Life and careerJunior Wells was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, and raised in West Memphis, Arkansas, though other sources report that his birth was in West Memphis. Initially taught by his cousin, Junior Parker, and Sonny Boy Williamson II, Wells learned how to play the harmonica by the age of seven with surprising skill. He moved to Chicago in 1948 with his mother after her divorce and began sitting in with local musicians at house parties and taverns. Wild and rebellious but needing an outlet for his talents, he began performing with The Aces (guitarist brothers Dave and Louis Myers and drummer Fred Below) and developed a more modern amplified harmonica style influenced by Little Walter. In 1952, he made his first recordings, when he replaced Little Walter in Muddy Waters' band and appeared on one of Waters' sessions for Chess Records in 1952. His first recordings as a band leader were made in the following year for States Records. In the later 1950s and early 1960s he also recorded singles for Chief Records and its Profile Records subsidiary, including "Messin' with the Kid", "Come on in This House", and "It Hurts Me Too", which would remain in his repertoire throughout his career. His 1960 Profile single "Little by Little" (written by Chief owner and producer Mel London) reached #23 in the Billboard R&B chart, making it the first of two Wells' singles to enter the chart.
Junior Wells worked with guitarist Buddy Guy in the 1960s, and featured Guy on guitar when he recorded his first album, Hoodoo Man Blues for Delmark Records. Wells and Guy supported the Rolling Stones on numerous occasions in the 1970s.[6] Although his albums South Side Blues Jam (1971) and On Tap (1975) proved he had not lost his aptitude for Chicago blues, his 1980s and 1990s discs were inconsistent. However, 1996's Come On in This House was an intriguing set of classic blues songs with a rotating cast of slide guitarists, among them Alvin Youngblood Hart, Corey Harris, Sonny Landreth and Derek Trucks. Wells made an appearance in the film Blues Brothers 2000, the sequel to The Blues Brothers, which was released in 1998.
Wells continued performing until he was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 1997. That fall, he suffered a heart attack while undergoing treatment, sending him into a coma. Wells died in Chicago, after succumbing to lymphoma on January 15, 1998, and was interred in the Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago.
Messing With The Kid
Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band Lyrics
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The people they say they're gonna put the kid down
Oh no
Oh look at what you did
You can call it what you want to
I call it messin' with the kid
You know the kid's no child and I don't play
I says what I mean and I mean what I say
Oh look at what you did
You can call it what you want to
I call it messin' with the kid
You know the kid's no child and I don't play
I says what I mean and I mean what I say
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh look at what you did
You can call it what you want to
I call it messin' with the kid
We're gonna take the kid's car and drive around town
Tell everybody you're not puttin' him down
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
Oh look at what you did
You can call it what you want to
I call it messin' with the... yeah
One more now
The lyrics to Junior Wells and Earl Hooker's song "Messin' With The Kid" is an outcry against those who attempt to undermine or harm the singer, who is referred to as "the kid." The song opens with a description of people talking about putting the kid down and the singer denounces them, saying that he calls it "messin' with the kid." The singer then asserts that he is no child and that he speaks plainly and truthfully. He is not afraid to stand up for himself and defend himself against those who would try to harm him. The chorus repeats the message that messing with the kid is foolish and will only lead to trouble. The final verse describes a plan to steal the kid's car and drive around town showing that the singer cannot be defeated or pushed around.
Line by Line Meaning
What's this a-here goin all around town
There's a rumor spreading around town
The people they say they're gonna put the kid down
People are saying they'll bring the kid down
Oh no
Expressing disagreement or disappointment
Oh look at what you did
Expressing disapproval of someone's actions
You can call it what you want to
You may have your own interpretation of events
I call it messin' with the kid
In my opinion, it amounts to messing with the kid
You know the kid's no child and I don't play
The kid is not a child and I don't joke around
I says what I mean and I mean what I say
I speak plainly and truthfully
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Expressing enthusiasm or agreement
We're gonna take the kid's car and drive around town
We plan to take the kid's car for a ride around town
Tell everybody you're not puttin' him down
Inform everyone that we're not putting the kid down
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah
Expressing enthusiasm or agreement
Oh look at what you did
Expressing disapproval of someone's actions
You can call it what you want to
You may have your own interpretation of events
I call it messin' with the... yeah
In my opinion, it amounts to messing with the kid
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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