WHY NOTHING EVER GETS DONE

You know rabbit holes. I'm sure you do. Once you hear one thing, it reminds you of something else so you go hunting for that. That leads to another song or artist, and so on. When I fall into a rabbit hole, it can last for days. This time it was Ten Years After that started the wandering. It was their version of "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", a live thing from 1975. Originally released in 1969 (I think) I'd heard them do it, but it's been years. But first, take a moment to behold the epic guitar face of Alvin Lee.

After listening/watching it, I was reminded that their arrangement was pretty thin and that guitar heroics don't age well.. I tracked down Johnny Winter's version from his 1969 Columbia debut for a comparison. I really wanted to hear his live version, but not until after I heard the earlier version because it was on a blues album and "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is essentially a blues song. Cue it up and sit between your speakers, The guitar is in one channel and the horns are in the other. The riffs are like a call and response. It's a great version and I really dig both the guitar tone and the Stax-like horns. But, ho-ly shit, the live version, from 1971 is a masterpiece in the live blues-rock canon. After his first LP on Columbia, Winter started delving more into rock 'n' roll. Three LPs into the change he recorded a live album, billed as Johnny Winter And, with backing from former McCoys ("Hang On Sloopy") which included Rick Derringer. On the live version, the guitars, his and Rick Derringer's, are the dueling channels.(Winter is in the right channel, unless my speakers are hooked up wrong.) This is some awesome raunchy guitar interplay. Serious, sit your ass down between the speakers. The way the guitars weave in and out with each other, so fucking good. This is the essence of that short lived line up. The live LP is a near perfect live template: insanely loud, blues and rock, heavy on distorted licks. Consider it mandatory..I added Muddy Waters to contrast with Winter's versions. Waters was a huge influence on Winter (they would later record the song together) and it's interesting to hear the two versions back to back. Only eight years separated them. Last down there is the OG, Sonny Boy Williamson from 1937. Respect.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:

Johnny Winter - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (streaming) at YouTube 1969
Johnny Winter And - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (live) (streaming) at YouTube 1971
Muddy Waters - Good Morning Little School Girl (streaming) at YouTube 1963
Sonny Boy Williamson - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (streaming) at YouTube 1937