first recorded by Ann Cole in 1956;
According to Sol Rabinowitz: "I realized he (Preston Foster) had a way with lyrics, and felt that he might create something really worthwhile. One day he walked in with Mo Jo. I was planning a second session with Ann Cole, and the song seemed perfect for her. She loved it and learned it in an hour. We recorded the song a few days later..... She was booked for a tour throughout the South as the opening act for Muddy Waters. She performed with his band backing her up. I happened to see the show at a club... and heard her singing Mo Jo in the show. I had asked her not to perform any unreleased songs on stage, to avoid just this problem..... Ann Cole ignored me and was singing Mo Jo all over the South with Muddy's band. He went back to Chicago after the tour and told Leonard Chess of Chess Records he had written a new song that he wanted to record. It was recorded and released the same week as the Ann Cole version..... I called [Leonard Chess] to tell him he had recorded a song published by my company and that he owed us royalties for the sales of Muddy's recording. He signed a mechanical license agreeing to pay us royalties and I thought the problem was solved. Over the years we have had legal action concerning the song, but today, that is over, and the song is now acknowledged to be Preston Foster's." - wikipedia
30 suggested versions:
Ann Cole
Got My Mo-jo Working (But It Just Won't Work on You) (2:38)
Recorded in New York City, NY, October 1956;
Originally released by Baton in March 1957
on the 7" & 10" single "Ann Cole with the Suburbans and Orchestra: Got My Mo-jo Working"
Ann Cole - vocals
Mickey Baker - guitars
Sam Taylor - sax
unknown - bass, drums
The Suburbans - backing vocals
Sax solo in the mid by Sam Taylor
Muddy Waters
Got My Mojo Working (2:52)
Recorded in Chicago, IL, December 1, 1956;
Originally released by Chess in March 1957
on the 7" & 10" single "Muddy Waters: Got My Mojo Working"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Muddy Waters - vocals
Little Walter - harmonica
Hubert Sumlin - guitars
Pat Hare - guitars
Otis Spann - piano
Willie Dixon - bass
Francis Clay - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid by Little Walter
Muddy WatersGot My Mojo Working (4:16)
Recorded live at Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, RI, July 3, 1960;
Originally released by Chess in 1960
on the album "Muddy Waters at Newport 1960"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Muddy Waters - vocals
James Cotton - harmonica
Pate Hare - guitars
Otis Spann - piano
Andrew Stephenson - bass
Francis Clay - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid by James Cotton
Blues Incorporated (feat. Cyril Davies)I Got My Mojo Working (3:14)
Recorded at West Hampstead Studios, London, UK, June 8, 1962;
Originally released by Decca in 1962
on the album "Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated: R&B from the Marquee"
Writing credits are labeled to Muddy Waters
Cyril Davies - harmonica, vocals
Alexis Korner - guitars
Keith Scott - piano
Teddy Wadmore - bass
Graham Burbidge - drums
Dick Heckstall-Smith, Long John Baldry, Big Jim Sullivan - background vocals
Harmonica solo in the mid by Cyril Davies
Manfred Mann
I've Got Got My Mojo Working (3:07)
Recorded at EMI Studios, London, sometime between December 1963 - June 1964;
Originally released in UK by His Master's Voice in 1964
on the album "The Five Faces of Manfred Mann";
Released in US by Ascot in 1964
on the album "The Manfred Mann Album"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Paul Jones - harmonica, vocals
Mike Vickers - guitars
Manfred Mann - piano
Tom McGuinness - bass
Mike Hugg - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid by Paul Jones
Mike Bloomfield
I've Got Got My Mojo Working (2:29)
Recorded in Chicago, IL, December 1964;
Originally released in US by Columbia & in UK by CBS in 1983
on the album "Bloomfield: A Retrospective"
Mike Bloomfield - guitars, vocals
Charlie Musselwhite - harmonica
Mike Johnson - guitars
Brian Friedman - piano
Sid Warner - bass
