Little Richard’s rise to nationwide acclaim within the US was so swift and highly effective, it appears stunning on reflection that his wave of main hits lasted solely two years. After his emergence with “Tutti Frutti” in January 1956, he was already renouncing rock‘n’roll by October 1957. After that, by way of the pop Prime 10, he solely lasted for another hit, “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” in February 1958.
The sophisticated historical past of a basic
On Could 11, 1959, Richard entered the Sizzling 100 for what turned out to the final time for 5 years — and even then, it was with a recording he’d made 4 years earlier. The tune was (mainly, at the very least) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s “Kansas City,” written in 1952 and first recorded the identical 12 months by R&B singer-pianist Little Willie Littlefield, below the title “K.C. Lovin’.”
In March 1959, in a flurry of recent exercise across the tune, it was recorded by Charlotte, North Carolina soul man Wilbert Harrison, and in rival variations by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters and Rocky Olson. Little Richard had truly made two recordings of it for Specialty in 1955.
One adhered to the Littlefield unique, and wasn’t launched till 1970. The opposite, reduce two months later, saved that title however added a brand new lyrical interpolation. As “Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey (Goin’ Back To Birmingham),” that half turned the B-side of “Good Golly Miss Molly” early in 1958.
Richard’s second “Kansas City” was included on his new album of March 1959, The Fabulous Little Richard. The Beatles, loving his data as they did, had been impressed to cowl it in 1962 at each the Cavern Membership and of their Hamburg reveals. In the meantime again in 1959, Specialty (by 1959, Richard’s former label) entered it into that new singles race, however his “Kansas City (Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey)” petered out at No.95, and didn’t make the R&B chart in any respect.
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Olson’s single acquired to No.60 pop, and Ballard’s No.72, however Harrison was the hands-down winner: his “Kansas City” went all the best way to No.1, spending two weeks there from Could 18. After many subsequent covers by the likes of Dion, Jan & Dean and Lou Rawls, The Beatles added their therapy to the Beatles For Sale album of late 1964. This got here quickly after their Lengthy Tall Sally EP, titled after their cowl of his 1956 basic, and so they had already sung different numbers of his in numerous BBC radio periods.
The Beatles For Sale launch produced a declare from Richard’s attorneys that the group had additionally coated his portion of the tune. It went on to be listed as a medley with applicable accreditation. However, apart from the legalities, Little Richard had as soon as once more been the inspiration for the superstars from Liverpool.
Purchase or stream Little Richard’s “Kansas City (Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey)” on The Very Better of Little Richard.
