Lightnin'!

Lightnin'!
Studio album by Lightnin' Hopkins
Released	1969
Recorded	May 20, 1969
Studio	Sierra Sound Laboratories, Berkeley, CA
Genre	Blues
Length	72:30 Original LP
Label	Poppy PYS 60002
Producer	Chris Strachwitz
Lightnin' Hopkins chronology
California Mudslide (and Earthquake) (1969) Lightnin'! (1969) In the Key of Lightnin' (2002)
CD Reissue Cover

Lightnin'! is an album by blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins recorded in California in 1969, and originally released on the Poppy label as a double LP.^[1][2]

Copyright dispute[]

Poppy Records failed to meet the terms of its agreement and, in 1972, Chris Strachwitz released five of the tracks on his Arhoolie label as Lightning Hopkins in Berkeley. In 1977, the album was reissued on Tomato Records and a legal dispute ensued. By 1982, a California court ruled that all rights should revert to Hopkins, and Strachwitz released another eight tracks from the sessions on Arhoolie as Po' Lightnin' in 1983.^[3][4][5][6] Finally, in 1993 Arhoolie, through Smithsonian Folkways, reissued the recordings on CD under the original title with some of the song titles slightly corrected.

Reception[]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[8]

At the time of the original release Ralph J. Gleason's Rolling Stone review stated "This is a twin LP package of twenty tracks by the great blues singer and guitarist and includes many of his older classics, as well as a lot of new material. It is excellently recorded and is one of the best blues packages of the year".^[4] AllMusic's Jason Ankeny reviewed the CD reissue and stated: "Lightnin'!' is a fine introduction to Hopkins' electric blues material".^[7] The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings said: "The programme contains a good deal of familiar stuff, not outstandingly well done".^[8]

Track listing[]

All compositions by Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins except where noted

Original Double LP (1969)[]

1. "Hold Up Your Hand" – 3:05
2. "My Starter Won't Start This Morning" – 3:12
3. "What'd I Say" (Ray Charles) – 2:44
4. "One Kind Favor" – 4:25
5. "Baby Please Don't Go" (Traditional) – 2:55
6. "Trouble in Mind" (Richard M. Jones) – 3:09
7. "Annie's Blues" – 2:19
8. "Baby" – 2:34
9. "Little and Low" – 3:30
10. "I Hear You Calling" – 2:00
11. "Mojo Hand Part 1" – 2:50
12. "Mojo Hand Part 2" – 2:30
13. "Have You Ever Had a Woman" – 4:16
14. "Ain't It Crazy" – 2:27
15. "Black and Evil" – 3:06
16. "Rock Me Baby" – 3:27
17. "Hello Central" – 4:32
18. "Back Door Friend" – 3:04
19. "Little Girl, Little Girl" – 6:00
20. "It's Better Down the Road" – 4:25

CD Reissue (1993)[]

1. "Mojo Hand" – 3:00
2. "Rock Me Baby" – 3:30
3. "Hello Central" – 4:32
4. "Ain't It Crazy" – 2:25
5. "Little and Low" – 3:00
6. "Hold up Your Head" – 3:05
7. "Good Times Here, Better Down the Road" – 4:25
8. "Annie's Boogie" – 2:20
9. "My Starter Won't Start This Morning" – 3:10
10. "One Kind Favor" – 4:25
11. "Little Girl" – 6:00
12. "Baby Please Don't Go" (Traditional) – 2:55
13. "What'd I Say" (Charles) – 2:45
14. "I Hear You Calling Me" – 2:00
15. "Trouble in Mind" (Jones) – 3:10
16. "Come on Baby" – 2:35
17. "At Home Blues" – 3:05 originally released on Texas Blues Man
18. "Take a Walk" – 2:55 originally released on Texas Blues Man
19. "Little Antoinette" – 3:35 originally released on Texas Blues Man
20. "Cut Me Out Baby" – 3:25 originally released on Texas Blues Man

Personnel[]

Performance[]

• Lightnin' Hopkins – electric guitar, vocals, piano, organ
• Francis Clay – drums

Additional musicians on "Rock Me Baby":

• Jeff Carp – harmonica
• Paul Asbell – guitar
• Moose Walker – piano
• Geno Skaggs – bass

Production[]

• Chris Strachwitz – producer

References[]