fwd, eldorado caddilac, the real story

["harp-l-listadmin" <listadmin@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't normally do this because it's confusing but here goes.

<scottd@xxxxxxxx> originating poster


I just came across this thread, and followed the responses with
interest, but stayed out of it, thinking that someone would eventually
come up with a correct answer.  But since it seems to be getting more
confused rather than more clear, here are the facts as I understand
them.

"I Ain't Got You" WAS written by a guy named Calvin Carter, but this
Calvin Carter had nothing to do with soul singer Clarence Carter.  This
Calvin Carter was the brother of Vee Jay Records founder Vivian Carter,
and worked for his sister as a producer/A&R man.  "A&R" means "artists
and repertoire", and in the "repertoire" part of his job, he wrote or
co-wrote a lot of material that was recorded by Vee Jay artists.  (Some
would say that in this capacity, he may have also simply put his name
on some existing material that was brought to him by prospective Vee
Jay artists, but that's an entirely separate issue.)

Jimmy Reed recorded Carter's composition "I Ain't Got You" c. 1954, but
Vee Jay did not release it.  Because Carter apparently felt the song
had potential, he then presented it to Billy Boy Arnold when Arnold
first recorded for Vee Jay c. 1956.  This time, Vee Jay DID release it,
and it became a local hit for Billy Boy.  Vee Jay released the Jimmy
Reed recording of the song LATER, even though it was recorded earlier.

A few years later, the Yardbirds apparently picked up on the "hit"
version of the song by Billy Boy Arnold, and changed the words around
to suit themselves, since they probably didn't know what "Goldblatt's"
was either.  And of course "Eldorado Cadillacs" weren't sold, or very
well known, in England.

(Disclaimer - I'm not at home now so I can't check any reference
sources, but I'mm pretty sure this info is accurate.)

Scott