Two big music stories got a lot of attention this past
weekend …
So we’ve devoted a special page to sharing and enjoying
the memories of the late, great Little Richard …
And the release of what would prove to be, at the time,
the final album by The Beatles, “Let It Be.”
We lost one of the great original pioneers, founding
fathers and architects of Rock And Roll Music when Little Richard Penniman
passed away on Saturday, May 9th. (I don't think we have ever received so many responses to the passing of a major artist before ... an absolute outpouring of love and respect. Little Richard was clearly loved and revered by all.)
While Little Richard was tearin’ up the R&B Charts
in 1955,1956 and 1957, a lot of white radio stations refused to play his music,
still dubbed “race music” at the time.
Instead, safe, “whitebread” artists like Pat Boone recorded
tamer, safer versions for white radio consumption. (In 1956 and 1957 alone, Boone scored Top 10
Hits with his covers of “Tutti Frutti” (#10) and “Long Tall Sally” (#5) as well
as remakes of Fats Domino’s classic “Ain’t That A Shame” (#1 for Boone) and The
El Dorados’ R&B hit “At My Front Door.” (#7)
Those same hits for Little Richard peaked at #10 and #5
… while Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame” original also went to #1 and the El Dorados
reached #7 with their take on “At My Front Door.”
Other Little Richard hits found their way on to the
charts, both under his own name and as white covers from artists like The Everly
Brothers and others. (Even Elvis covered
a couple of his tunes!)
“Slippin’ And Slidin’” (#33), “Rip It Up,” (#17), also
covered by Elvis and Bill Haley, “Ready Teddy” (#28), “Lucille” (#21), “Jenny,
Jenny” (#10), “Keep A-Knockin’” (#8) and “Good Golly Miss Molly” (#10) became
INSTANT rock and roll classics. (Mitch
Ryder would later take bits and pieces of “Jenny, Jenny” and “Good Golly Miss
Molly” and create brand new, hit medleys with this material. CCR also covered Richard’s track “Good Golly
Miss Molly” and, on more than one occasion, were accused of perhaps “borrowing”
a little too heavily from Little Richard’s songbook when creating their OWN
string of hits.)
I first discovered the music of Little Richard thru The
Beatles. He was obviously a HUGE hero of
Paul McCartney, who mimicked him down to his trademark “Wooo’s,” often
incorporated into several of the early Beatles’ hits.
Always outrageous … often controversial … Little
Richard milked the persona of a crazy black rock and roll lunatic for most of
his career. (He last charted in 1986
with “Great Gosh A Mighty!” from the film “Down And Out In Beverly Hills.” I can personally attest that it was, without
question, the best part about the movie!
(Richard had some fun playing it up on specialty albums where he had the
chance to produce “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “I Feel Pretty,” from “West Side
Story.”)
Although I never got the chance to see him perform live
in concert, I always thought he was hoot.
(One year … Thanksgiving Day, 1971 … me and a couple of friends were
heading into the city to see a concert that included Little Richard, Chuck
Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis … three absolute legends of rock and roll. However, I got pulled over on the way and was
given my first-ever speeding ticket … on Thanksgiving Day, if you can believe
it!!! … so we never made it to the show.)
Little Richard rocked it as good as anybody … and
better than most. This was some REAL
hybrid shit he was laying down … R&B, Gospel and Rock And Roll, all melded
together in perfect fashion … the likes of which we had never seen and heard before ... and always presented in rip-roaring fashion with
just a wink to let you know he wasn’t taking himself too seriously. WE did … the man was a flat-out legend. (kk)
Without a doubt ... a
true original. And a huge influence on my singing style. When he was on the The
Monkees’ TV special, "33 1/3 Revolutions per Monkee," he once again blew
me away. It was amazing to watch him work up-close-and-personal. One of
the last greats!
-- Micky Dolenz
"Awopbopaloobop alopbamboom!"
RIP, Little Richard - The Architect of Rock and Roll!
Richard Penniman practically created Rock
'n Roll as we know and love it! He was a great writer, interpreter, showman,
performer, and off-stage entertainer! He truly brought the spirit to Rock
music, and he will be missed!
Richard, you were a one-of-a-kind! Thank
you for all the great music!
I'm happy to say his spirit lives on in my new band with our killer version of "The Girl Can't Help It!"
-- Dr. Bob Rush
I'm happy to say his spirit lives on in my new band with our killer version of "The Girl Can't Help It!"
