by Robert Wilkinson
Tonight’s show is so awesome we're going to begin early! Today we send up a big 92nd birthday greeting shout out to one of the original creators of rock and roll, the incredible, inimitable, indomitable, and irresistible Little Richard! On this birthday, "we're gonna have some fun tonight WOOOOOO.”
As I've explained in other articles, in the beginning there were 5 seminar figures in rock and roll. There was Bill Haley, who thanks to the Alan Freed "jukebox" movies and the soundtrack of Blackboard Jungle, took a song described as "fox trot with vocals" and turned it into an anthem for a disaffected generation, "Rock Around the Clock." Within a short time, four singular talents took to the airwaves and each shook the world: In no particular order, Elvis Presley, the world's first true superstar who blazed into the stratosphere of pop music and electrified teens and adults everywhere; Chuck Berry, the One who gave rock and roll its poetry of teenage life and the classic licks that a million guitar slingers have cut their teeth on ever since; Buddy Holly, who over his 14 month rise to superstardom gave the world dozens of its most memorable songs still popular to this day along with the legend of pop stars dying young in plane crashes; and today's birthday boy of the 6 inch pompadour, frenetic piano, wailing vocals, and "slightly off color" lyrics, the singular and very beautiful Little Richard Penniman (December 5, 1932 - May 9, 2020).
A little bio from AllMusic:
Little Richard merged the fire of gospel with New Orleans R&B, pounding the piano and wailing with gleeful abandon. While numerous other R&B greats of the early '50s had been moving in a similar direction, none of them matched the sheer electricity of Richard's vocals. With his bullet-speed deliveries, ecstatic trills, and the overjoyed force of personality in his singing, he was crucial in upping the voltage from high-powered R&B into the similar, yet different, guise of rock & roll. Although he was only a hitmaker for a couple of years or so, his influence upon both the soul and British Invasion stars of the 1960s was vast, and his early hits remain core classics of the rock repertoire.
He really did "blow the lid off the Fifties." Countless bands have done his music, as his songs were definitely "high voltage" and exciting to hear. When they came on the radio, it seemed that everything went electric for two minutes! (I remember the first time I heard him on my transistor radio in the late 50s, and my hair stood on end!)
I had the privilege of seeing him in the 90s in Austin when he was halfway between one of his gospel incarnations and the flamboyant-in-full-makeup pompadoured wild man, and the show was great. Since all the talk in the world doesn't describe his kinetic energy, on with the shew!! For your enjoyment, the immortal Little Richard!!
His first big one, the "sound of the birth of rock and roll!" From the 1956 Alan Freed movie Don't Knock the Rock, Little Richard doing "Tutti Frutti." (It was standard to lip synch in those days, but it still gives a sense of what was happening!) Here's a clip of the Master in full makeup and great form live in 1995 doing a powerful pounding performance of "Tutti Frutti." This one seriously rocks, and rocks hard!
Also from Don't Knock the Rock, "Long Tall Sally." Here's the original studio version, complete with wailing sax! "Long Tall Sally." And for your enjoyment, here's an incredible 1964 Beatle performance of "Long Tall Sally," sung "with gusto" by Paul McCartney.
From the 1956 Jayne Mansfield movie The Girl Can't Help It, LR pounding out two from the soundtrack, ”Ready Teddy” and "She’s Got It."
From the same movie, the Architect performing the title tune set to footage, “The Girl Can’t Help It.’”
From the 1957 Alan Freed movie Mr. Rock and Roll, Little Richard doing a performance of "Lucille." Because the Everly Brothers took it into the stratosphere in 1960, here’s a short version by the Everly Brothers on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show! "Lucille." I found this cranking version again! From 1983, the Everlys in a live full length "Lucille." Here’s the original studio version by the Everly Brothers of "Lucille." I also found this video clip from 1986 by the Everly Brothers with Albert Lee on lead doing a rocking version of "Lucille." We’ll close our tribute to this singular rocker with the audio-only version recorded Live at the BBC by the Beatles! "Lucille."
You really need to check this one out! An utterly fantastic music video featuring John Goodman and "the King," Little Richard performing his signature hit, "Good Golly Miss Molly."
