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If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)
Artist: Stick McGhee
Author: Stick McGhee/J. Mayo Williams
Label: Harlem
Year: 1947
Two years before his Atlantic recording, with his brother Brownie on guitar and second voice. Cut in Petersburg, VA, where Stick was in the army and where this original recording was made. The song in fact is an army barrack classic ("Drinkin' wine, motherfucker, drinkin' wine"). Harlem was J. Mayo Williams' label, who claimed coauthorship for providing studio facility and for camouflaging that "motherfucker". In 1937 Lovin' Sam Theard & His Swinging Rascals (see also: You Rascal You) cut another Spo-Dee-O-Dee for that same J. Mayo Williams, so that's where he probably got the idea from.
Covers:
Stick McGhee & his Buddies [again with his brother Brownie; relocated to New Orleans, the city where this song was already popular and with cleaner lyrics, making it n°2 R&B, first hit ever for Atlantic]
Malcolm Yelvington [for Sun]
Chris Barber [with Dr. John]
Champion Jack Dupree [during his last session, released posthumously]
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder [on their Brownie McGhee tribute Get On Board]
The Harlem version was out of stock the moment it was becoming a hit in New Orleans where DJ Poppa Stoppa pushed it as the tune under one of his station commercials. Wynonie Harris was about to fill the gap, when Ahmed Ertegun cut him short with a new and better Stick McGhee version, situated in New Orleans instead of Petersburg. That became the first hit for his brand new Atlantic label.
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)