The thing about Good Morning Little Schoolgirl is that I’ve always felt it’s a song that’s been done to death. Sometimes it seems like everyone has covered it. But the nice thing about this project is that it gives me a chance to go back and listen to stuff I haven’t heard in a while and re-evaluate it. This song is one of the beneficiaries of said exercise. In trying to get a decent mix of stuff from the different singers I find that there’s a very limited number of Pigpen numbers, and they’re not all things that would be first on my list. I’m pleased to say that combing through my collection for a decent “Schoolgirl” (that sounded creepy) was not an exercise in futility.
One of the blues elements that Pigpen brought to the band that I really liked, and would miss at times in later years, was his harmonica playing. While he was no virtuoso, he could certainly hold his own. See for yourself!
The first solo break sees Pig back on harp again, while Jerry tears it up underneath only to be let loose on his own once Pig puts his harmonica back in his pocket (one can assume? Why else was he so obsessed with pockets?!). Jerry works his way up and down the fretboard very nicely, and continues to do so as Pig comes back with some more harp. The inventiveness and energy from everyone is almost palpable, but especially from Jerry, Phil, and Pig. Primal Dead indeed. This is all killer, no filler.
The band switches into half time and slowly start to wind their way out of the song. Pig wraps things up with a final “I don’t care if you’re only 17 years of age.” Thanks for clearing that up Pig!
I don’t own any of the Download Series releases, and this makes me want to get some. Do you get a cut if I link from your site and buy one? I don’t see that kind of link. Maybe an affiliate program would be a good idea. Or not. Depends on how commercial you want the site to be.
Funny that you mention so many bands covering this song. I picked up a Ten Years After disc last year in part because this song was on it. It’s nothing like the Dead’s version at all, no surprise there.
I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of Pigpen’s long raps but do like his more conventional songs like Mr. Charlie, Hard to Handle and definitely Schoolgirl.
I feel really fortunate to have seen James Cotton sit in with the Dead for this song at Soldier Field in ’92.
Mike – I agree with you 100% on the Pigpen raps. When I see a 20+ min Lovelight I usually listen to it once and then I’m a bit … meh… about it. What would be REALLY nice is if those were broken down on releases Lovelight > Pigpen Rap > Lovelight. Now THAT would be ideal to me. The playing on Lovelight is usually really good so to have that broken out just seems to make sense to me, but that’s just one man’s opinion. I like it when a Lovelight is 8-12min or so because you know it probably won’t have a rap, or in the very least a very short one.
Oh, now I see the link. Duh. (Good idea.)