Junior Wells - Junior's Wail: Singles As & Bs 1953-1961 (2014)

Wells arrived from Memphis fully formed but possessing a rawness that he would always maintain at the age of 18 as an energetic blues harp wizard and a vocalist with an intense and expressive borderline R&B style, schooled back in Memphis by his cousin, Little Junior "Mystery Train" Parker. It would be hard to name another 18-year-old in his rookie year of recording who ever put out a double-sided single as strong and as iconic as Wells's second one: "Hoodoo Man" (originally by Sonny Boy Williamson #1), which became one of his signature numbers, b/w his own original instrumental, "Junior's Wail," the title song of this collection. (Be careful when listening to the latter, as your jaw may hit the floor around the 0:54 mark.) As a measure of the respect Wells commanded while just a teenager, he was backed by luminaries such as Little Johnny Jones, the Myers Brothers, Elmore James (possibly), Odie Payne, Otis Spann, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon (these last three on his second session). Subsequently, names like Earl Hooker, Syl Johnson, Lafayette Leake, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, A.C. Reed and Fred Below come up. This is the place to catch the first-recorded Wells versions of such classics (besides "Hoodoo Man") as "I Could Cry"; "Little by Little" (his 1960 breakout national R&B hit); his other signature song, "Messin' with the Kid" (the latter two penned for him he was "The Kid" by Mel London); and his 1961 take on Tampa Red's "It Hurts Me Too.

Tracklist:

1. Cut That Out (Feat. Elmore James) (2:52)
2. Eagle Rock (Feat. Elmore James) (2:23)
3. Hoodoo Man (Feat. Elmore James) (3:05)
4. Junior's Wail (Feat. Elmore James) (2:55)
5. Bout The Break Of Day (Feat. Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon & Otis Spann) (3:16)
6. Lord Lord (Lawdy! Lawdy!) (Feat. Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon & Otis Spann) (2:41)
7. Tomorrow Night (Feat. Elmore James) (2:26)
8. So All Alone (Feat. Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon & Otis Spann) (3:22)
9. Two Headed Woman (Feat. Willie Dixon) (2:41)
10. Lovey Dovey Lovely One (Feat. Willie Dixon) (2:13)
11. I Could Cry (Feat. Willie Dixon) (3:12)
12. Cha Cha Cha In Blue (Feat. Willie Dixon) (2:22)
13. Little By Little (Feat. Willie Dixon & Earl Hooker) (2:34)
14. Come On In This House (Feat. Willie Dixon & Earl Hooker) (2:23)
15. You Don't Care (Feat. Willie Dixon & Earl Hooker) (2:20)
16. Prison Bars All Around Me (Feat. Willie Dixon & Earl Hooker) (2:29)
17. Galloping Horses A Lazy Mule (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:35)
18. Calling All Blues (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:34)
19. Messin' With The Kid (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:17)
20. Universal Rock (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:31)
21. I'm A Stranger (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:42)
22. The Things I Do For You (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:20)
23. You Sure Look Good To Me (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:26)
24. It Hurts Me Too (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:41)
25. So Tired (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:14)
26. Love Me (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:09)
27. I Could Cry (Alternative Version) (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:51)
28. I Need Me A Car (Feat. Earl Hooker) (2:23)