-- Dr. Bob Rush
Oh Rootie! With Little Richard's passing, that leaves Just
Jerry Lee Lewis and Don Everly among the living of the original Rock And Roll
Hall Of Fame class.
Jack
Kent:
After hearing that Little Richard died today at 87 from bone cancer,
I asked Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon if he had ever worked with him over the
years. Freddy said they shared a bill several times, but he remembered
one particular performance in Los Angeles . He wasn’t sure of the year,
but I’ll let Freddy pick up the story:
IT WAS A DICK CLARK SHOW AT THE HOLLYWOOD
PALLADIUM.
LITTLE RICHARD CAME ON STAGE TO CLOSE THE SHOW.
HE WAS OUTSTANDING ... HIM AND HIS BAND.
HE ROCKED THE PLACE. HE DID ONE HOUR.
WHEN HE ENDED HIS SHOW, HIS BAND LEFT THE STAGE
THEN HE DID ANOTHER HOUR, JUST HIM AND THE PIANO.
HE WAS EVEN GREATER WITHOUT HIS BAND!
HE SANG AND ROCKED EVEN HARDER.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS LEGEND IS THE REAL DEAL.
PLUS, HE WAS A VERY NICE MAN.
WE TALKED BACK STAGE … IT’S SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET!
RICHARD, YOU WERE THE BEST!!!!!
-- FREDDY “BOOM BOOM” CANNON
LITTLE RICHARD CAME ON STAGE TO CLOSE THE SHOW.
HE WAS OUTSTANDING ... HIM AND HIS BAND.
HE ROCKED THE PLACE. HE DID ONE HOUR.
WHEN HE ENDED HIS SHOW, HIS BAND LEFT THE STAGE
THEN HE DID ANOTHER HOUR, JUST HIM AND THE PIANO.
HE WAS EVEN GREATER WITHOUT HIS BAND!
HE SANG AND ROCKED EVEN HARDER.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THIS LEGEND IS THE REAL DEAL.
PLUS, HE WAS A VERY NICE MAN.
WE TALKED BACK STAGE … IT’S SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET!
RICHARD, YOU WERE THE BEST!!!!!
-- FREDDY “BOOM BOOM” CANNON
Freddy always has some terrific stories. He’s shared the stage
with so many members of rock royalty, including Chuck Berry, his
favorite.
On the radio side, I had the opportunity to work on some promotions
with Richard in the 80s. I found him to be much different off stage than
on. He was VERY personable and a great conversationalist. Rock and Roll
Heaven is getting crowded.
-- Tom Cuddy
New York , NY
Hi Kent ...
I heard that Little Richard passed today at 87.
Like Chuck Berry, he was an original icon pioneer for rock ‘n’ roll. He had talent. He was unique due to his flamboyancy. He was an inspiration for the Beatles, Prince and so many other bands. It's amazing to see what a wig and makeup can do. He sure looked different without it. But he was able to pull his act off for years upon years. I was glad to see on his last interview that he was proud of being a believer and his religious beliefs.
R.I.P. Little Richard.
Sandra Lorenz
I heard that Little Richard passed today at 87.
Like Chuck Berry, he was an original icon pioneer for rock ‘n’ roll. He had talent. He was unique due to his flamboyancy. He was an inspiration for the Beatles, Prince and so many other bands. It's amazing to see what a wig and makeup can do. He sure looked different without it. But he was able to pull his act off for years upon years. I was glad to see on his last interview that he was proud of being a believer and his religious beliefs.
R.I.P. Little Richard.
Sandra Lorenz
The music world just lost a legend - Sir Richard Penniman -
Little Richard. Many call him “the man who invented rock & roll.”
I was only four when I first heard Tutti Frutti dropping
down on my sister’s RCA 45 player by a Memphis cat named Elvis. Then I heard
Little Richard’s original and I started dancing madly on the front room carpet.
I didn’t know what I was feeling but I knew this was the real deal. This was
not scrubbed up manicured music. This was raw and visceral. My sisters knew the
difference and so did I. This was the gospel according to Richard. And when we
went to the Berwyn show to see “The Girl Can’t Help it” in his wild performance,
I saw the future.
A decade later, the Beatles saw it too and Paul’s “Long Tall
Sally” pretty much nailed it as well as any white kid from Liverpool could.
I only wish Little Richard earned a royalty every time the
Beatles shook their manes and shouted Woo!!
