His parents, who were farmers, died when McDowell was a youth. He started playing guitar at the age of 14 and played at dances around Rossville. Wanting a change from ploughing fields, he moved to Memphis in 1926 where he worked in a number of jobs and played music for tips. He settled in Como, Mississippi, about 40 miles south of Memphis, in 1940 or 1941, and worked steadily as a farmer, continuing to perform music at dances, and picnics. Initially he played slide guitar using a pocket knife and then a slide made from a beef rib bone, later switching to a glass slide for its clearer sound. He played with the slide on his ring finger.
A pure hill country blues musician, he played "just the straight, natural blues," and he "do not play no rock and roll." McDowell initially played the recognizable resonator guitar but, during tours and recordings beginning in the 1960s, he adopted the use of electric guitar and was probably the first original delta- or country blues musician to do so. McDowell's style is distinctive and recognizable; perhaps the dirtiest sounding guitarist ever and one of the most influential. The slide guitar styles of Bonnie Raitt as well as Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones, as well as Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys are all heavily influenced by McDowell's technique.
McDowell died of cancer in 1972 and is buried at Hammond Hill M.B. Church, between Como and Senatobia. On August 6, 1993 a memorial was placed on the gravesite of Mississippi Fred McDowell at the Hammond Hill Baptist Church cemetery by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund.
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Mississippi Fred McDowell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good mornin', little schoolgirl
Can I go?
Can I go home wit' you?
Tell yo' mama an yo' papa
Lord, I'm a li'l schoolboy, too
Come on, be my baby
I'll buy you a diamond
I'll buy you a diamond ring
If you don't like that, baby
I ain't gon' buy ya a doggone thing
I don't know, hardly
I don't know, hardly
What in this world
What in this world to do
I don't mean to hurt yo' feelings
Or even get mad with you
I 'member way back, babe
I 'member way back, babe
When I was young age
When I was young, age-a nine
Lord, I thinkin' about my schoolday
It sho' did worry on my mind.
Mississippi Fred McDowell's song "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is a classic blues tune that was written and recorded in the 1930s. The song is a classic example of the blues style that was popular in the Deep South at the time, and it is notable for its simple and catchy melody.
At its core, "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is a song about a young man who is infatuated with a girl who attends his school. In the song, he expresses his desire to go home with her and meet her parents, and he even offers to buy her a diamond ring. However, he also acknowledges that he doesn't know what to do or how to act around her, and he doesn't want to hurt her feelings.
One of the most interesting aspects of "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is its subtle sexual undertones. While the song is ostensibly about a schoolboy's crush on a girl, many listeners have picked up on the suggestion that the young man is more interested in the girl's body than her mind. This is especially evident in the line "Come on, be my baby," which implies a deeper level of intimacy than mere hand-holding or flirting.
Another interesting fact about "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is its lasting popularity. Although the song was first recorded over 80 years ago, it has been covered by countless artists over the years, including The Grateful Dead and The Yardbirds. The song's simple and catchy melody has made it a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners to this day.
Chords: D-A-D-A-G-A-D-A for the verse, and E-A-E-G-A-E-A-D-A for the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
Good mornin', little schoolgirl
Greetings, young female student
Good mornin', little schoolgirl
Greetings, young female student
Can I go?
May I accompany you?
Can I go home wit' you?
May I go home with you?
Tell yo' mama an yo' papa
Inform your parents
Lord, I'm a li'l schoolboy, too
I am also a young male student
Come on, be my baby
Please become my romantic partner
Come on, be my baby
Please become my romantic partner
I'll buy you a diamond
I will purchase a diamond for you
I'll buy you a diamond ring
I will purchase a diamond ring for you
If you don't like that, baby
If that does not please you
I ain't gon' buy ya a doggone thing
I will not purchase anything for you
I don't know, hardly
I am unsure
I don't know, hardly
I am unsure
What in this world
What in the world
What in this world to do
What should I do?
I don't mean to hurt yo' feelings
I do not intend to harm your emotions
Or even get mad with you
Or to become angry with you
I 'member way back, babe
I remember way back, baby
I 'member way back, babe
I remember way back, baby
When I was young age
When I was a young age
When I was young, age-a nine
When I was nine years old
Lord, I thinkin' about my schoolday
I am thinking about my school days
It sho' did worry on my mind.
It certainly troubled me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRED MCDOWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patvickers8189
Hey! Don't forget that one of you Brits jad a project much like Alan Lomax! They traveled the south and hunted down and recorded blues men also!
But I've still got a couple on ya!
I've walked the streets of Como barefooted!
And I had an illegal immigrant friend by the name of South.
Yup! He was South Hampton! 😂 Better yet, he worked at the Union Jax Pub in Memphis Tennessee! I miss him and I miss the pub!
@davisworth5114
I was blessed to be able to meet and play with Fred in 1971 in Seattle. I prefer his acoustic recordings. Fred was a very upbeat, kind, good-natured person and a real gentleman. As a concert promoter for the Seattle Folklore Society I was blessed to meet so many of the original bluesmen. The Stones recorded his version of "you Got to Move".
@dennisdistant
Did you meet and got to hear and see Son House play too?
@davisworth5114
@Dennis No, but he played in Seattle before I was involved, Skip James also played in Seattle via the Folklore Society, also Lightnin' Hopkins, Doc Watson, Bukka White, Rev. Gary Davis, and many more. Like I say, I feel truly blessed to meet and learn from the greats, thanks.
@Aphrodite_ErosLuvChild214-80
Them Mississippi men are gentlemen.. my hubby still opens doors, walks an umbrella around to my side if the car , holds door sort of thing ... I love being treated like a lady ... he's so sweet to me .
@eduardoleon2936
How is he?
@stevetrivago
Awesomeness
@giannibianco1950
Don't let this music die !
@fackinmidgietook6953
pick it up and help
@TheLsigala
Please don't!
@MirnaTorreszuniga-ze1ek
The BEST Will never die ,It could be forget for some time but It Will reborn,cause It IS really goog became from the deepest of eeuu people's soul(sorry x my bad english)