14. Little Richard - Here's Little Richard (1957)





















Track Listing

1. Tutti Frutti
2. True Fine Mama
3. Can't Believe You Wanna Leave
4. Ready Teddy
5. Baby
6. Slippin' And Slidin'
7. Long Tall Sally
8. Miss Ann
9. Oh Why
10. Rip It Up
11. Jenny Jenny
12. She's Got It

Review

Little Richard once said: "Elvis might be the King of Rock n' Roll, but I'm the Queen". Only if he's the goddammned mistress Queen who makes Elvis eat poo and crushes his balls with steel stiletto heels. That's how much better Little Richard is.

There's an energy, and let me be pretentious for a sec, "joie de vivre" that is not found in any other rock album of the time. Also he was putting out his singles pretty early on. Tutti Frutti was a hit for him at the beggining of 1956. This album is almost a Greatest Hits compilation of what Richard had been doing the previous years.

The album is completely infectious, and together with Buddy Holly and the Crickets is essential listening to anyone interested in where Rock 'n Roll came from. Hits like Tutti Frutti, Slipin' and Slidin' and Long Tall Sally will be recognizable by nearly anyone. Other stuff like Ready Teddy and Rip it Up, might not be as well know but equally good. Actually, maybe even better because they haven't suffered from the over exposure of the better known hits.

So I tip my hat to the Queen of Rock 'n Roll.

Pixies -- not the band -- spirited this album into my room one fine Spring Morning. Napster doesn't have it. I've already sent a mail bomb to their offices.

Buy it at Amazon: UK or US

Track Highlights

1. Rip It Up
2. Ready Teddy
3. Tutti Frutti
4. Long Tall Sally

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

from Wikipedia:
The original lyrics [of Tutti Frutti] were supposedly: "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, a good goddamn/ Tutti Frutti, loose booty/ If it don't fit, don't force it/ You can grease it, make it easy."

Little Richard might well be gay.