Rock in Eternal Peace.
Jimbo
Hi
Kent:
I'm
sure you already heard the sad news but here is what I found on Billboard and
Rolling Stone regarding the death of rock pioneer Little Richard:
Santi
Paradoa
Miami,
Florida
Both are VERY fitting tributes …
thanks for sending. (kk)
From FH Reader Clive Topol, New York
Times coverage …
Another very nice piece from The
Second Disc …
More …
From Geoff Lambert, a long-time Forgotten Hits Reader
in the UK …
The Georgia Peach, the Quasar of rock:
Little Richard, the
flamboyant father of rock ‘n’ roll whose Tutti Frutti changed the world of
music, died yesterday, the 9th of May, 2020, ironically sixty four years to the
day after he was in J & M studio in New Orleans and recorded two of his
best known numbers, Ready Teddy and Rip it Up, which was released on US
Speciality 579 in June. Musicians involved with him were Lee Allen on tenor sax,
Alvin Tyler on bass sax , Red Tyler on baritone sax, Edgar Blanchard on guitar,
Frank Field on bass and Earl Palmer on drums. The session was produced by Bumps
Blackwell.
Over the course of a career that veered
from down-and-dirty rock ‘n’ roll to raising the roof for Jesus and back again
more than once, singer, songwriter, and pianist Richard captivated audiences
and listeners with his wild performances and energetic recordings. His songs
are the essence of early rock ‘n’ roll.
Tracks like Good Golly Miss Molly and Lucille laid the ground work for
decades of music to come. Sadly, too many white acts took his numbers and had
hits with them.
The first version of one of his numbers I
heard was Tutti Frutti by Pat Boone on the “B” side of I’ll Be Home. It did
nothing to me and then I heard Richard’s version and went out and bought it. In
fact, it was the first ever 45 rpm single I bought! It was on Gold London, making it one of the
very first pressings as well.
When he first wrote Tutti Frutti, it was
far too sexually descriptively to be recorded, albeit he had been performing it
to adoring crowds in nightclubs, so when it came time for him to record it in
1955, it had to be toned down for a wider audience. This was accomplished with
the help of co-writer Dorothy LaBostrie, who sanitized Tutti Frutti (but not as
much as Pat Boone did) after Richard read her the lyrics. The revised result
was more nonsensical than suggestive, but with Richard’s driving piano,
forceful vocals, and joyful shout of A-wop-bom-a-loo-mop-a-lop-bom-bom leading
the track it soared to number 2 on the US rhythm and blues chart but only
number 17 on the pop charts, held back by the hundreds of Pat Boone fans who,
being an established artist, stole the sales.
Not that Richard was too unhappy … at
least his music was being exposed and the writing royalties helped. But he did
resent the fact that mainstream radio snubbed him in favour of a white
performer’s watered-down, insipid interpretation of his music.
His response was to write a song so fast
and wild that, he thought, Boone couldn’t handle covering it. That song was
Long Tall Sally and Richard’s recording topped the R&B chart and
even cracked the US top ten pop chart. Boone did, in fact, record it, but
thankfully it was even more pathetically insipid than Tutti Frutti (if that is
possible) so it didn’t rise as high on the chart as Richard’s original did.
Fortunately, Boone didn’t try it again so Richard had the hits with Good Golly
Miss Molly and another sixteen singles before the fifties ended. Amongst them were Keep A-Knocking, Lucille,
She’s Got It, Jenny, Jenny, Miss Ann and Ooh, My Soul.
There had never been anything like him
before or since. He gave something to
Rock “n” Roll that nobody else ever did, be it his voice, his pompadour hair
and makeup, his strut or just his assault on the piano, He was truly one of a
kind.
When opening the Rock “n” Roll Hall of Fame,
it was easy to choose who should be inducted and he was one of the ten
inaugural inductees. More than any other performer, except for Elvis Presley
and Jerry Lee Lewis, he blew the lid off the fifties, laying the foundation for
rock and roll which would never die with his explosive music. Other honours
bestowed on him include a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, a Star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame, and inclusion on list after list of the all-time
greatest rock ‘n’ rollers. In 2010, Time magazine ranked his debut album Here’s
Little Richard second in its list of hundred greatest and most influential albums
of all time. Tutti Frutti is widely cited as one of rock’s most influential
recordings, and is preserved in the US Library of Congress recording registry.
