"Tuff Enuff," the Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are a blues-rock band from Texas known for their straightforward, direct sound. Lead singer Kim Wilson has been the only constant member since the band was founded in 1974. The Fab T-Birds enjoyed their biggest successes in the mid-eighties, and their 1986 album, the phonetically titled Tuff Enuff, is one of them.
Tuff Enuff's title song was the bigger hit of the two singles from that album, released forty years ago this month. "Tuff Enuff," written by Wilson, is a first-class show of blues swagger, with Wilson running through the many dangerous things he'd do just to keep his woman satisfied. The lyrics are old school, especially when Wilson sings about how, for the closeness of his lady, he's "climb the Empire State and fight Muhammad Ali" (in 1986, the World Trade Center towers stood taller than the Empire State Building, and Tim Witherspoon was the heavyweight champion of the world, Ali having since retired), and that's part of "Tuff Enuff"'s charm. It peaked at number ten on the Billboard singles chart.
The promotional video for "Tuff Enuff" - my Music Video Of the Week - shows the Fab T-Birds - Wilson, Stevie Ray Vaughan's brother Jimmie Vaughan on guitar,
Preston Hubbard on bass, and Fran Christina on drums - performing the song while accompanied by dancing female construction workers, in a nod to the reality of having to sell a blues-based single in the 1980s on MTV. It's still a great-sounding record. Enjoy.
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