Remembering Little Richard

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On May 9, 2020, the rock music world lost one of its founding fathers. Little Richard died at the age of 87. He was one of the few progenitors of rock and roll still alive, and his music was what brought a lot of what came to be known as rock to life. His influence is felt in the music to this day.


Born Richard Penniman, he burst onto the scene with a style of singing and piano playing that was born in gospel, boogie-woogie and his own over-the-top personality. He knew the value of performing, not just playing music, and I think that without him, we would not have rock music the way it is today. Wearing make-up, standing at his piano, his hair in that high pompadour, he was so different from any musician before. He was also one of the first black performers to make a real dent into the consciousness of the whole music community. Race was not an issue for Little Richard – it was all about the music.

More than that, if you listen to his interviews on many of those "history of rock music" documentaries, he came across as a man who was proud of his achievements and yet didn't put down the music it had become (which a number of other stars from the era did). While nearly all of his hits had dried up by the mid-60s, he was still an active performer for many, many years.

In the late 1950s, he became a minister and released a few gospel albums, and then in 1962, he returned to his secular beginnings. A film was made of his life in the early 2000s (I own it on VHS tape – it's okay) and he continued to perform well into his 70s, if not his 80s. And I have to say that, as a wrestling fan, he sang probably one of the three best versions of 'America The Beautiful' to open a Wrestlemania, but in his case, he got to open one of the best Wrestlemanias ever – Wrestlemania X.

The man was a genuine performer. He made the music into the way we know it today. A full life lived to its fullest.

And, to celebrate the man, here are a few of my favourite of his songs:
'Tutti Frutti' (1955)

The version he released was apparently the really cleaned up version of this song! The original lyrics were the sort he found in songs in bordellos, and it would have houses jumping. As it is, there was enough suggestion in this version to make preachers of the era have a collective heart attack. This was also the song that got him noticed… and so the record companies had Pat Boone record such a bland, dull version of the song for general consumption it was almost laughable.
'Long Tall Sally' (1956)

One of the songs the Beatles covered on an album early in their career, but even they could not match the intensity of a Little Richard performance. Another song that allegedly had some much more unsavoury lyrics in its original live form, this is still a thumping track.
'She's Got It' (1956)

One of his lesser known songs, this one is a song where his voice just completely dominates proceedings, overwhelming all the instrumentation. Fun song and a personal favourite.
'Lucille' (1957)

The way he sings the word "Lucille" is a signature of Little Richard. His voice caresses the word like he'd caress the woman in question. Rock and roll was a suggestive music, and in Little Richard, it had some-one who could suggest like few others. A pumping piano jam that he just leads throughout.
'Jenny, Jenny' (1957)

Another of my favourite Little Richard songs, this one just has a beat that does not let go. Yes, it has a similar sound to a few of his other songs, but does that really matter? This is such a great song to dance to.
'Keep A Knockin' (1957)

From that instantly recognisable drum opening, this song is another one I love by Little Richard. Covered by so many (to some chart success as well – like Dave Edmunds), none ever matched the original for sheer intensity and fun.
'Good Golly Miss Molly' (1958)

More of a piano-led track, really showing off his skill on the keyboard, this was a song that followed a formula he had by now perfected and yet it is still great for all that and has become one of his best-known songs. The first song of his I heard, thanks to my father, it has always struck that chord with me.
'Great Gosh A'Mighty' (1986)

A comeback song in the 80s. He didn't try to change what worked for him in the past to fit in with modern trends – with the exception of the drum sound – this is definitely a Little Richard song and a fine later addition to his canon. From the film Down And Out In Beverly Hills, this is probably the best thing from that offering.
'I Saw Her Standing There' (with Jerry Lee Lewis) (2006)

From the Jerry Lee Lewis duets album Last Man Standing, these two decided to cover the Beatles and do it in their own piano-driven way. The twin piano attack is stunning. This album was a really good one all up, and showed that these two old guys, at least, still had "it".
Something different to finish.

'Elvis Is Dead' by Living Colour (1990)

Okay, Little Richard has a brief rapping cameo in the middle and a bunch of ad-libs to the end, but I couldn't resist putting this here. This is Living Colour paying tribute to the man who made their band possible in the best way known – including him on a one of their songs. I think this is indicative of the high esteem he was held amongst the black music community, and, by extension, amongst the rock music community. Without Little Richard, there would not have been a Living Colour.
Little Richard informed so much of what we know of rock music today. If he had come along in this day and age, he still would have made an impact through sheer force of personality, talent and drive. I am a fan of the man's music – through my father, it was amongst the first rock and roll music I heard.

His passing from cancer is a tragic loss to the world of music, but he left us with a body of work that is simply stunning.

RIP Little Richard. And thank-you.


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