YOU ARE HERE: zharth.net / Zharth's Music Log / Week 69 (Good Morning Little Schoolgirl)
(Originally finalized on March 28, 2024)
Preface: You know I don't like to repeat songs on my music log (if I can avoid it). But I'm not above making an occasional exception. And even though Ten Years After's incendiary version of the old blues standard Good Morning Little Schoolgirl has already been featured twice (both in the original series, and the Redux), I'm committed to centering an entire theme around it, with the excuse that you'll get to hear at least six other versions of the song to make up for it (hey, it's not my fault this is a popular song that gets covered a lot!). Does the fact that this is the only song to feature in all three "seasons" of Zharth's Music Log mean it's the best song ever? It just might. :-p
Monday: The Yardbirds - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl [single, 1964]
Comments: We'll explore the song's origin in short order, but the Yardbirds' version is distinctive in that it's based on a different arrangement than the rest we're going to hear. That arrangement is credited to a rhythm & blues duo by the name of Don and Bob, who recorded their version of the song in 1961. This version, which feels like more of a dance bop, is the version the Yardbirds are emulating.
Tuesday: Muddy Waters - Good Morning Little School Girl [Folk Singer, 1964]
Comments: Good Morning, School Girl was originally recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson (the first, not the impostor) in 1937, and has been covered by countless artists through the years, particularly within the blues genre. On his 1964 album Folk Singer, Muddy Waters recorded a fully acoustic version, with the notable accompaniment of Buddy Guy. Later, in 1978, Muddy Waters would record a second version of the song, while working with Johnny Winter in the producer's chair. This version places the harmonica front and center.
Wednesday: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Good Morning Little School Girl [The Original Lost Elektra Sessions, recorded 1964]
Comments: Although their first attempt at recording a debut album was scrapped, and not released until thirty years later, blues harp virtuoso Paul Butterfield recorded Good Morning Little School Girl with his band in late 1964. Although young and white, Butterfield and bandmates (including guitarist Mike Bloomfield) cut their teeth on the club circuit in south side Chicago, alongside such blues luminaries as Muddy Waters himself.
Thursday: Johnny Winter - Good Morning Little School Girl [Johnny Winter, 1969]
Comments: Trading virtuosic harmonica for lead guitar (and a horn section), Johnny Winter (who was "discovered" after being asked to play a song with Mike Bloomfield on stage during Bloomfield & Kooper's Super Session tour) recorded his own version of the song for his self-titled album from 1969. It was the start of a long - if somewhat overlooked - career of high energy electric blues-based guitar rock.
Friday: Junior Wells' Chicago Blues Band - Good Morning Schoolgirl [Hoodoo Man Blues, 1965]
Comments: A classic from the Chicago blues scene, featuring Junior Wells on harmonica and vocals, and Buddy Guy (again - though originally credited under the pseudonym "Friendly Chap" for contractual reasons) on guitar. My only question is, how did it take so long for me to discover this album? All accounts indicate that it was hugely influential among those musicians of the era who had their fingers on the pulse of American blues music, from which rock 'n' roll evolved.
Saturday: Grateful Dead - Good Morning Little School Girl [Grateful Dead, 1967]
Comments: Take note! This is the first - and may quite possibly be the last - time the Grateful Dead will be featured on my music log! With prominent harp accompaniment, this version from the band's self-titled debut album would indeed seem to be heavily based on Junior Wells' version. However - and interestingly - the tempo during the song's coda starts to build up speed and energy, leading to an exciting climax. But not as exciting as...
Sunday: Ten Years After - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl [Ssssh, 1969]
Comments: As touched on in my Reinterpreting The Blues theme, Ten Years After's treatment of this song reaches a level comparable to that demonstrated by Led Zeppelin's ability to reincarnate old blues tunes as rock 'n' roll tours de force. That's why, in my opinion, this version stands out above all others - because it manages to be so much more than just a reminder of the simple folk blues Sonny Boy Williamson recorded three decades prior. It's a rebirth.
Honorable Mention: Paul Rodgers - Good Morning Little School Girl (Part 1) (Part 2) [Muddy Water Blues, 1993]
Comments: There are other versions of this song out there, old and new, acoustic and electric, from Mississippi Fred McDowell to Jonny Lang. In fact, the more I look, the more I find! But the last one I'm going to highlight is this two-parter from Paul Rodgers' 1993 album paying tribute to Muddy Waters. The first part features Jeff Beck on guitar, and the second part brings in Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi's entourage.