[1] The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings wrote: "When Hooker's Vee-Jay sides first appeared, as singles, they were heartening indications that honest and ungimmicky blues were still being made ... Taken at a draught, decades later they are a little less compelling.

Putting Hooker with an efficient band was presumably intended to relieve him of rhythmic chores and give him room to flex vocal or instrumental muscle, but he gains little from it; he is always his most interesting rhythm provider.

"[3] AllMusic reviewer Lindsay Planer stated: "I'm John Lee Hooker was first issued in 1959 during his tenure with Vee Jay and is "the Hook" in his element as well as prime.

It belongs in every blues enthusiast's collection without reservation.

"[1] All compositions credited to John Lee Hooker.