Messin' With The Kid - Original Song

Original Song

"Messin' with the Kid" is an up-tempo twelve-bar blues which alternates between Afro-Cuban- and Little Richard-style rhythmic accompaniment. According to Junior Wells, the title was inspired by his young daughter Gina. Mel London arrived early at Wells' home to pick him up for a scheduled recording session: "'Where's you Daddy at? Get him up'. 'No, you said you were goin' to be here at nine o'clock. It's not nine o'clock.... You're not goin' to be messin' with the kid'". "The Kid" was a nickname for Wells. Later in the studio, they needed another song for the session: "...one thing led to another and ... it took us five minutes, maybe ten minutes and we had it".

What's this you hear goin' all around town

The people are sayin' you're gonna to put The Kid down

Well oh lord, well look at what you did

You can call it what you wanna, but I call it messin' with The Kid

Wells sang the song, but unlike most of his early singles, he does not play harmonica. The backup is provided by Earl Hooker (and possibly Lacey Gibson) on guitar, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker on piano, Jack Myers on bass, Fred Below on drums, Jarrett Gibson on tenor saxophone, and Donald Hankins on baritone saxophone.

In 1966, Wells recorded a second version of "Messin' with the Kid". It features a different rhythm arrangement and includes a harmonica solo by Wells with backup by Buddy Guy on guitar along with Myers and Below. The song was released on the 1966 blues compilation Chicago|The Blues|Today! Vol. 1 (Vanguard 79216). Wells and Guy used a similar arrangement for "Snatch It Back and Hold It" on their influential 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues. The duo later recorded several live versions of the song, including in 1977 for Live in Montreaux.