Norman Mayell - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Mike Bloomfield
Sam Lay
I Got My Mojo Working (3:34)
Recorded in September 1965;
Originally released by Elektra in 1965
on the album "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Paul Butterfield - harmonica
Mike Bloomfield - guitars
Elvin Bishop - guitars
Jerome Arnold - bass
Sam Lay - drums, vocals
Guitar solo at the beginning by Mike Bloomfield
Harmonica solo in the mid by Paul Butterfield
Jimmy Smith
Got My Mojo Workin' (8:03)
Recorded at Van Gelder Recording Studio, Englewood Cliff's, NJ, December 16-17, 1965;
Originally released by Verve in 1965
on the album "The Incredible Jimmy Smith: Got My Mojo Workin'"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Jimmy Smith - organ, vocals
Kenny Burrell - guitars
George Duvivier - bass
Grady Tate - drums
Romeo Penque - tenor sax
Phil Woods - alto sax
Jerome Richardson - baritone sax
Oliver Nelson - arrangements
Organ solo in the mid by Jimmy Smith
Frank FrostGot My Mojo Working (2:54)
Recorded in Nashville, TN, March 9, 1966;
Originally released by Jewel in 1973
on the album "Frank Frost"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Frank Frost - guitars, vocals
Oscar Williams - harmonica
Big Jack Johnson - guitars
Chip Young - bass
Sam Carr - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid & at the end by Oscar Williams
George Harmonica Smith
Got My Mojo Working (3:16)
Recorded in Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, February 27-28, 1969;
Originally released by Bluesway in 1969
on the album "George Harmonica Smith and His Blues Band: ...of the Blues"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
George Harmonica Smith - harmonica, vocals
Marshall Hooks - guitars
Robert Schedel - organ
Curtis Tillman - bass
unknown - drums
Big Jim Wynn - sax
Ed Davis - sax
Richard Davis - trumpet
Harmonica solo at the beginning & in the mid by George Harmonica Smith
Otis Spann
Got My Mojo Workin' (3:03)
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, August 13, 1969;
Originally released by Bluebird in 1990
on the album "Eddie Cleanhead Vinson & Otis Spann: Bosses of the Blues, Volume II"
Otis Spann - piano, vocals
Tom Scott - sax
Louis Shelton - guitars
Mike Anthony - banjo
Max Bennett - bass
Paul Humphrey - drums
Piano solo at the beginning & in the mid by Otis Spann
Andrew Big Voice Odom
Got My Mojo Working (4:30)
Recorded live at Hilpert Theater, Lünen, Germany, March 16, 1972 or live at Circus-Krone-Bau, Munich, Germany, October 26, 1972;
Originally released by Atlantic in 1973
on the album "The 10th American Folk Blues Festival 'Blues Giants-Rock Creators'"
Writing credits are labeled to Muddy Waters
Andrew Big Voice Odom - vocals
Jimmy Dawkins - guitars
Jesse Williams - guitars
Willie Kent - bass
Billy Davenport - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, after the 1st, 2nd & 3rd verses by Jimmy Dawkins
Luther Johnson
Got My Mojo Working (4:11)
Recorded at the Barclay Studio, Paris, France, December 18, 1975;
Originally released by Black and Blue in 1999
on the album "Luther Johnson: They Call Me the Popcorn Man"
(reissue of the album "Luther Johnson: Lonesome in My Bedroom, which was originally released by Black and Blue in 1977)
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Luther Johnson - guitars, vocals
Lonnie Brooks - guitars
Little Mack Simmons - harmonica
Willie Mabon - piano
Dave Myers - bass
Fred Below - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & after the 2nd verse by Luther Johnson
Harmonica solo after the 1st verse by Little Mack Simmons
B. B. King
Got My Mojo Working (4:37)
Recorded at Ardent Recording Studios, Memphis, TN or at Wally Heider Studios Los Angeles, CA or at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, CA, (prob) 1976;
Originally released by ABC in 1977
on the album "B. B. King: King Size"
B.B. King - guitar, vocals
Lee Ritenour or Milton Hopkins - guitars
Sonny Burke - piano, synthesizer
James Toney, Ronnie Barron - organ
Joe Turner or Scott Edwards Jr. - bass
Ed Greene or John Starks - drums
Earl Nash, Eddie Brown - percussion
Jimmy Forrest, Fred Jackson Jr. - tenor sax