He also appeared in many of the early rock “n” roll films of the fifties, like
Rock Around The Clock, Don’t Knock The Rock and the best one of the era, The Girl
Can’t Help It.
As he toured the US, he bought black and
white audiences together in a still deeply segregated country. His concerts
were among the first to attract racially diverse crowds. He was briefly married
to Ernestine Campbell in the fifties and sixties, during which time he adopted a
son, Danny Jones. Danny survives him. He was born Richard Wayne Penniman in
Macon, Georgia on the 5th of December, 1932 and not as we were told back in the
fifties, December the 25th.
-
Geoff Lambert
And FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent us this
list of accolades from Ultimate Classic Rock and a variety of other sources …
"It
is with a heavy heart that I ask for prayers for the family of my lifelong
friend and fellow rocker ‘Little Richard.’ He will live on always in my heart
with his amazing talent and his friendship! He was one of a kind and I will
miss him dearly. God bless his family and fans. Rest in peace, my friend.
Love eternally,
Jerry Lee Lewis"
Writing in his high school yearbook, Bob Dylan described his life’s ambition as:
"To join Little Richard."
A comment from Bob after hearing of Little Richard’s death …
“I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved. He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do. I played some shows with him in Europe in the early nineties and got to hang out in his dressing room a lot. He was always generous, kind and humble. And still dynamite as a performer and a musician and you could still learn plenty from him. In his presence he was always the same Little Richard that I first heard and was awed by growing up and I always was the same little boy. Of course, he’ll live forever. But it’s like a part of your life is gone.” – Bob Dylan
Love eternally,
Jerry Lee Lewis"
Writing in his high school yearbook, Bob Dylan described his life’s ambition as:
"To join Little Richard."
A comment from Bob after hearing of Little Richard’s death …
“I just heard the news about Little Richard and I’m so grieved. He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was only a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do. I played some shows with him in Europe in the early nineties and got to hang out in his dressing room a lot. He was always generous, kind and humble. And still dynamite as a performer and a musician and you could still learn plenty from him. In his presence he was always the same Little Richard that I first heard and was awed by growing up and I always was the same little boy. Of course, he’ll live forever. But it’s like a part of your life is gone.” – Bob Dylan
During his induction speech into The
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, George Harrison explained The Beatles’ career by
singling out Little Richard by saying, “It’s all his fault, really.”
David Bowie once explained, "After hearing
Little Richard on record, I bought a saxophone and came into the music
business. Little Richard was my inspiration."
"Little Richard is one of the true founding
fathers of rock & roll and a huge influence and inspiration to every
musician I know, including me." — Joe
Walsh
"I could do Little Richard's voice, which is a
wild, hoarse, screaming thing, it's like an out-of-body experience. You have to
leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing
it. You have to actually go outside yourself ... A lot of people were fans of
Little Richard so I used to sing his stuff, but there came a point when I
wanted one of my own, so I wrote 'I'm Down.'
From ‘Tutti Frutti’ to ‘Long Tall Sally’
to ‘Good Golly, Miss Molly’ to ‘Lucille’, Little Richard came screaming into my
life when I was a teenager. I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his
style; and he knew it. He would say, “I taught Paul everything he knows.” I had to admit he was right. In the early
days of The Beatles, we played with Richard in Hamburg and got to know him. He
would let us hang out in his dressing room and we were witness to his pre-show
rituals, with his head under a towel over a bowl of steaming hot water he would
suddenly lift his head up to the mirror and say, “I can’t help it ‘cos I’m so
beautiful”. And he was. A great man with a lovely sense of humour and someone
who will be missed by the rock and roll community and many more. I thank him
for all he taught me and the kindness he showed by letting me be his friend.
Goodbye Richard and a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop.’ — Paul McCartney
"Little Richard is a great originator. He was
right there at the start, a thrilling performer." — Chuck
Berry
I’m very sorry to
hear about Little Richard. He was there at the beginning and showed us all how
to rock and roll. He was a such a talent and will be missed. Little Richard’s
music will last forever. Love & Mercy. – Brian Wilson
"The first rock 'n' roll record I listened to was 'The Girl Can't Help It,' by Little Richard." — Rod Stewart
"Elvis [Presley] inspired my sideburns,
but Little Richard inspired me for vocals. He had the purest, most joyous rock
’n’ roll voice." — Lemmy
"When I was a kid, my aunt brought round an old
record player she didn't want and there were some 45 singles in there and they
were by Bill Haley & The Comets, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. And the
first song that really hit me was the Little Richard one — it was 'Good Golly,
Miss Molly.' As a kid, I didn't know what it was — I'd never heard that kind of
music before, it was just electric, it was instant, just his voice. ... It's a
great song, it's the roots of rock 'n' roll, it's where everything comes
from." — Rob
Halford
"The first Little Richard song I heard was
‘Tutti Frutti.' No, it was the one from the movie The Girl Can’t Help It.
