Listen to this song since childhood from various sources and have been a fan of Bo for more than 40 years, I'm just enlightened now that I know that Bo's version is the original. Thx!
This melody was 60 years old when first recorded about 1928. I believe this song goes back to Civil War days but can't prove it via any recordings!! Any old time slaves are long dead who might attest to it.
Thank you for posting this and thanks to anyone on the youtoobs that posts original music versions. I heard this today on a bluegrass and hillbilly station I catch sometimes. I love Big Joe Turner and naively assumed it was his composition since he recorded it in 1956 and the Ray Peterson version which gets the most airplay (on stereotypical 50's-60's Rock & Roll style stations) was from 1960. However, I should have known better; not only because the style is not really like a Big Joe composition, but because I need to heed my own advice and "KEEP GOING BACK, BACK, BACK" to get music history. I see a lot of different comments here from various viewpoints. I think what we all can agree on though, is that traditional standards like this song are GREAT and that is why they are so infuential! Likewise, I would say what a great time to be alive when we can share music history in this way. Thanks again for posting this.
Checked this out in Wikipedia today and this is the first recording of this song that has been covered by many people since - my favorites being Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal
This original version by Bo Carter is my favorite, but I also love 2 covers of this song by a couple of great Western Swing bands from Texas: Milton Brown & his Musical Brownies and Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys.
I think if Rod changed the name you'd be hard pressed to make any connection. Outside of a couple of words.... and the blues rhythm... the songs are completely different. I'd buy Rods.... the other one sucks.
MrTomalu yeah i'm sure it was done purposely. there would be no way anyone would make the connection! the owners of song will get something but it cant be much! its a extra track on his CD not a single so its not like rod is making $ off of the that song. he is paying tribute to bo carter if anything. maybe rod should go after facebook for stealing the name of his old band!! mark Zuckberg thought no one would make the connection! what a bastard he is
