Every time I see the "Whatever's Comfortable" commercial for Southern Comfort, I get hooked on the song that plays in it. That bass line, the drum beat topped with the soft, bluesy chant of a mysterious woman whose name I didn't know — until now.

It's called "Hit or Miss" by Odetta Holmes, and it's only one of two songs written by her for her 1970 album of covers called Odetta Sings. She was active in the civil rights movement of the 1960's, and was cited by Bob Dylan as the reason he was turned on to folk music. She died on December 2nd, 2008 at the age of 77. If you're interested, you can read more about her life at biography.com.

Here's the complete song, courtesy of YouTube.

And the Southern Comfort commercial that gave it new life.

 

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