[1] Liggins claimed to have written the tune around 1942, when playing piano in Los Angeles with a group called the California Rhythm Rascals.

The recording was done on April 20, 1945,[2] with Liggins' regular bass player replaced by Red Callender and Earl Carter added on drums.

[2] "It was a hit booming from every record store, shoeshine stand, barber shop and barbecued chicken shack on Los Angeles' famed Central Avenue as many thousands of G.I.s returned from the Pacific, hungry for nightlife and new civilian experiences.

"[3] However, the small record company could not keep up with the demand, and a cover version by Jimmie Lunceford on the larger Decca label eventually replaced it at the top of the charts.

Liggins' recording has been cited as "the earliest runaway hit in the formative R&B combo style",[3] and as such was an important precursor to the development of rock and roll.