Over the years I’ve found various clips from the 1964 UK Granada TV show "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (later retitled Don't knock the rock - no relation to the Alan Freed movies!). Recorded November 1963, he was at his peak, and there’s NO lip-synching! First, two to get this rolling! First, after a rave up opening by the house band, we find Little Richard performing "Rip It Up." From the same show, "Hound Dog."
Last year’s 21 minute clip with 6 great ones has disappeared, but I found this 37+ minute clip. It begins with the “Rip it Up” clip, then LR introduces the Shirelles for a couple, with the second one a real treat, as it’s Shirley Owens fronting the Shirelles on their legendary megahit “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” After “Joy Joy Joy” he launches into this incredible set of "Lucille," “Long Tall Sally,” “Send Me Some Lovin’,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” “Hound Dog,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Tutti Frutti," and “Jenny Jenny.”
Using some of the footage from the same concert along with some great acrobatic dance footage, this isn't live, but it is a great tune! Here's Little Richard doing the Johnny Cash hit, "Get Rhythm."
From Shindig in 1964, Little Richard live cranking out "Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On."
Looking clean with short hair and a suit, this one’s live from a 1964 UK performance rebroadcast on OZ’s version of Bandstand. For your enjoyment, "Lucille"
From American Bandstand in 1964, rare footage of him doing "Bama Lama Bama Loo." (Yes, it sounds like his earlier smash hits, but I suppose he's allowed to rip himself off....)
I found a 27 minute live show in France in 1966 where he's at his wild man best! Little Richard in France Live in 1966 (“Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Rip It Up,” “Long Tall Sally,” “Tutti Frutti,” “Jenny Jenny,” “Send Me Some Lovin’,” “Ready Teddy,” “She’s Got It,” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”)
Here are a couple of single clips from that 1966 show in Paris. First, Little Richard wailing on "Jenny Jenny." Last year I had a great performance where he winds up shirtless doing a rave up version of “Ready Teddy,” but it’s disappeared. So instead, the iconic "Long Tall Sally."
From the legendary 1969 Toronto Peace Festival filmed by D.A. Pennebaker of Monterey Pop fame, we have three classics! We begin with LR pounding out “Lucille” followed by “Good Golly Miss Molly.” Last year I had several more, but this year they’re all gone except this wild piece when LR climbs on top of speaker stacks and throws his clothing to the audience! Little Richard climbs the speaker stacks in Toronto.
This year I found the first 24 minutes on one clip. Set list: “Blueberry Hill,” “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Rip It Up,” “Tutti Frutti,” “Keep A Knockin’,” “Hound Dog,” “Jenny Jenny,” and “Long Tall Sally.” This has every tune except “Long Tall Sally.” Little Richard Live at the Toronto Peace Festival But because there’s no way I’m going to leave out LTS, here’s a separate clip of LR dancing like a wild man closing out this part of the show cranking out "Long Tall Sally."
From 1972, live at the London Rock and Roll Show, here’s 11+ minutes of "Lucille," "Rip It Up," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Tutti Frutti," “Jenny Jenny”
Little Richard in payback mode to Paul McCartney! A great performance of a soul arrangement of Paul's early Beatle hit in the “Motown Live” 1999 show of "I Saw Her Standing There."
From one of his many guest appearances on The Mike Douglas Show, ”Chain of Fools” (Last year I had that tune, followed by an interview and “Got My Mojo Workin’" all on one clip, but this year that’s nowhere to be found)
Another appearance of Little Richard, this time in 1970, on The Mike Douglas Show, performing ”The Girl Can’t Help It”
From the early 70s, Little Richard and Tom Jones on TJ’s show doing a great duet of “Jenny Jenny,” “Rip It Up,” “Send Me Some Lovin’,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.” Tom holds his own!
Little Richard in his “rockin’ gospel” era! From Late Night with David Letterman in 1984 with Billy Preston on piano, the Reverend taking us to church with “Joy Joy Joy”
Live on television in 1990, the Architect sending up “Keep A Knockin’”
Here’s a great clip from 1996! Live and in color at The White Room, here’s the Architect knocking out “Bama Lama Bama Loo”
Here’s a ripping live performance of “Keep A-Knocking.”
