Hoochie Coochie Man-Which version?

Clapton Wins. He would still win if the quality was their on the other two.

Harmonica improv was a little over the top. The song needs to stay intact more. I was digging the Moroccan fiddle thing though. And I was glad Plant didn't over do it. Is that done that way in a studio? But again, the Clapton piece was beautiful. And I agree, Muddy owns it.

Thanks for putting them out to hear.

Hoochie Coochie Man Youtube

I'll take Clapton, then Sugar Blue and forget Robert Plant. Check out this Muddy 1974 live version (actually, a Hoochie Coochie Man/I'm a Man medley) with 2 other greats, Junior Wells & Buddy Guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BugvmSKwwWg

Then check out Willie Dixon's version (the song's writer) and one by Jimmy Smith, the greatest jazz organist ever. Couldn't find either of the latter 2 on You Tube, but you can find them on Willie Dixon's classic I Am the Blues CD from Columbia Records and Jimmy Smith Plays the Blues, part of Verve's Compact Jazz series.

Speaking of Dixon, he may be the most unknown & underappreciated blues master of all time, except to hard core blues fans. If you didn't already know, he also wrote and recorded Back Door Man, The Seventh Son, You Shook Me, Spoonful and The Little Red Rooster, amongst others (see aformentioned CD).

I'm with Kman -and he beat me to the draw in mentioning Cyril Davies (playing harp in the clip you posted). Korner's long time co-conspirator and co-proprietor of the Ealing Club where all the Brit bluesers learned the ropes. Thumbs up to Mighty too. Maybe Lee Ving is an L.A. thing, but it was fun at the time.

In my humble opinion, of the three versions that you presented Sugar Blue does a better job.

But for me this song belongs to Muddy Waters and no one can even compare.

I'm all for interpretation, but there's good interpretation and bad. To my ears the Clapton cover is the only one that conveys the balls out (pardon my French) intensity the song requires.

My favorite version is by The Allman Brothers. I think it's on their first album. If not then it's on the second.

Robert Plant. I saw Muddy Waters, the original, doing it - he was the best.

none of them can compare to the original

muddy just had that nasty quality in his singing that made the song perfect

Sugar Blue!!! definatley sugar blue imo, its awesome!