Got My Mojo Working
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| “Got My Mojo Working” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Ann Cole and the Suburbans | ||
| Released | April, 1957 | |
| Format | Single | |
| Recorded | 1956 | |
| Genre | Blues | |
| Label | Baton Records | |
| Writer(s) | Preston Foster | |
| “Got My Mojo Working” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) | ||
| Format | single | |
| Recorded | December 1, 1956 | |
| Genre | blues | |
| Label | Chess Records | |
| Writer(s) | disputed, see text | |
"Got My Mojo Working" is a 1956 song written by Preston Foster and first recorded by Ann Cole, but popularized by Muddy Waters in 1957. Waters' rendition of the song was featured on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, [1] and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000. It was also included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The song has been covered by many artists, including Louis Jordan (1956), Conway Twitty (1964), Manfred Mann (1964), The Zombies (1964), Jimmy Smith (1965), The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965), Art Blakey (1966), Carla Thomas (1967), Canned Heat (1969), Elvis Presley (1970), Rory Gallagher (1971), J. J. Cale (1972), B. B. King (1977), Buddy Guy (1977), Otis Rush (1986), Asylum Street Spankers (2004) and, Bobby Darin (Unknown if recorded, but performed live). Still covered by many artists today, it most recently has become an encore song for the soul/funk/R&B band JJ Grey & MOFRO, frequently showing up on the set list for their live shows beginning the end of 2007 and continuing in early 2008.[1]
This song has been the topic of copyright litigation. McKinley Morganfield, a.k.a. Muddy Waters, heard Ann Cole perform this song while on tour in 1956. He modified the words, and attempted to copyright his own version. Dare Records, holder of the Preston copyright, and Arc Records, holder of the Morganfield copyright, settled out of court, with Arc deferring to Dare's copyright. This agreement did not affect the actual copyright status: the two versions are still separately copyrighted. Nonetheless, MCA/Chess has credited the song to Foster in more recent years (for example, in the liner notes to the Chess Blues box set in 1991). Other songs exist that are sufficiently similar to have provoked litigation. In Strachborneo v. Arc Music 357 F. Supp 1393 (S.D. N.Y. 1973), Ruth Stratchborneo sued Arc Music, rights holder to the Preston Foster work, for infringement against her song "Mojo Workout". The court held that the concept of "mojo" was public domain, and that the existence of references to mojo was not sufficient to justify a finding of infringement.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Foster lyrics excerpt
Got my Mojo working but it just won't work on you Got my Mojo working but it just won't work on you I want to love you so till I don't know what to do I got my black cat bones all pure and dry I got my 4 leaf clovers all hanging high I got my Mojo working but it just won't work on you I want to love you so till I don't know what to do <repeat format, with varied spells: hoodoo ashes, black snake boots, red hot tips, etc. > [2]
[edit] Excerpt from Morganfield lyrics
Got my mojo working but it just won't work on you Got my mojo working but it just won't work on you I want to love you so bad I don't know what to do Going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand Going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand I'm going to have all you women, getcha under my command Got my mojo working, ...[2]
[edit] Excerpt from Stratchborneo lyrics
I got my mojo working Well my mojo working Well my mojo working Well my mojo working My mojo working but it just won't work on you. You grab your little girl and spin her around You grab both hands and holler out loud You turn and turn till you're back to back You move your feet and you don't look back. You do the mojo workout Well the mojo workout You do the mojo workout <dance step instructions> I got my mojo working Well my mojo working My mojo working.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Schoeps (February 22, 2008). JJ Grey & Mofro, Live, Skipper's Smokehouse, Feb 22, 08. Archive.org.
- ^ a b c d Strachborneo v. Arc Music
