Rio Grande Mud is the second album by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 blues rock band ZZ Top

ZZ Top

ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...

 and was released in 1972.

The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande

Rio Grande

The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...

, the river that forms the border between Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

 and Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 and means "big river" in Spanish.

In 1987, the album was remixed for CD release. The full album is currently unavailable on CD in its original mix. "Francine" and "Just Got Paid" are available in their original versions on the CD release of The Best of ZZ Top. All tracks except "Mushmouth Shoutin'," "Apologies to Pearly" and "Down Brownie" are available in their original mix on 2003's Chrome, Smoke & BBQ

Chrome, Smoke & BBQ

Chrome, Smoke & BBQ is a box set by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 2003. This box set is notable for using the original mixes for all of the tracks from the band's first 5 albums for the first time on the CD format...

 boxset. On January 11, 2011, Rhino released a remastered version from the original 1972 mix on vinyl only.

Reception

Allmusic gave the album 3.5 stars stating: "With their second album, Rio Grande Mud, ZZ Top uses the sound they sketched out on their debut as a blueprint, yet they tweak it in slight but important ways."

The album peaked at number 104 on the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

.

Singles

The only single released from the album was "Francine" (b/w "Down Brownie") which peaked at number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. Another 45 version was released with "Francine" appearing on both sides (side one with English vocals and side two with Spanish vocals). It should be noted that various official ZZ Top releases throughout the years, beginning in 1972, have used the alternative spelling "Francene", especially on the various 45 releases both within and outside the United States.

Side A

1. "Francine" (Billy Gibbons
   Billy Gibbons
   William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
   
   , Kenny Cordray, Steve Perron) – 3:33
2. "Just Got Paid" (Gibbons, Bill Ham
   Bill Ham
   Bill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
   
   ) – 4:49
3. "Mushmouth Shoutin'" (Gibbons, Ham) – 3:41
4. "Ko Ko Blue" (Gibbons, Dusty Hill
   Dusty Hill
   Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
   
   , Frank Beard
   Frank Beard (musician)
   Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
   
   ) – 4:56
5. "Chevrolet" (Gibbons) – 3:47

Side B

1. "Apologies to Pearly" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard, Ham) – 2:39
   • Instrumental
2. "Bar-B-Q" (Gibbons, Ham) – 3:34
3. "Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell" (Gibbons) – 6:49
4. "Whiskey'n Mama" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard, Ham) – 3:20
5. "Down Brownie" (Gibbons) – 2:53

ZZ Top

• Billy Gibbons
  Billy Gibbons
  William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
  
   – guitar, vocals
• Dusty Hill
  Dusty Hill
  Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
  
   – bass, keyboards, vocals
• Frank Beard
  Frank Beard (musician)
  Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
  
  – drums, percussion

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1972	"Francine"	Pop Singles	69