This song was adapted from "Bull-Doze Blues" (youtube.com), recorded in 1928 by Texas bluesman Henry Thomas. Thomas was from the songster tradition and had a unique sound, sometimes accompanying himself on quills, an early Afro-American wind instrument similar to panpipes. It was reworked by the pianist Johnny Miller in 1927, who rewrote the words and gave it to Wingy Manone, who recorded two versions titled "Up the Country" in December 1927 for Columbia and September 1930 for Champion Records.
Except in jazz circles, it remained an obscure blues number until Canned Heat recorded "Going Up the Country". Though rearranged, the Canned Heat song is musically the same, down to a faithful flute rendition of Thomas's quill solos by Jim Horn, a noted saxophonist and woodwind session player and Wrecking Crew member.
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