Little Richard was doing rhythm and blues, but with horns. It was different
than Elvis Presley, and so I preferred it. Why would you like Elvis if you had
the real stuff?" — Van
Morrison
"When I heard his voice, I was knocked out. I just
love the way Little Richard sings. ... Here’s Little Richard is where
the whole thing started. It’s chock full of great songs, and even as young as I
was when I first heard it, I said, ‘Fuck man, this is the shit!’ I think I
probably dug it out of my sister’s record collection. It was one of those
moments when you put something on and you just go nuts. There’s never been
anything like Little Richard." — Sammy Hagar
"I had heard so much about the audience reaction
that I thought there must be some exaggeration. But it was all true. He drove
the whole house into a complete frenzy. There's no single phrase to describe
his hold on the audience. I couldn't believe the power of Little Richard on
stage. He was amazing. Chuck Berry is my favorite, along with Bo (Diddley), but
nobody could beat Little Richard's stage act. Little Richard is the originator
and my first idol. I’m so saddened to hear about the passing of Little
Richard. He was the biggest inspiration
of my early teens and his music still has the same raw electric energy when you
play it now as it did when it first shot through the music scene in the mid
50’s. When we were on tour with him I
would watch his moves every night and learn from him how to entertain and
involve the audience and he was always so generous with advice to me.” — Mick Jagger
"The most exciting moment of my life was
appearing on the same stage as Little Richard." — Keith
Richards
"I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard
does with his voice." — Jimi
Hendrix
"When I was in high school I wanted to be like
Little Richard." — Paul Simon
"Little Richard's records were the best Rock 'n'
Roll records. When I saw Little Richard standing on top of the
piano, all lights, sequins and energy, I decided there and then that I was
going to be a rock ‘n’ roll piano player.
Without
a doubt – musically, vocally and visually – he was my biggest influence. Seeing
him live in my teens was the most exciting event in my life at that point.
Goosebumps, electricity and joy came from every pore. His records still sound fresh and the opening
few seconds of “Tutti Frutti” are the most explosive in music history. I was
lucky enough to work with him for my “Duets” album in 1993. He was shy and
funny and I was SO nervous. The
track we recorded, “The Power,” is a favourite in my catalogue. We also played
live at the Beverly Hilton and I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven. He
influenced so many and is irreplaceable. A true legend, icon and a force of
nature. #RIP Little Richard Love, Elton x”
—
Elton John
"There would have been no Deep Purple if there had been no
Little Richard." — Jon Lord
Dion DiMucci remembers his friend, Little Richard …
“Little Richard ~
my inspiration!!! A first generation rock ‘n’ roll original!!! But most of all
a dear friend for over 60 years. Eternal rest my friend.”
Much more here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dion-dimucci-tribute-996906/
Much more here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dion-dimucci-tribute-996906/
"RIP Little Richard, a very sad loss. My thoughts are with his loved ones. It’s Little Richard’s songs that pioneered
rock ’n’ roll. I got to hear him and his band at the Newport Lounge in Miami
and boy were they good." – Jimmy Page
"Huge influence and inspiration on
how I started projecting my voice. Huge.
Still astonishes me when I hear him sing." – David Coverdale / Whitesnake
"He was the king. The wildest, most
outlandish, sexiest rocker to ever strut his stuff has left us. He laid the
groundwork of all that was to come, rocked the world, cast the spell, had us in
a trance. He scared the parents, inspired the rockers, and radiated an infinite
source of light, straight from the divine source. He was himself. R.I.P. Little Richard." -- Flea
"I had the chance to ask some of my
heroes to record with me. I reached out
to the legends’ legend, Little Richard ... and he accepted. When he arrived in
the studio, he made all of us feel like little kids. He played, he sang, he
laughed and told us stories. He blessed us with his smile and with his talents.
