Got My Mojo Working
Muddy Waters first heard this song in 1956 while touring with a young R&B singer named Ann Cole, who was performing it in her set. Recognizing a hit, Muddy took Preston Foster's tune to Chess Records and entirely remade it. Backed by his powerhouse band including James Cotton on a chugging harmonica, Muddy cranked up the tempo and leaned hard into Louisiana hoodoo imagery. "Got My Mojo Working" didn't top the charts upon release, but its high-energy rhythm quickly made it Muddy's ultimate show-closing signature song worldwide.
The floating-verse lineage for this recording (who else recorded it, where the melody or lyric traveled, and how it was adapted) is still being mapped. This section will trace the song's DNA across the archive.
Contributions welcome at OlMrRead@ccblues.com.