| 5th December 2007 08:34 PM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
December 5, 2007
Little Richard turns 75
Powerlineblog.com
If you cross New Orleans rhythm-and-blues with gospel music of the deep south and add a generous dollop of genius to leaven the mix, you might come up with the one and only Richard Penniman, better known as Little Richard. Today he turns 75.
Richard started recording at the age of 19 for RCA. On his early sides he imitates the popular rhythm-and-blues artists of the early '50s. But through luck and good timing, based on a two-song demo tape heard by producer Bumps Blackwell, he was signed to Specialty Records and teamed with Blackwell in 1955.
The authorized biography of Richard is The Life and Times of Little Richard, by Charles White. Blackwell recalled for White that Specialty Records owner Art Rupe had ordered Blackwell to find a singer who combined the sound of blues and gospel. When he heard the tape, Blackwell said, he heard that combination, but he also heard someting more. "The voice was unmistakably star material...I could tell that the singer had something to say and could say it better than anyone I could think of."
What did that voice have to say? If you've ever heard the original versions of "Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally," "Ready Teddy," "Rip It Up," "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey," "Lucille," "She's Got It" and the other Specialty recordings he tore through between 1955 to 1957, a lot of what the voice had to say still can't be repeated in a family publication. The hook from "Long Tall Sally" probably sums it up as well as anything: "Have some fun tonight."
"Tutti Fruitti" was Little Richard's first hit, by way of Pat Boone's wretched million-selling version of the song for white audiences. Richard himself broke through with "Long Tall Sally." The effect was galvanizing. Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, all instantly recorded their own versions of Little Richard's material. He is one of the supreme architects of rock.
White's account of the composition of "Long Tall Sally" begins with a walk-on by an impoverished young lady from Appaloosa, Mississippi named Enortis Johnson. Johnson had walked all the way from Appaloosa to New Orleans ("a fur piece," like Lena in Light In August) looking for Richard with three lines written on a scrap of paper ("Saw Uncle John with Long Tall Sally/They saw Aunt Mary comin'/So they ducked back in the alley"). Blackwell recalled Johnson's explanation:
"Aunt Mary is sick. And I'm going to tell her about Uncle John. Cos he was out there with Long Tall Sally and I saw 'em. They saw Aunt Mary comin' and they ducked back in the alley."
"They did, huh?" Blackwell responded. Blackwell and Richard proceeded to supply the rest of the lyrics and the melody, and Johnson got the first of the three writer's credits on the song. Boone successfully covered this song too, as White adds in a footnote, "managing to sound as though he is not quite sure what he is singing about."
In 1957, Little Richard abandoned music for the ministry and aborted his career. In the '60s he reentered the business only to abandon it a second time for the ministry. Each time he returned to the music as a slightly more outrageous personality than when he left it. Yet it is the Specialty Recordings of the two years from 1955 to 1957 that stand as his monument.
His musical influence is substantial. Listen to the Everly Brothers bring their sound to "Lucille." Listen to Paul McCartney cut Little Richard to shreds in the process of imitating his every lick in the Beatles' 1964 recording of "Long Tall Sally" (the first song McCartney ever sang in public), perhaps the best recording ever of one of Richard's songs. Listen to Frank Zappa, the unlikeliest of Richard imitators, adapt Richard's genius to his own in his version of "Directly From My Heart to You." The legacy is durable and enduring.
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| 5th December 2007 09:13 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
without doubt the most highy energy rock and roll show i have ever seen was little richard in '73 - he put out more energy as one individual than i have seen from whole bands of musicians
it was a 3,000 seat arena - the whole place went nuts
he had a big band then too - horn section and all - rock and roll |
| 6th December 2007 10:42 AM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
stonedinaustralia wrote:
without doubt the most highy energy rock and roll show i have ever seen was little richard in '73 - he put out more energy as one individual than i have seen from whole bands of musicians
it was a 3,000 seat arena - the whole place went nuts
he had a big band then too - horn section and all - rock and roll
It just goes to show that quality trumps quanity ever time.
Are you listening Joey? |
| 6th December 2007 10:46 AM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
Are you listening Joey?
Sorry Joey, it was just a joke...besides I figured that while everyone has been kicking you while you're down lateley I might as well join in. 
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
| 6th December 2007 11:25 AM |
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| JohnLeeHacker |
With C. Berry and J.L. Lewis, L. Richard is
more important than E. Presley, for me.
1 of the 3 pyramids. |
| 6th December 2007 11:36 AM |
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| jb |
A true pioneer who is sadly more thought of for his wig than his true musical genius. |
| 6th December 2007 11:44 AM |
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| Joey |
Happy Happy Birthday !!!!
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| 6th December 2007 11:49 AM |
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| jb |
quote:
Joey wrote:
Happy Happy Birthday !!!!
http://www.thelaughingstock.co.uk/acatalog/black_wig.jpg |
| 6th December 2007 11:55 AM |
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| glencar |
quote:
jb wrote:
A true pioneer who is sadly more thought of for his wig than his true musical genius.
I think at this point eh's better known for acting like oldkr in drama class! |
| 6th December 2007 11:56 AM |
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| glencar |
But Happy Birthday to one of rock's original blowhards! |
| 15th December 2007 06:47 PM |
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| Kilroy |
I love you Little Richard. |
| 15th December 2007 07:29 PM |
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| guitarman53 |
A real original!! I have so much respect for Little Richard, Happy Birthday & many more!! |
| 16th December 2007 07:21 PM |
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| fireontheplatter |
good on you little richard....i know your tunes from the movies. |
| 16th December 2007 07:23 PM |
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| stonedinaustralia |
good on you little richard....i know your tunes from the movies.
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| 17th December 2007 07:03 AM |
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| egon |
not that it really matters, but is he gay?
i always wondered... |
| 17th December 2007 07:41 AM |
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| Blowey |
Happy Happy Birthday! |