We’ll close this live section with a great find! It’s Little Richard and Chuck Berry performing together on tv for the first time on the Leno Tonight Show! For your enjoyment, Little Richard ripping dance moves with Chuck on guitar cranking out “Keep A-Knocking” and “Back in the USA”
We now go to studio versions of his tunes!
Two early obscurities! This is said to be his first record, released in 1951. The “A” side is combined with the “B” side. "Taxi Blues" and “Every Hour.”
From Here's Little Richard, his first album on Specialty, the original studio version of "Slippin' and Slidin'" Some backstory: this song was originally done by New Orleans piano legend Eddie Bo with different lyrics, and released in February 1956 with the title "I'm Wise." Check it out! Little Richard did his version a few weeks later.) In yet another twist, it turns out that “I’m Wise” was structured on the earlier song "I Got the Blues for You” by Al Collins (1899-1964) and his Berkeley Hotel Orchestra.
Also from his first album, the original studio version of "Jenny Jenny"
From his second Specialty Records album, Little Richard, here's the original studio version of "Lucille."
Also from the second album, the original studio version of "Keep A Knockin'" set to a still photo of the original single jacket.
From Little Richard," a couple of lesser known tunes, "Heebie Jeebies" and "Oh My Soul."
The huge hit from the second album, "Good Golly Miss Molly." From the “B” side (remember them?) of “Good Golly,” here’s another tune the Beatles covered, “Hey Hey Hey Hey.”
For a treat, here are the Beatles in 1964 live on Shindig performing a medley of “Kansas City” and “Hey Hey Hey Hey”
From his third and final album from his early rock and roll incarnation, The Fabulous Little Richard, here's "All Night Long."
Also from the third album, "Shake A Hand."
The 78rpm vinyl of a song from the third album, "She Knows How To Rock."
We'll close his early period with this one from The Fabulous Little Richard, "Early One Morning."
Here’s the original studio recording of “She’s Got It”
Here’s an audio-only live performance in 1993 on his European tour of the very danceable “Slippin’ and Slidin’”
From 1966, Little Richard's studio version of a great soul number, "Poor Dog (Who Can't Wag His Own Tail)"
Last year I had his 42 minute 1994 tv interview and performance with Lloyd Price on the Long Tall Sally Jessy Raphael Show but this year it’s disappeared. However, from that show, a short clip of LR and Lloyd Price live performing ”Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
3 years ago I had a great hour and 18 video of Little Richard - Legends In Concert - The Very Best of Little Richard but this year it’s still gone.
We'll close today's celebration with Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix, back when Jimi was LR's guitarist in the mid-60s. For your enjoyment, a blues number called "Going Home Tomorrow." The rest of these supposedly also feature Jimi on guitar, even if it's buried in the mix. So let's go to “I Ain’t Watcha Do” and follow it with “Hound Dog.” We'll close with his classic, “Keep A Knockin’”
For our first encore, a tape surfaced which had never been discovered! From his concert at the Greek Theater in LA in June 1991, here’s an hour and 13 audio master recording of Little Richard Live at the Greek Theater - 1991
For our second encore, from November 1988, an extraordinary 52 minute 1988 video gem from Rome! This is the Little Richard concert for UNICEF at the Sports Palace. For your enjoyment, Little Richard concert for UNICEF – 1988 Rome
2 years ago I had an hour and 20 audio and last year I had 42 minutes of video of “Little Richard – Live in Europe 1990” shot in Sweden but they’re both gone. So this year, I found this 40 minute UK video clip from January 1964 with Little Richard VERY subdued in a suit, short hair, and no makeup. Enjoy It’s Little Richard – January 1964 (“Rip It Up,” “Lucille,” “Long Tall Sally,” a short set by the Shirelles, then LR is back with “Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart” “Send Me Your Lovin’,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On,” “Hound Dog,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,””Tutti Frutti”)
So here's to you, Mister "Little Richard" Penniman! You will forever be a beautiful spirit and one of the most exciting performers ever to play a piano on Earth, going strong right up to earlier this year! Woooooooo!!!!!! (And for what it's worth, I’ve maintained for years that "Long Tall Sally" should be our national anthem. "Gonna have some fun tonight!" Less bombs bursting in air and more fun tonight is always a good thing.....)
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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