“It’s My Own Fault” (also known as “My Own Fault, Darlin’”) is an early B.B. King recording that later became a staple of his live repertoire, most famously on the classic 1965 album Live at the Regal.
Recording Session and Production
B.B. King first recorded the song as “My Own Fault, Darlin’” in April 1952. It was released in May 1952 on RPM Records (RPM 355), backed with “Shake It Up and Go.” The session took place during King’s early RPM period, when he was still closely tied to the Bihari brothers’ Modern/RPM operation in Los Angeles (though some early sides were cut in Memphis). Production is attributed to the Bihari organization (Joe Bihari and associates).
A later studio version appears on the 1960/1961 Crown album My Kind of Blues. The definitive and most celebrated performance is the live recording from November 21, 1964, at Chicago’s Regal Theater, released on Live at the Regal (ABC-Paramount, 1965), produced by Johnny Pate. King also performed it with Bobby “Blue” Bland on the 1974 live album Together for the First Time… Live.
Musicians
1952 Studio Version
Exact personnel for the 1952 session is not fully documented in surviving sources, but it features:
- B.B. King: vocals and guitar
- Supporting small band typical of King’s early RPM sides (piano, bass, drums, and possibly saxophone or vibraphone on some takes)
Live at the Regal (1964)
- B.B. King: vocals and guitar
- Duke Jethro: piano
- Leo Lauchie: bass
- Sonny Freeman: drums
- Johnny Board and Bobby Forte: tenor saxophones
- Kenny Sands: trumpet
Songwriters
The songwriting history is layered, reflecting the common folk-process of postwar blues:
- The earliest related song is Muddy Waters’ “My Fault” (Chess, 1951), written by McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters).
- B.B. King’s 1952 version, “My Own Fault, Darlin’,” is credited to B.B. King and Jules Taub (a pseudonym for Jules Bihari). It is a clear adaptation/reworking of Muddy’s song.
- John Lee Hooker recorded his own version, titled “It’s My Own Fault,” around 1954. Many later credits for King’s performances (including Live at the Regal) list John Lee Hooker as the writer.
In practice, the lyric and structure are closely related across these versions. King and the Biharis took a Muddy Waters song, adapted the title and some details, and claimed co-writing credit—a frequent industry practice at the time. Hooker’s subsequent recording further popularized the “It’s My Own Fault” title that stuck for many later performances.
The lyric is a classic blues confession of personal responsibility in a failed relationship:
“It’s my own fault, baby
Treat me the way you wanna do
Yes, when you were loving me, baby
At that time, little girl, I didn’t love you”
The narrator admits he neglected a devoted partner who brought home her paychecks while he chased other women. Now that she is leaving (or has left), he accepts the blame. The theme of self-recrimination gives the song emotional weight beyond a simple complaint.
Musical Style and Analysis
The 1952 original is a mid-tempo to slow electric blues with a raw, early-1950s feel. King’s guitar is already expressive, with the beginnings of his signature vibrato and melodic phrasing, though less polished than his later work. The arrangement is relatively sparse, allowing voice and guitar to dominate.
By the time of Live at the Regal, the song has matured into a showcase for King’s mature style. It is a slow-to-medium blues in a classic 12-bar form. King’s guitar playing is lyrical and conversational—his fills and solos answer the vocal lines with precision, sustained bends, and that unmistakable vocal-like tone from Lucille. The live version benefits from the tight, responsive band and the electric atmosphere of the Regal audience. King’s singing is warm, slightly weary, and full of understated regret, perfectly matching the lyric’s theme of accountability.
The song’s structure allows space for dynamic builds: quiet verses that swell into stronger choruses and guitar statements. It exemplifies King’s ability to take traditional blues material and infuse it with personal phrasing and emotional nuance.
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Other Versions and Covers
Notable versions include:
- Muddy Waters – “My Fault” (1951 original)
- John Lee Hooker – “It’s My Own Fault”
- Johnny Winter (powerful electric versions)
- B.B. King with Bobby Bland (1974 live)
- Various live performances by King throughout his career
- Covers and jams by blues-rock artists influenced by the Live at the Regal recording
Legacy
While not one of King’s biggest commercial hits, “It’s My Own Fault” / “My Own Fault, Darlin’” holds an important place in his catalog. The Live at the Regal performance helped cement that album’s status as one of the greatest live blues records ever made. The song’s theme of personal responsibility resonates strongly within the blues tradition, and King’s guitar work on the live version has been studied and admired by generations of players.
It illustrates the interconnected nature of postwar blues—how songs moved between Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and John Lee Hooker, evolving with each interpretation—while showcasing King’s gift for turning shared material into something distinctly his own.
