Lookin' Good ~ Magic Sam... Wanna play those licks!

Nervous Niven presents: Lookin' Good - wooden version / aka Sam's Boogie... Magic Sam's electric boogie guitar classic "Looking Good" played on a 1970's Yamaha FG-150 acoustic flat-top guitar - solo instrumental.

I've wanted to learn how to play Magic Sam's Boogie, perhaps better known as the instrumental crowd pleaser "Lookin' Good" or "Looking Good", ever since I first saw that blistering Magic Sam black and white 1969 footage of "The American Folk Blues Festival" in Europe. In this film Magic Sam is unmistakably playing Earl Hooker's guitar, If you haven't seen it check it out. The Magic Sam sequence can be found in the bonus material of volume 2 "American Folk Blues Festival" DVD.

I was spurred on by various performances of "Looking Good" such as those by Otis Grand and Paul Rishell & Annie Raines... Check out "Annie Raines Blows You Away" for Paul and Annie's unique take on "Looking Good".

I've cheated a bit, I play this in "OpenG" which I guess is easier than playing it in "Standard tuning" as Magic Sam did. Magic Sam played it out of an "A" chord.

It's a crime that Magic Sam aka Sam Maghett died so tragically young.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Looking good
• Lookin Good
• Lookin' Good
• Magic Sam
• Sam's Boogie
• I feel so good
• Nervous Niven
• R.L. Burnside
• Open tuning
• Open G tuning
• Spanish tuning
• One Chord Blues
• North Mississippi Hill Country
• Burnside guitar riff
• Poor Black Mattie
• Black Snake Moan
• Bird Without a Feather
• Solo instrumental
• Billy Boy Arnold
• Syl Johnson
• Mack Thompson
• R.L. Burnside riff
• Paul Rishell
• Annie Raines
• Lightnin Malcom
• Juke Joint Duo
• Seasick Steve
• Richard Johnston

[Masterphonic]

Are you in standard tuning here? I'm going to spend the rest of the year trying to learn this song until I can play it atleast half as good as this

[TheSpottytoad]

@Masterphonic... No I'm not in standard tuning, I'm playing this out of open "G". If you imagine that you are holding down a "C" chord, as you would in standard tuning, you can reach all you need to from there to play the signature lick. While keeping the "C" shape as a home position use your 3rd finger to alternate between the 3rd fret on the "A" string and the 3rd fret of the G string. Magic Sam played this out of an "A" chord in standard tuning but I figured it has to be easier in open G.

[seatfool]

Hey man, that sounds great!

[TheSpottytoad]

@seatfool Why thank you sir... You're not so bad yourself! Looking forward to hearing your new album.

[MrRockzilla86]

DAAAAAMMMNN Good guitar playin son!!!...My daddy used to play a Gibson j-200 custom.God Rest his soul. Never thought that song would sound so good out of an acoustic...And yesi still have that guitar!...LOL...

[twangmeister]

This is so cool. Please post a video if you can!

[planetcaravan72]

You totally nailed it - excellent work!!

[jamesjonesrocket]

I've heard a lot of average stuff on youtube, but this is bloody awesome, so accurate. What a great, clear sound. I'd love to hear you play this on electric

[kanojas]

Love it!

[Kenneth1Klee]

chrisjazzier's got it right!