I’ll never forget him ... pray there’s a heaven and that Richard is at the
piano." – Jon Bon Jovi
"RIP Little Richard. The man who
invented It. Elvis Presley popularized
it ... Chuck Berry was the storyteller. Richard embodied the spirit of rock n'
roll. Maureen and I were so honored being the first marriage he conducted*.
We're lucky to know him. He lives forever in the Underground Garage." –
Steven Van Zandt
(*Little Richard officiated Little
Steven’s wedding!)
"I was once asked, 'If you could meet one person, who would it be?' I always said Little Richard. Because, to me, he was rock'n'roll’s most joyous, rebellious innovator. Thank you for planting that seed, Richard. The world is a much happier place thanks to ur music." -- The Foo Fighters
"I shall miss him, God bless Little Richard ~ rest in peace." -- Ronnie Wood
"A true icon is gone! With his screaming voice and crazy tunes like Lucille and Tutti Frutti" he inspired not only legends but also some young kids in postwar West Germany who many years later became the Scorpions. RIP Little Ricard Rock on in Heaven." --The Scorpions
"Richard was Unruly. He was dangerous. He wasn’t cleaned up & repackaged. He was prepared to shock and scandalise, without flinching. He was tormented by what he was capable of. He set the table for all the tortured geniuses to follow. Or fall. Unapologetically." -- Vernon Reid
"Tutti Frutti exploded when I was eight years old, awakening a positive anarchy in a little girl’s heart. Nothing was the same after hearing his exciting and excitable voice. In 1955 we were stomping in our Buster Brown shoes, and the name of the energy was Little Richard! Farewell voice of an age; he commingles with the firmament now." -- Patti Smith
"RIP Little Richard. Thank you for the amazing inspiration. Good Golly Miss Molly is probably one of the best vocal performances in rock and roll ever. Nobody could sing like him." -- Bryan Adams
"Little Richard was a performer so riveting, so extraordinary, that Jimi Hendrix was his sideman and James Brown his opening act. Thank you for everything. Thank you for rock'n'roll." -- Tom Morello
"So sad to hear the news about Little Richard. He was a real pioneer and one of the greatest voices in rock'n'roll. I remember when they asked me if I was ok with Richard singing Shakedown on the Academy Awards since I wasn't available - are you kidding? I was thrilled and he killed it!" -- Bob Seger
"Little Richard was one of the original rock'n'rollers. He was the original glam rocker, and he took a lot of abuse for being in the first wave. He forged a path for all of us who followed." -- Joan Jett
"Dear Little Richard, thank you. RIP” -- Iggy Pop
"Sadly, Little Richard passed away today. A founding father of rock'n'roll his contributions simply can’t be overstated. I had the honour of meeting Richard in his later years and was awed by his presence. He told me, 'I am the architect of rock'n'roll.' Amen! Rest In Peace." -- Gene Simmons
"Little Richard was a cornerstone in the very foundation of rock'n'roll. An icon. A songwriter and performer with a personality to match. RIP superstar." -- Paul Stanley
"Little Richard stopped playing, looked at me and said 'Don’t be shy now. You wanna sit next to Little Richard while he plays Tutti Frutti?' I said 'Yes sir. I do.' And I did. And it was mind boggling. Like swimming in a fountain of joy. Thank you, sir. Rest In Peace." -- Brad Whitford
"So sad Little Richard passed away. He married my husband and I. He was really one of the truly great rock'n'roll singers and one of the rock'n'roll pioneers. He will be missed." -- Cyndi Lauper
"Little Richard changed everything for me. When he came over the airwaves the world was never the same." -- Robbie Robertson
"God bless Little Richard. He started a lot of us out. By listening and watching... thank you. Your passion lives on." -- Richie Sambora
"'Wasn’t I wonderful?!' — Little Richard, after telling him I loved his show when I met him in the ‘90s. Yes. Yes, you were. Long live Little Richard!" -- Jeff Tweedy
"Little Richard had quite a few great Muscle Shoals musicians in his band for a long time. Those guys were my heroes, and I felt so proud when I saw Richard in concert with my friends backing him up. The father and true king of rock and roll, if you ask me." -- Jason Isbell
"I believe everyone working in rock'n' roll owes this man Little Richard buttloads - no other way around it... he gave us the go." -- Mike Watt
"I interviewed Little Richard some years ago he was awesome. There hasn’t been anything close to his volcanic explosion of talent into forming Rock and Roll in the 1950s." -- Chuck D
