[Slowhand] The origin of Woo-Hoo

[Mark Zutkoff]

James V. in Chicago said:

"This may be old news to many of you, but I stumbled along Eric performing 
Crossroads with D & B in February of 1970.  This version is very much like 
the Dominos version that came out on the expanded live album.  What's 
interesting is the "woo-hoo" that Eric belts out at around the 55 second 
mark and at 2:18 and 4:15.  I always blamed that "woo-hoo" on Greg 
Phillinganes and/or Nathan East as some bizarre holdover from (I believe) 
Greg's stint with Michael Jackson's touring band.  While it sounded like 
Greg was trying to channel Michael Jackson, it's clear that EC was the one 
who initiated the dreaded "woo-hoo" of the 80s."

Unless I'm deeply mistaken, the "woo-hoo" is more EC's attempt to imitate
bluesman Robert Johnson, who did a similar, high-pitched exclamation on some
of his classic recordings. I haven't listened to Mr. J's material in quite a
while, and I only heard one invocation on his standard take of "Crossroads"
which might be close, but I think there are such sounds ("Phonograph Blues"
seems to have one).

-Mark Zutkoff
Plano, TX