Rod Stewart: Good Morning Little Schoolgirl Single (1964)

Rod Stewart
Oct 24, 1964
4 min read

A Bluesy Debut Howl

Rod Stewart's 7-inch vinyl single "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" was released in the UK on October 30, 1964, by Decca Records (catalogue: F 11996). Paired with "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town" on the B-side, this blues-rock cover of a Sonny Boy Williamson original marked Stewart's solo debut, though it did not make it onto the charts.

Single Overview

Country: UK

7" Vinyl Single Promotional Release

Label: Decca – F.11996

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Promo

Released: 1964

A Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

Written-By – Williamson

B I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town

Written-By – Weldon, Jacobs

Producer – Ray Horricks

Demonstration sample not for sale

Country: UK

7" Vinyl Single Commercial Release

Label: Decca – F.11996

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM

Released: 30 Oct 1964

A Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

Written-By – Williamson

B I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town

Written-By – Weldon, Jacobs

Producer – Ray Horricks

Released in both solid center and prong centers.

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY

DECCA GROUP RECORDS

ROD STEWART

DECCA

Rod Stewart debuts with "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" backed with "Out-skirts of Town" on Decca F0096 released 16th October, 1964.

A typical quote from this polished performer-"A White person can sing the blues with just as much conviction as a negro... All these negro singers singing about "Walking down the rail-road track..." They've never walked down a railroad track in their lives. Nor have I. You've got more to sing the the blues about in the Archway Road than on any railroad track I know."

Roderick David Stewart was born in London on 10th January, 1945 and has lived in the Archway Road all his life where his parents Robert and Elsie own a newsagent shop. Rod doesn't remember exactly where he learned to play the guitar: "I just picked it up and there I was", he says. The first time he ever had to earn his living with the guitar was when he turned beatnik ("It was the fashionable thing to do at the time") and went busking around France and Spain with folk singer Wiz Jones. Life in Spain was tough. They slept under the arches of Barcelona Football Stadium, which was almost home from home for Rod who has turned down several offers to turn professional footballer. He still plays on Sunday mornings and has just signed for the Show Biz XI. France proved more profitable. "We could make 50 francs an hour in St. Tropez and it wasn't bad sleeping on the beaches", Rod says. But in the end they were arrested for vagrancy and sent home (third class) by the British Consul.

After a few unhappy experiences at such jobs as "Fence putter-upper" and collecting the odd £6/17 for semi-professional footballing he got a job with Jimmy Powell and the Five Dimensions at the Ken Collyer Club. (They played the intervals when the Rolling Stones were off stage.) In order to make ends meet he worked with his brother's display and sign-writing business until Long John Baldry tool ever the late Cyril Davies' Rhythm and Blues All Stars and asked Rod to be second singer.

"The best things which have happened to me are meeting Long John Baldry: playing with, Memphis Slim in Paris, (he has also played with him in London "Marquee Club where he played with Harmonica star Little Walter); appearing at the Richmond, Redcar and Belle Vue Jazz Festivals."

Cutting "Up Above My Head" on the B side of Long John's latest disc. Appearing on BBC "Saturday Club". Living with 20 beatniks on a derelict houseboat at Shoreham. "All the greybeards in the area didn't like the idea of us all not working so they got the police to drive us out with hoses. of cold water. Then they towed the barge away and sank it so we wouldn't be able to go back, which was just as well as the boat filled up with water every time the tide came in." This was the first time he made the newspaper front pages (Mirror and Sketch) and doesn't mind if he doesn't star there again for the same reason.

It was in January that Rod turned fully professional and with T.V. appearances and his discovery by Decca A & R man Ray Horricks this artist will go far.