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The Fabulous Little Richard (1958)

Where the lyrics of The Fabulous Little Richard take you, and where it was really made.

This album was pieced together from out-takes and leftover studio tracks after Little Richard had already turned away from rock and roll.

Key places

First session in New Orleans (1955)

Recording site Mobile studio, 1305 Soniat Street — Richard's first session for the label took place on 13 and 14 September 1955 at J&M Studio in New Orleans, with the label's studio band. Producer Bumps Blackwell was not satisfied with the blues-heavy songs, and only Tutti Frutti came out quickly as a single. The point marks the city, not the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Hollywood session with The Upsetters (1957)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — On 9 October 1957 Richard returned to the studio with his live band The Upsetters. Blackwell would have preferred session musicians from New Orleans, but accepted the band under deadline pressure at Master Recorders in Hollywood. The point marks the city, not the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Fabulous Little Richard: third studio album by American musician Little Richard
• Final album released during his rock and roll period
• Released April 1959, seventeen months after he left Specialty Records
• Over half of the tracks feature an overdubbed female backing group
• Built from out-takes and other leftover studio tracks; Richard sounds more mellow here
• Voted number 483 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000)

Background

• Richard received a vision of a plane on fire and took it as a sign from God to leave showbusiness
• Liner notes said he was deeply engrossed in religious activities, giving up millions of dollars from TV, films and concerts
• Sleeve notes said the overdubs were Richard's own decision, bringing him closer to the church singing he grew up with
• Six months after release he began recording gospel music, which he kept up for about four years
• Apart from a brief 1962 dalliance with Little Star Records, the gospel period ran on
• In April 1963 he entered Sam Cooke's studio to record new tracks for Specialty
• Official return to Specialty came in March 1964

Recording

• First session on 13 and 14 September 1955 at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studio in New Orleans, with the label's studio band
• Producer Bumps Blackwell was not satisfied with the blues-heavy songs; only Tutti Frutti came out quickly as a single
• Session of 9 October 1957 with Richard's live band The Upsetters at Master Recorders in Hollywood
• Specialty overdubbed a female chorus onto the 1955 blues tracks and the remaining Hollywood songs

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org · de.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Richard Wayne Penniman (1932–2020), known as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist and songwriter.
• Called the "Architect of Rock and Roll"; his mid-1950s work laid the foundation for rock and roll.
• Hits: "Tutti Frutti" (1955), "Long Tall Sally" (1956, No. 1 on the R&B chart), followed by a rapid run of further hits.
• Retired from rock and roll for evangelism in 1957, returned in 1962 after a European tour with Don Arden.
• The Beatles opened for him on some 1962 tour dates; he taught Paul McCartney his vocal style.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, its first group of inductees.
• "Tutti Frutti" was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2009.

Influence

• His raspy shouting vocals and boogie-woogie, New Orleans R&B and gospel fusion shaped rock, soul and funk.
• Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and many others cited him as an influence.
• Covered by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Everly Brothers.

Reception

At release

• Failed to chart in all relevant music markets
• Only the single 'Kansas City' on Specialty 664 climbed the charts, reaching number 95 on the Billboard chart and number 26 in the UK
• AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann credited the album with well-made rhythm and blues
• Ruhlmann saw a clear drop compared with Little Richard's earlier rock and roll releases
• He singled out 'Kansas City' as the original behind the Beatles' cover version

Reappraisal

• Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums, third edition (2000), placed it at number 483

Records

• US releases under Specialty SP 2104 were reissued several times
• Specialty handled the Japanese and Dutch local editions
• London Records distributed the British, French and Italian markets
• Stateside Records issued an Australian edition
• Charts: no entry in any relevant music market apart from the single 'Kansas City'

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · de.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The lyrics of 'Kansas City' also draw on Richard's own 'Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey', and the Beatles had to credit this on album pressings after covering it for Beatles for Sale without realising the addition.
• David Bowie placed this album on his list of 25 favourite albums in 2013.
• The first session in New Orleans in 1955 produced material that Blackwell largely rejected, while 'Tutti Frutti' came out as a single soon after.
• 'Kansas City' was recorded in at least three takes, and remixing produced at least five versions.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org · de.wikipedia.org

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