Who Did Going Up the Country First Before Canned Heat?

Canned Heat, 1967

Canned Heat had a smash hit with their 1968 song ‘Going Up the Country.’ Few know that their song was actually a reprocessed version of a much earlier blues song by Henry Thomas, aka “Texas Ragtime” called Bull Doze Blues, recorded in 1928. Although the melody line and lyrics of the song are not all … Read more

Who Did ‘Black Magic Woman’ Woman First Before Santana?

Fleetwood Mac English Rose album

Song: Black Magic Woman (1969) Artist: Fleetwood Mac – Peter Green Album: English Rose (Epic) Starting with the lyrics ‘don’t turn your back on me baby,’ Black Magic Woman, is best known for the Santana version from 1971. The original, and the best, is from Fleetwood Mac, off the album English Rose, in 1969. The song … Read more

What 1966 Song Gave The Lovin’ Spoonful Their Name?

Song: Coffee Blues (1966) Artist: Mississippi John Hurt In the song Coffee Blues, the legendary blues artist Mississippi John Hurt, in his usual good-natured way, talks about wanting a spoonful of something. He claims, in the beginning, that it’s Maxwell House coffee (he calls it Maxwell’s House), his favorite coffee that really is good to the last … Read more