Slim Harpo made his impressive entrance into the world of blues recordings in 1957. Here was a man with an unforgettable name, a strong song – I'm A King Bee - and a finely-crafted minimalist style, at once familiar and novel. In 1961 Slim Harpo made a crossover entry into the American Rhythm 'n' Blues and Popular Music charts when Rainin' In My Heart became one of those barely-categorisable hits that just couldn't be ignored. Then came Baby, Scratch My Back, a soulful rhythmic number that led to tours with the rock elite.
The story of Slim Harpo and his music is among the most fascinating in all blues and Rhythm 'n' Blues. Harpo's music had timeless and mellow qualities that made his sound both authentic and accessible. By many benchmarks he was a success, and for periods in his life he was in the spotlight, yet little, really, is known of him beyond his fading circle of musicians, friends, and family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Born in 1924, he was among the last of the original down-home bluesmen, but also one of the first to register hits in the popular music charts.
Harpo lived, worked, and performed most of his life in Louisiana, but he was feted in the rock music circles of New York and Los Angeles when he did appear there in his last few years. Apparently an unassuming and calm man, he nevertheless developed a very polished and slick stage appearance. He died at the age of forty-five, leaving behind one of the most consistently good and coherent bodies of blues recordings.
Harpo made music that was 'pure' blues in a number of forms but also borrowed from and wandered into soul and country styles without losing face. It's easy to listen to, easy to love, but real. It has an underlying intensity that continues to make it appealing to generations of performers who have recorded Harpo's songs down the years.
Slim Harpo's songs were recorded in Crowley, Louisiana by pioneering record man J. D. Miller, among others, and issued on Nashville's Excello label. Down the years his songs have been covered by artists as diverse as the Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, the Grateful Dead and Hank Williams Jr. His sound and style is at the forefront of the music that became known as 'swamp blues' or 'swamp pop.'
Disc 1
01. I'm A King Bee (3:04)
02. I Got Love If You Want It (2:49)
03. Wondering And Worryin' (2:09)
04. Strange Love (2:12)
05. You'll Be Sorry One Day (2:18)
06. One More Day (2:26)
07. Buzz Me Babe (2:18)
08. Late Last Night (2:40)
09. What A Dream (3:02)
10. Blues Hangover (3:06)
11. Don't Start Cryin' Now (2:14)
12. Rainin' In My Heart (2:34)
13. Snoopin' Around (Instrumental) (2:17)
14. Bobby Sox Baby (1:57)
15. Dream Girl (3:18)
16. My Home Is A Prison (2:54)
17. Moody Blues (Instrumental) (3:01)
18. I Love The Life I'm Living (2:32)
19. Buzzin' (Instrumental) (2:08)
20. My Little Queen Bee (Got A Brand New King) (2:38)
21. I Need Money (Keep Your Alibis) (2:23)
22. We're Two Of A Kind (2:50)
23. Still Rainin' In My Heart (3:02)
24. What's Goin' On Baby (2:48)
25. Sittin' Here Wondering (3:20)
26. Harpo's Blues (2:14)
27. Please Don't Turn me Down (2:58)
28. Baby Scratch My Back (2:54)
29. I'm Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil) (2:22)
30. Shake Your Hips (2:31)
31. Midnight Blues (2:10)
32. I'm Your Breadmaker, Baby (2:34)
33. Loving You (The Way I Do) (2:57)
Disc 2
01. Tip On In (Part 1) (2:55)
02. Tip On In (Part 2) (2:39)
03. I'm Gonna Keep What I've Got (2:36)
04. I've Got To Be With You Tonight (3:03)
05. Te-Ni-Nee-Ni-Nu (2:07)
06. Mailbox Blues (2:44)
07. Mohair Sam (2:32)
08. I Just Can't Leave You (2:32)
09. That's Why I Love You (3:11)
10. Just For You (3:29)
