Back in 1956 - 1958 I was doing National Service (ask your grandparents) in the RAF, mainly near Louth in Lincolnshire.
Apart from on record, jazz wasn't very accessible in that neck of the woods and, on a night out in town or down the local pub you were lucky if they even had a Sinatra record on the jukebox. What they did have, however, was a lot of rock and roll with Bill Haley, Elvis, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard so, when the death of the latter was announced earlier today (May 9) I couldn't help but feel as though a part of my life had gone with him.
Not from a musical point of view, although the excitement generated by a number like Tutti Frutti or Long Tall Sally possibly had a more positive effect on me at the time than say the MJQ would have done - particularly in a bar full of semi-drunk airmen .
In the film, The Girl Can't Help It, Little Richard sang the title song but it was hearing, for the first time, Julie London singing Cry me a River that left a lasting impression on me.
Nevertheless, Little Richard did go on to influence a lot of the pop idols who followed and his stature in the annals of pop/rock history is unchallenged.
He was 87, may he Rest In Peace.
Lance.
4 comments :
As with Chuck Berry, I couldn't believe he was still alive. I'm sure they were grateful for the years, but the problem they face is that virtually nobody cares. Insomuch as most people ever listen to anything from before the Hallowed Sixties, it's nowadays more likely to be Kind of Blue or Songs for Swingin' Lovers.
Excepting doowop, I think black rock and roll was just blues for teenyboppers (like punk-rock was Black Sabbath for teenyboppers) - at least Elvis could sing and command good songs and I despise the rest of whitey's efforts.
Little Richard was even more 'novelty' than the rest but he recorded for Okeh in the sixties, from which 'I Don't Want to Discuss It' became a northern soul classic, which still stands up quite well. I note my brother's put another up so I must check it out too.
Yes it was referenced in your top 500 Northern Soul Singles book which I am still wading through although I can remember hearing it before
Saw his show in Newcastle,1950's Great!!
I suspect he was pretty rip-roaring live.
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