Ernie Watts - alto sax
Jerome Richardson - baritone sax
Garnett Brown - trombone
Al Aarons, Bobby Bryant, Roy Poper - trumpet
Johnny Pate - horn arrangements
Sam Lay (feat. Bob Riedy)
Got My Mojo Working (4:17)
Recorded live at the Patio Club, Chicago, IL, 1978;
Originally released by Chicago Sound in 2004
on the album "Bob Riedy Blues Band: Live From Chicago"
Sam Lay - vocals
Mark Wydra - guitars
Bob Riedy - piano
Richard Knapp - bass
Jon Hiller - drums
Piano solo in the mid by Bob Riedy
Muddy Waters
Got My Mojo Working (2:38)
Recorded live at Harry Hope's, Cary, IL, August 25-26, 1978;
Originally released by Sony in 2003
on the re-released album "Muddy Mississippi Waters Live"
Muddy Waters - vocals
Jerry Portnoy - harmonica
Bob Margolin - guitars
Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson - guitars
Pinetop Perkins - piano
Calvin Jones - bass
Willie Big Eyes Smith - drums
Harmonica solo in the mid by Jerry Portnoy
Carey Bell
Got My Mojo Working (5:33)
Recorded live at Jonathan Swift's, Cambridge, MA, 1980;
Originally released by Wolf in 1998
on the album "Eddy Clearwater 'The Chief' & Carey Bell: Chicago Blues Session Volume 23"
Writing credits are labeled to Davis Caston
Carey Bell - harmonica, vocals
Eddy Clearwater - guitars
Chuck Smith - sax
Allen Batts - piano
Bob Stroger - bass
Casey Jones - drums
Harmonica solo after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd verses & at the end by Carey Bell
Katie Webster
Got My Mojo Working (3:31)
Recorded live in Athens, Greece, November 12, 1990;
Originally released by Wolf in 2016
on the album "Katie Webster: The Swamp Boogie Queen - I'm Bad"
Katie Webster - piano, vocals
Piano solo after the 1st & 2nd verses by Katie Webster
Mel BrownI Got My Mojo Workin' (6:43)
Recorded live at Pop the Gator Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, February 14-16, 1991;
Originally released by Electro-Fi in 2016
on the album "Mel Brown & the Homewreckers featuring Denny Freeman: Under Yonder - Recording Live at the Gator"
Mel Brown - guitars, vocals
Denny Freeman - guitars
John Lee - organ
Leo Valvassori - bass
Randall Coryell - drums
Guitar solo after the 1st verse & at the end by Denny Freeman
Guitar solo before the 2nd verse by Mel Brown
Organ solo before the 2nd verse by John Lee
Jimmy Rogers
Got My Mojo Working (5:49)
Recorded live at the Breminale, Bremen, Germany, June 7, 1991;
Originally released by Crosscut in 1993
on the album "Jimmy Rogers with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters"
Jimmy Rogers - gutiars, vocals
Ronnie Earl - guitars
Sugar Ray Norcia - harmonica
David Maxwell - piano
Michael Mudcat Ward - bass
Per Hanson - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning by Jimmy Rogers
Piano solo after the 1st verse by David Maxwell
Harmonica solo after the 2nd verse Sugar Ray Norcia
Pinetop PerkinsGot My Mojo Working (4:26)
Recorded live at Púlsinn Music Club, Reykjavik, Iceland, November 10, 1991;
Originally released by Platonic in 1992
on the album "Pinetop Perkins with Chicago Beau and The Blue Ice Band"
Writing credits are labeled to Willie Dixon
Pinetop Perkins - piano, vocals
Chicago Beau - harmonica
Halldór Bragason - guitars
Gudmundur Pétursson - guitars
Haroldyr Porteinsson - bass
Ásgeir Óskarsson - drums
Piano solo at the beginning by Pinetop Perkins
Harmonica solo in the mid by Chicago Beau
Guitar solo in the mid by Halldór Bragason or Gudmundur Pétursson
Big Daddy Kinsey
Got My Mojo Working (6:30)
Recorded at Chicago Recording Studios, Chicago, IL, December 28-29, 1992 or January 13, 1993;
Originally released by Verve in 1993
on the album "Big Daddy Kinsey: I am the Blues"
Writing credits are labeled to McKinley Morganfield (aka Muddy Waters)
Big Daddy Kinsey - vocals
Billy Branch - harmonica
Jimmy Rogers - guitars
Donald Kinsey - guitars
Pinetop Perkins - piano
Calvin Jones - bass
Willie Big Eyes Smith - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning, after the 3rd verse & before the last verse by Donald Kinsey
Harmonica solo after the 1st verse by Billy Branch
Guitar solo after the 2nd verse by Jimmy Rogers
Junior Wells
