Checkin' Up on My Baby

"Checkin' Up on My Baby" (or sometimes "Checking On My Baby") is a song recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson II in 1960 that has become a classic of the blues.[1] The song was not released as a single, but was included on Williamson's The Real Folk Blues album released after his death in 1965. The song has been recorded by numerous blues and other artists, making it one of Williamson's most recorded songs.

"Checkin' Up on My Baby"
Song by Sonny Boy Williamson II
from the album The Real Folk Blues
Released1966 (1966)
RecordedChicago, April 14, 1960
GenreBlues
Length1:53
LabelChess
Songwriter(s)Sonny Boy Williamson II
Producer(s)Leonard Chess, Phil Chess, Willie Dixon

Earlier songs

Williamson's namesake Sonny Boy Williamson I, also known as John Lee Williamson, recorded an earlier song titled "Check Up on My Baby" in 1944.[2] It is a topical song, with references to World War II political figures (its flip side is titled "Win the War Blues").[2] Although it has a different melody and lyrics, the refrain includes the line "I've got to check up on my baby, I've got to see how my baby been getting along", similar to "I'm checkin' up on my baby, find out what she's puttin' down", which later appears in the Sonny Boy Williamson II song. In 1958, Otis Rush recorded a slow blues titled "Checking on My Baby" (Cobra 5027) with different lyrics, with Rush listed as the songwriter.[3]

Sonny Boy Williamson II song

In 1960, Sonny Boy Williamson II recorded "Checkin' Up on My Baby" as an uptempo Chicago blues shuffle that features his harmonica playing.[4]

I'm checkin' up on my baby, find out what she puttin' down (2×)
So many nights and days, you know I have been out of town

Backing Williamson on vocal and harmonica are Otis Spann on piano, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Luther Tucker on guitars, Fred Below on drums, and an unidentified bassist.[4] Despite its brief length (less than two minutes), blues historian Gerard Herzhaft has been identified the song as among "the most accomplished masterpieces of postwar blues".[1] The song was first released on the Williamson Chess Records compilation The Real Folk Blues in 1966.[5]

Recordings by other artists

"Checkin' Up on My Baby" has been interpreted and recorded by a variety of artists,[6] often by blues harp players.[1] Junior Wells made it "one of his key titles", according to blues historian Gerard Herzhaft,[1]

References
  1. Herzhaft, Gerard (1992). "Sonny Boy Williamson". Encyclopedia of the Blues. University of Arkansas Press. pp. 385, 442. ISBN 1-55728-252-8.
  2. Fancourt, Les (2000). Stop Breaking Down – The Essential Recordings of Sonny Boy Williamson (Album notes). Sonny Boy Williamson I. Indigo Records. p. 1. IGOCD 2128.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. Rush, Otis (1993). The Cobra Records Story: Chicago Rock and Blues 1956–1958 (Album notes). Various artists. Capricorn Records. p. 10. 9-42012-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  4. Humphrey, Mark (1993). The Essential Sonny Boy Williamson (Album notes). Sonny Boy Williamson II. MCA/Chess Records. p. 22. CHD2-9343.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  5. Cook, Stephen. "Sonny Boy Williamson II: The Real Folk Blues – Album review". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  6. "'Checkin' Up on My Baby' – Also Performed By". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2016.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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