Born James Oscar Smith on 8th December 1925 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. Smith was influenced by both gospel and blues. He first achieved prominence in the 1950s where his recordings became popular on jukeboxes before there were commonly used terms to describe his unique musical flavor. In the sixties and seventies he helped create the jazz style known as soul jazz.
Smith employed a unique technique to emulate a string bass player on the organ. Although he played walking bass lines on the pedals on ballads, for uptempo tunes, he would play the bass line on the lower manual and use the pedals for emphasis on the attack of certain notes. His solos were characterised by percussive chords mixed with very fast melodic improvisation with the right hand.
Smith was a prolific recording artist. He first recorded with the Blue Note label in 1956. His early albums with Blue Note sold very well, improving its financial viability and aiding the label's efforts to promote other artists. They include Home Cookin' , The Sermon!, Midnight Special, Prayer Meetin' , and Back at the Chicken Shack.
Smith signed to Verve Records label in 1963. Smith's albums with Verve include: The Cat, The Boss, Root Down, Peter & The Wolf, Any Number Can Win, The Incredible..., Bashin', Got My Mojo Workin', Christmas Cookin', and Organ Grinder Swing.
His influence has been felt across multiple generations and musical styles; nearly every subsequent jazz organist owes a large debt to Smith. The Beastie Boys (who sampled the bassline from Smith's "Root Down (and Get It)"—and saluted Smith in the lyrics—for their own hit "Root Down"), Medeski, Martin & Wood, and The Hayden-Eckert Ensemble are among the better known contemporary bands that pay tribute to Smith's sensibilities and sound. The Acid Jazz movement also reflects Smith's influences.
Smith died on 8th February 2005, in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
There are several other artists with this name: 1. an American jazz trumpeter, 2. an American jazz drummer, 3. a British guitarist for the band Foals, 4. blues guitarist Jimmy "Guitar" Smith.
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See Wikipedia for a disambiguation page for Jimmy Smith#Musicians.
Got My Mojo Working
Jimmy Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Woah yeah
I got my mojo working baby, and I'm goin' to try it out on you
Woah yeah
Well I tried it in New York City
Oh, now I'm goin' to try it on you
Woah yeah
I got my mojo working baby, and I'm goin' to try it on you
I got my mojo working baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm goin' to try it on you
Well I tried it in New York City
Oh no, I'm goin' to try it on you
Oh yeah, work my...
The song "Got My Mojo Working" by Jimmy Smith is about the singer's confidence and the power he believes he possesses in his ability to seduce someone. The lyrics describe how the singer has his "mojo" working and how he plans to use it on his love interest. He sings about having previously tried it in New York City and now he's ready to try it on his current target. The repetition of "woah yeah" and "yeah, yeah, yeah" emphasize the singer's excitement and anticipation of using his charms on his love interest.
The phrase "got my mojo working" is believed to have originated from African-American folklore as a reference to a spell or charm that has the ability to attract love or luck. The song was first recorded by Ann Cole in 1956, but it was Muddy Waters' version that became more popular. In fact, Waters' version was so popular that it became a standard in blues music, with various artists covering the song over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
I got my mojo working baby, and I'm goin' to try it on you
I am confident in my abilities and charm, and I plan to use them to win you over
Woah yeah
Expressing excitement and anticipation
Well I tried it in New York City
I have tested my charm and abilities before and found success
Oh, now I'm goin' to try it on you
I desire to use my charm and abilities on you specifically
Oh a little bit later
I am willing to wait to use my charm and abilities on you at the right moment
I got my mojo working baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm goin' to try it on you
Repeating my confidence in my abilities and desire to use them on you
Oh no, I'm goin' to try it on you
Asserting my determination to use my charm and abilities on you
Oh yeah, work my...
Expressing eagerness to use my charm and abilities to impress and win over the listener
Contributed by Max M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@manoelaparecido2046
Samba rock de primeira, nos bailinhos de sábado! Só quem curtiu sabe !!
@tibiriuscromwell8918
One of the greatest Jazz organist ever. Play for us all, Jimmy
@thedr.feelgood
My favourite hammond tune.... this is a killer by Jimmy... I will NEVER get bored of this tune !
@JL-bu8bz
Não só o solo é genial, como tb o fato de um organista capaz de improvisar gostar tb de blues tradicional. Parece que neste instrumento isso ê comum. Outros organista tb navegam pelo jazz e blues.
@acquanellaogbemudia9930
Playing this over and over 💕 it
@concernedcitizen9466
I have some professional jazz musicians in my family and just this one cut, we wore that record out growing up. His style still influences a lot of contemporary musicians.
@thebrundlefly4714
Simply amazing. I was lucky to see him before he died.
@felipesaucedoflores61
Excelente e incomparable sonido funky jazz, asombroso!!!
@krazyman74
Best version ever. Right in the groove.
@michaelgreaves2375
This song and Sesame Street's Rubber Ducky on 45's were the first records I owned as a six year old in 1973! It really got my Mojo workin.