Lil Hardin's Sweet Lovin' Man was originally copyrighted in 1922, as "My Sweet Smelling Man." It consists of a 12-bar verse, followed by a 16-bar chorus, sharing the same chords with "You Got to See Mama Every Night," which is then followed by a 12-bar blues. It was first recorded in 1922 by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings in a gently loping performance. The better known 1923 recording, by King Oliver's Jazz Bad, was played as more of a brisk fox trot.