The piece's opening riff was first recorded in 1940 by a small group led by Duke Ellington sideman Johnny Hodges, under the title "That's the Blues, Old Man".

Ellington used the same riff as the opening and closing theme of a longer-form composition, "Happy-Go-Lucky Local", that was itself one of four parts of his 1946 Deep South Suite.

Jimmy Forrest was part of Ellington's band when it performed this composition, which has a long tenor saxophone break in the middle.

Trombonist Buddy Morrow, for example, played Forrest's solo on trombone on a 1953 recording of the song that became a hit in Great Britain and reached #12 on the UK singles chart.

Originally appearing as a track on the album James Brown Presents His Band and Five Other Great Artists, it received a single release in 1962 and became a hit, charting #5 R&B and #35 Pop.