Junior Wells: Cut My Toe Nail/I'm Losing You (Bright Star 146)

It's time now for a hefty slice of gritty Chicago blues. I don't need to tell you that Junior Wells is considered one of the great legendary Chicago bluesmen, but I had a bit of trouble finding a decent discography of his work. Hence, I have no idea when this came out. (I'll take a guess that it was between 1963 and 1966. I know he was recording for Blue Rock/Mercury in the later 60s, but this had to be recorded before that.) And I don't claim to be a blues expert by any means. What I do know, however, is when a record moves me and this does that, especially the "Cut My Toe Nail" side. "I'm Losing You" is great, too, featuring smokin' guitar work over a strollin' beat. But as I said just a few seconds ago, "Cut My Toe Nail" is the real side. It's almost an instro except for this little bit at the beginning:

Cut my toe nail woman,
Yeah, that's what I said.
That's the price you pay
for taking all my bread.
Don't you back-talk me, woman!
Come on, patch my head!

That's it for the vocalizing. The entire song focuses on dirty, wailing harmonica, subtle, yet tasty guitar and gutbucket percussion including a crazy cowbell! And all I can say is "YOW, MAN!" This is one outta-sight side! It's also one of my fave finds from the last month. Too bad my copy's fairly beat, but that's what happens when you pan for nuggets, y'know?