Little Richard - The Georgia Peach

Next Best Option To The Specialty Sessions 3-CD Box Set

If you don't want to spring for the 3-CD Specialty Sessions Box Set, which is easily THE best Little Richard compendium on the market, then this volume from the Legends Of Specialty series is your next best option. Magnificent AAD sound reproduction is featured on all 16 of his hits from 1956 to June 1958, plus the four uncharted B-sides in that period, along with one hit from 1959, two cuts that appeared in early LP/EPs, and two that were issued years later as singles, but failed to chart.

All this is augmented by an insert containing numerous vintage photos, six pages of background notes written in 1991 by Billy Vera, a sessionography for each of the tracks showing dates recorded and musicians involved, plus on the reverse of the CD a discography of the contents.

This original inductee into the R&R Hall Of Fame in 1986 first hit the charts in late 1955 when Tutti-Frutti exploded onto the charts, reaching # 2 R&B/# 17 Billboard Pop Top 100 b/w I'm Just A Lonely Guy. That dramatic debut was following in the spring of 1956 by Long Tall Sally which hit # 1 R&B and stayed there for 8 weeks, as well as # 6 Top 100, while the flipside, Slippin' And Slidin' (Peepin' And Hidin') reached # 2 R&B/# 33 Top 100. A couple of months later another # 1 R&B surfaced in the form of Rip It Up, also # 17 Top 100, while its B-side, Ready Teddy, made it to # 8 R&B/# 44 Top 100.

Cover versions of his hits to date were popping up all over the place as well, by Pat Boone, Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets, while major stars to come like Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and four young Englishmen named John, Paul, George and Ringo were being suitably influenced.

It's a bit strange, then, that his next hit, Heeby-Jeebies b/w She's Got It, impacted only upon the R&B charts in November 1956, reaching # 7 and # 9 respectively, and that The Girl Can't Help It, featured in the Jayne Mansfield film of the same name, could only achieve a # 49 Top 100 while hitting # 7 on the R&B charts. The B-side, All Around The World, also scored at # 13 R&B. It seems mainstream white DJs didn't know quite how to take this energetic, flamboyant new star and were therefore not giving him the airplay he deserved. That was born out in early 1957 when his third # 1 R&B, Lucille, could only get as high as # 21 Top 100, and the B-side, Send Me Some Lovin', just a # 54 Top 100 while reaching # 3 R&B.

All his hits to this point had been billed to Little Richard And His Band, but from this point on the billing would be simply Little Richard, beginning with Jenny, Jenny (# 2 R&B/# 10 Top 100) b/w Miss Ann (# 6 R&B/# 56 Top 100) in July 1957. His second-best Pop cross-over then appeared late that summer when Keep A Knockin' hit # 8 Top 100 as well as # 2 R&B b/w the uncharted Can't Believe You Wanna Leave. The A-side was also featured in the film Mr. Rock 'n' Roll, starring Alan Freed.

In early 1958 Richard honoured Jackie Brenston by basing his piano intro on his legendary hit Rocket "88" from 1951, and saw Good Golly, Miss Molly top out at # 4 R&B/# 10 Top 100 b/w the uncharted (unbelievably so) Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey. That summer, Ooh! My Soul got to # 15 R&B/# 31 Top 100 b/w True Fine Mama, regarded as a # 15 R&B "follow-along" hit while also reaching # 68 Top 100.

Omitted from this volume is Baby Face, which reached # 12 R&B/# 41 Top 100 in October 1958 b/w the uncharted I'll Never Let You Go. They do, however, include his rendition of Kansas City, recorded on November 29, 1955 well before the the Thurston Harris hit, but not released until spring 1959 in a medley with Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey, reaching # 95 on what had then become the Billboard Pop Hot 100. The B-side, Lonesome And Blue, is omitted here.

Other gems in this release include Baby, recorded in September 1955, and Oh Why? which was recorded in February 1956, both released that year on LP 100 as well as a Specialty EP, Shake A Hand, recorded in August 1956, and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, recorded in October 1957, the last two not released until 1959 when they came out on singles that failed to chart.

It's interesting to note that everything Little Richard recorded for Specialty took place from September 14, 1955 to October 18, 1957. June 19, 2008

"Well it's Saturday night and I just got paid....I'm gonna rip it up!!!"

This is probably the best collection of Richard Penniman's Specialty label songs you'd want on a CD. I would put him way up at the top as one of the great innovaters, originators, and exremely important influences in the history of rock'n'roll. So many people covered his songs over the years. From Elvis to the Beatles to even Pat Boone and Marty Robbins. This CD is a must-have for anyone who loves fun, danceable, and wild rock'n'roll. So get this CD and rock your socks off!
As a note, I also recommend seeking out reissues of his earlier music recorded roughly between 1951-1954.
A truly great pianist, songwriter, singer and arranger. June 9, 2007

WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT LITTLE RICHARD NOT BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF ROCK AND ROLL? SHUT UP!!!!!

this has everything i desire from little richard. i'll MAKE him a doggone award. mr. penniman, you won something here, baby!!!!! SHUT UP!!!!! January 25, 2007

Excellent

When you hear L.Richard sing Tuti Frutty and Lucille you are tranported to his time & you feel you are 18 again. January 5, 2007

All the great Little Richard selections are here, but.......

...Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On?

On paper it looks good, but, this recording sounds like a poor out-take. A simple case of one song too many. I really wish I had stopped after track 24; Whole Lotta Shakin... ends this wonderful collection on such a sour note. As for the sound quality, it's really good, but I'm wondering if there was some added reverb to many of the songs. I've never heard them sound like this before.

Finally, all the great songs are here, with a good running order, but why not add a few more seconds between songs, it all comes off a little too rushed. I found I was pushing the pause button a lot, just to take a breath. As I recall, the UK Beatles albums from 1963 to 1966 had a seven second break between songs. I loved it! It was like letting dust settle before being inundated with another song right away, it gave each song it's own spotlight.

Still, The Georgia Peach, is probably the best Little Richard greatest hits collection out there. The first 24 songs are worth the price! October 2, 2006

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