The Foote Files: Ernie K-Doe And Mother-In-Law

(CBS 11) - Today's Foote Files blog is about a song that was considered a throw-away tune, actually thrown into the trash, but was retrieved and became a #1 song for singer Ernie K-Doe.

K-Doe (born Ernest Kador, Jr. on February 22, 1933 and passed away on July 5, 2001) was a New Orleans-born and bred R&B singer. He had been with the group "The Blue Diamonds" before he hooked up with producer Allen Toussaint. In early 1961, he recorded and released the song "Mother-In-Law" which was written and produced by Toussaint.

It was a #1 hit on Billboard and stayed on the charts for 12 weeks. It was also a #1 hit on the Billboard R&B charts for five consecutive weeks. In the song you will here a beautiful bass vocal in between the lyrics that K-Doe sings and that was courtesy of Benny Spellman.

Later in life, K-Doe owned a music club in New Orleans called "Ernie K-Doe's Mother-in-Law Lounge" which his wife continued to operate after his death. It was damaged by Hurricane Katrina but was rebuilt at it original location.

Running 2:25 on the Minit label, the lyrics go like this:

Mother-in-law (mother-in law), mother-in-law (mother-in-law)

The worst person I know, mother-in-law, mother-in-law

She worries me so, mother-in-law, mother-in-law

If she leaves us alone, we would have a happy home

Sent from down below

(Mother-in-law) mother-in-law, (mother-in-law), mother-in-law

You can hear this song today on SIRIUS XM 50s On 5 or on SIRIUS XM 60's on 6 on Wednesdays evenings with your Cousin Bruce Morrow!!