Vee-Jay Records first recorded “I Ain’t Got You” by its star, Jimmy Reed, in July 1955, but Billy Boy Arnold recalled in his autobiography that writer-producer Calvin Carter wanted a “swingin’, upbeat” version—which Billy Boy Arnold and guitarist Jody Williams provided at a session October. Arnold’s single hit the streets in early 1956 and later inspired cover versions by the Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton) and others. Reed’s version stayed in the vaults until it was out on an LP in 1960. Carter’s memorable lyrics pictured a player who has a charge account at Goldblatt’s (a Chicago discount store), a winning number in the policy racket, women all around, and more—but “ain’t got you.”