantastic song and because it happened at the right place and the right time (Memphis 1951) to help usher in rock ‘n roll. You might say that Rocket 88, a song about an Oldsmobile written by Ike Turner, is a not a song about drinking at all, but listen to Jackie Brenston sing it: “Goin’ around the corner, gonna get a fifth – everybody in my car’s gonna take a little nip.
Ask Tina Turner and I’m sure she’ll tell you her ex Ike was one bad dude, and I guess this song just adds to his litany of sins, since he shouldn’t have been singing about drinking and driving.
So Drinking Song #33 features Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats aka Ike Turner and the Kings of Rhythm, performing the most fantastic Rocket 88.
Bill Haley cleaned it up in the same year: “Goin’ round the corner goin’ to have some fun, gonna take my rocket on a nice long run.” Still Mr. Haley did a pretty decent cover of this one with just a hint of a western swing feel holding it back.
Later on in the 70s, The James Cotton Band made this tune a regular part of their set and also laid it down in the studio. They not only reverted to the original (if badly behaved) lyrics but they set this tune on fire.
And live….
Turn up the volume, friends and listen to that one again.
27th Street 
LOVE James Cotton – and this song – and have seen him perform it live more than once. My ex-husband’s ex-band (Houndog) used to do a pretty good version of it too.
Me too. Back in the day he had a super-hot band. The first time I saw him perform, he was the opening act for Muddy Waters at the Ontario Place Forum. That must have been around 1975 and I was a teenaged blues freak.