11. Folsom Prison Blues (4:12)
12. Mutual Friend (3:53)
13. I've Got My Finger On Your Trigger (1:57)
14. The Price Is Too High (2:07)
15. My Baby She's Got It (2:23)
16. I'm So Sorry (3:27)
17. I've Been A Good Thing For You (3:35)
18. Hey Little Lee (2:52)
19. Jody Man (4:07)
20. Rainin' In My Heart (Overdubbed) (2:34)
21. Stick Your Chest Out Baby (2:26)
22. The Music's Hot (2:33)
23. You Can't Make It (3:18)
24. The Hippy Song (4:16)
25. Dynamite (3:07)
26. Boogie Chillun (2:32)
27. Rock Me Baby (4:00)
28. Baby Please Come Home (3:35)
Disc 3
01. One Of These Days (2:49)
02. That Ain't Your Business (2:11)
03. I'm A King Bee (Alternative) (3:04)
04. This Ain't No Place For Me (4:24)
05. I Got Love If You Want It (Alternative) (3:03)
06. Things Gonna Change (2:54)
07. Wondering And Worryin' (Alternative 1) (2:03)
08. Strange Love (alt -1) (2:27)
09. Wondering And Worryin' (Alternative 2) (2:41)
10. One More Day (Alternative 1) (2:13)
11. Late Last Night (Alternative 1) (2:30)
12. Cigarettes (2:11)
13. One More Day (Alternative 2) (2:36)
14. Bobby Sox Baby (Alternative) (1:41)
15. Buzz Me Babe (Alternative) (2:17)
16. Late Last Night (Alternative 2) (2:52)
17. That Ain't Your Business (2:22)
18. Things Gonna Change (2:54)
19. Talking Blues (aka Blues Hangover) (2:20)
20. What's Goin'On (2:49)
21. You Ain't Never Had to Cry (aka Don't Start Cryin' Now) (2:37)
22. That's Alright (You'll Be Sorry One Day) (2:31)
23. That's Alright (Alternative) (2:32)
24. Yeah Yeah Baby (2:08)
25. Dream Girl (Alternative) (3:20)
26. Don't Start Cryin' Now (Alternative) (2:18)
27. Blues Hangover (Alternative) (2:47)
Disc 4
01. Moody Blues (Instrumental, Alternative) (2:37)
02. Rainin' In My Heart (Alternative 1) (2:41)
03. Rainin' In My Heart (Alternative 2) (2:35)
04. Wild About My Baby (1:58)
05. That's Alright Baby (Don't Start Cryin Now) (2:17)
06. Lover's Confession (2:20)
07. Something Inside Me (2:07)
08. Still Rainin' In My Heart (2:39)
09. A Man Is Crying (2:41)
10. Tonite I'm Lonely (2:34)
11. I Love The Life I'm Living (Alternative 1) (2:34)
12. Buzzin' (Instrumental, Alternative) (2:08)
13. I Love The Life I'm Living (Alternative 2) (2:31)
14. My Little Queen Bee (Alternative) (2:38)
15. Little Sally Walker (2:37)
16. Boogie Chillun (2:57)
17. Blueberry Hill (2:45)
18. I'm Waiting On You Baby (Version 1) (2:30)
19. We're Two Of A Kind (Alternative) (2:41)
20. I'm Waiting On You Baby (Version 2) (2:34)
21. You'll Never Find A Love (As True As Mine) (2:50)
22. I Don't Want No One (To Take You Away From Me) (Version 1) (2:51)
23. Baby Scratch My Back (The Scratch) (Alternative) (2:34)
24. I Don't Want No One (To Take You Away From Me) (Version 2) (2:56)
25. Baby You Got What I Want (3:22)
26. Your Love For Me Is Gone (3:06)
27. I Gotta Stop Loving You (2:42)
28. Stop Working Blues (3:20)
29. I Just Can't Leave You (3:15)
30. There's Nothing As Sweet As Making Up (3:06)
Disc 5
01. Star Time (Set 1 Theme & Introduction) (2:17)
02. Hold Me Tenderly (2:15)
03. Little Liza Jane (Set 1) (2:51)
04. I'm A King Bee (Set 1) (1:19)
05. Buzzin' (5:57)
06. I Got Love If You Want It (Set 1) (2:51)
07. You Know I Love You (4:40)
08. Lottie Mo (3:48)
09. Everybody Needs Somebody (4:54)
10. Big Boss Man (3:22)
11. I'll Take Care Of You (4:01)
12. Boogie Chillun (4:46)
13. Moody Blues (Instrumental) (9:13)
14. Sugar Coated Love (6:33)
15. Last Night (3:54)
16. Matilda (Unknown Vocalist) (4:29)
17. Talk To Me Baby (Unknown Vocalist) (3:10)
18. Star Time (Set 2 Theme & Introduction) (2:37)
19. I'm A King Bee (Set 2) (3:27)
20. I Don't Play (2:15)
21. I Got Love If You Want It (Set 2) (2:27)
22. Little Liza Jane (Set 2) (2:45)
23. When The Saints Go Marchin' In (1:35)
24. Rainin' In My Heart (2:05)