Got My Mojo Working (3:37)
Recorded live at Buddy Guy's Lengends, Chicago, IL, November 13-15, 1996;
Originally released by Telarc in 1997
on the album "Junior Wells: Live at Buddy Guy's Legends"
Junior Wells - harmonica, vocals
Stevie Lizard - guitars
Andy Wahllof - guitars
Johnny Fingers Iguana - piano
Johnny Benny - bass
Vernal Taylor - drums
Ruben P. Alvarez - percusssion
Douglas Fagan - sax
Mike Barber - trumpet
Joseph Burton - trombone
Harmonica solo at the beginning by Junior Wells
Guitar solo in the mid by Stevie Lizard or Andy Wahllof
Buddy Guy
Got My Mojo Working (6:13)
Recorded live in Atlanta, GA, September 10, 1998;
Not released officially;
Released on the bootleg album "Buddy Guy feat. Eric Clapton: Strange Brew"
Buddy Guy - guitars, vocals
Scott Holt - guitars
Tony Z. - piano
Greg Rzab -gass
Ray "Killer" Allison - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning by Buddy Guy
Piano solo in the mid by Tony Z
Pat Hall
Got My Mojo Workin' (9:14)
Recorded live at Fitzgerald's, Berwyn, IL, May 4, 1999;
Released independently (prob.) in 1999
on the album "Pat Hall and the Fat Guys Band: Heart of the Blues"
Pat Hall - piano, organ, vocals
Fast Frank Raven - harmonica
T. S. Henry Webb - sax
Steve Doyle - guitars
Jon McDonald - guitars
Greg McDaniel - bass
Marcus David - drums
Piano solo after the 1st verse by Pat Hall
Harmonica solo in the mid by Fast Frank Raven
Sax solo in the mid by T. S. Henry Webb
Guitar solo at the end by Steve Doyle or Jon McDonald
Nellie Tiger TravisGot My Mojo Working (6:21)
Recorded (prob.) in 2000;
Originally released by Bluesox in 2000
on the album "Shun Kikuta & Nellie Tiger Travis: Heart and Soul";
Also released in private pressing
on the album "Nellie Tiger Travis: Higher Ground"
Nellie Tiger Travis - vocals
Shun Kikuta - guitars
Johnny Fingers Iguana - piano
Felton Crews - bass
Brian Jones - drums
Guitar solo after the 1st verse by Shun Kikuta
Piano solo after the 2nd verse by Johnny Fingers Iguana
Bass solo before the 3rd verse by Felton Crews
Drum solo before the 3rd verse by Brian Jones
Daniel Castro
Got My Mojo Working (13:43)
Recorded live at the Saloon, North Beach, San Francisco, CA, March 29, 2003;
Originally released in private pressing in 2004
on the album "Daniel Castro: Live at the Saloon"
Daniel Castro - guitars, vocals
Michael Emerson - keyboards
Artis Joyce - bass
T. Moran - drums
Guitar solo at the beginning & in the mid by Daniel Castro
Organ solo after the 1st verse by Michael Emerson
Clarence Gatemouth Brown
I've Got My Mojo Working (7:14)
Recorded live in Montreux, Switzerland, July 12, 2004;
Originally released by Eagle in 2006
on the DVD album "Carlos Santana Presents Blues at Montreux"
Clarence Gatemouth Brown - guitars, violin, vocals
Carlos Santana - guitars
Buddy Guy - guitars
Joe Krown - organ
Myron Dove - bass
David Peters - drums
Eric Demmer - sax
Jeff Cressman - trombone
Guitar solo at the beginning, in the mid & before the end by Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Guitar solo after the 1st verse by Carlos Santana
Trombone solo in the mid by Jeff Cressman
Sax solo in the mid by Eric Demmer
Bass solo in the mid by Myron Dove
Guitar solo in the mid by Buddy Guy
Johnny Winter
Got My Mojo Workin' (5:06)
Recorded (prob.) in 2011;
Originally released by Megaforce in 2011
on the album "Johnny Winter: Roots"
Johnny Winter - lead guitar, vocals
Frank Latorre - harmonica
Paul Nelson - rhythm guitar
Scott Spray - bass
Vito Liuzzi - drums
Guitar solo in the mid by Johnny Winter
Harmonica solo in the mid by Frank Latorre
John Primer (with Shemekia Copeland)
Got My Mojo Working (4:11)
Recorded at JoyRide Studios, Chicago, IL, (prob.) 2015;
Released by Raisin' Music in 2015
on the album "John Primer: Muddy Waters 100"
John Primer - guitars, vocals (1st & 3rd verses)
Shemekia Copeland - vocals (2nd verse)
Vincent Bucher - harmonica
Bob Margolin - guitars
Billy Flynn - guitars
Tim Gant - keyboards
Felton Crews - bass
Khari Parker - drums
Kenny Smith - electronic drums, percussion
Harmonica solo in the mid by Vincent Bucher
Guitar solo at the end by John Primer or Bob Margolin
