Saturday Music Post - Messin' with the Kid

In 1960, "Messin' with the Kid" was written in Chicago by Mel London and Junior Wells and released by London's Chief Records (which probably explains why only London was credited on the label).  As the story goes, London arrived early to pick up Wells for a recording session, and Wells's young daughter accused him of "messin'" with her father, who was nicknamed The Kid. Writing the song was a historic collaboration, eventually becoming a blues standard, although its initial release on the small Chief label, instead of the much larger and nationally distributed Chess label, probably explains why Wells did not achieve the crossover success of his contemporaries such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and James Cotton. Blues afficionados, of course, are well aware of Wells and his long-time guitarist and bandmate Buddy Guy, who went on to his own lengthy solo career. You can see them together at The Faculty Lounge.