Little Willie John – It Only Hurts a Little While / Don’t Play With Love

Willie John shot to fame in the mid-50s and became one of King Records best-selling artists for a period. He recorded the first and still definitive version of ‘Fever’, setting in motion a trend for the kind of laid back but danceable, jazz infused rhythm & blues which would later gain popularity on the Belgian popcorn scene. More recently, his stop start ‘I’m Shakin” has gained popularity on various music and club scenes and was even covered by Jack White. For my money, ‘It Only Hurts A Little While’ is every bit as good as both that song and indeed ‘Fever’. Listen and see if you agree.