"News of Little Richard passing is fuckin' depressing. I don’t know what else to say." -- Laura Jane Grace
"Sing in peace Little Richard. Bless you! No one had a greater hand in creating rock'n'roll, the sacred weapon that continues to heal our troubled world. Eternal love and thanks." -- Nils Lofgren
FH Reader Frank B. (by way of Wild Wayne by way of Kenny Vance) sent us this great poster of a show Jay and the Americans did with Little Richard back in 1965. Check out this line up … and the ticket prices!!! (kk)
"I was once asked, 'If you could meet one person, who would it be?' I always said Little Richard. Because, to me, he was rock'n'roll’s most joyous, rebellious innovator. Thank you for planting that seed, Richard. The world is a much happier place thanks to ur music." -- The Foo Fighters
"I shall miss him, God bless Little Richard ~ rest in peace." -- Ronnie Wood
"A true icon is gone! With his screaming voice and crazy tunes like Lucille and Tutti Frutti" he inspired not only legends but also some young kids in postwar West Germany who many years later became the Scorpions. RIP Little Ricard Rock on in Heaven." --The Scorpions
"Richard was Unruly. He was dangerous. He wasn’t cleaned up & repackaged. He was prepared to shock and scandalise, without flinching. He was tormented by what he was capable of. He set the table for all the tortured geniuses to follow. Or fall. Unapologetically." -- Vernon Reid
"Tutti Frutti exploded when I was eight years old, awakening a positive anarchy in a little girl’s heart. Nothing was the same after hearing his exciting and excitable voice. In 1955 we were stomping in our Buster Brown shoes, and the name of the energy was Little Richard! Farewell voice of an age; he commingles with the firmament now." -- Patti Smith
"RIP Little Richard. Thank you for the amazing inspiration. Good Golly Miss Molly is probably one of the best vocal performances in rock and roll ever. Nobody could sing like him." -- Bryan Adams
"Little Richard was a performer so riveting, so extraordinary, that Jimi Hendrix was his sideman and James Brown his opening act. Thank you for everything. Thank you for rock'n'roll." -- Tom Morello
"So sad to hear the news about Little Richard. He was a real pioneer and one of the greatest voices in rock'n'roll. I remember when they asked me if I was ok with Richard singing Shakedown on the Academy Awards since I wasn't available - are you kidding? I was thrilled and he killed it!" -- Bob Seger
"Little Richard was one of the original rock'n'rollers. He was the original glam rocker, and he took a lot of abuse for being in the first wave. He forged a path for all of us who followed." -- Joan Jett
"Dear Little Richard, thank you. RIP” -- Iggy Pop
"Sadly, Little Richard passed away today. A founding father of rock'n'roll his contributions simply can’t be overstated. I had the honour of meeting Richard in his later years and was awed by his presence. He told me, 'I am the architect of rock'n'roll.' Amen! Rest In Peace." -- Gene Simmons
"Little Richard was a cornerstone in the very foundation of rock'n'roll. An icon. A songwriter and performer with a personality to match. RIP superstar." -- Paul Stanley
"Little Richard stopped playing, looked at me and said 'Don’t be shy now. You wanna sit next to Little Richard while he plays Tutti Frutti?' I said 'Yes sir. I do.' And I did. And it was mind boggling. Like swimming in a fountain of joy. Thank you, sir. Rest In Peace." -- Brad Whitford
"So sad Little Richard passed away. He married my husband and I. He was really one of the truly great rock'n'roll singers and one of the rock'n'roll pioneers. He will be missed." -- Cyndi Lauper
"Little Richard changed everything for me. When he came over the airwaves the world was never the same." -- Robbie Robertson
"God bless Little Richard. He started a lot of us out. By listening and watching... thank you. Your passion lives on." -- Richie Sambora
"'Wasn’t I wonderful?!' — Little Richard, after telling him I loved his show when I met him in the ‘90s. Yes. Yes, you were. Long live Little Richard!" -- Jeff Tweedy
"Little Richard had quite a few great Muscle Shoals musicians in his band for a long time. Those guys were my heroes, and I felt so proud when I saw Richard in concert with my friends backing him up. The father and true king of rock and roll, if you ask me." -- Jason Isbell
"I believe everyone working in rock'n' roll owes this man Little Richard buttloads - no other way around it... he gave us the go." -- Mike Watt
"I interviewed Little Richard some years ago he was awesome. There hasn’t been anything close to his volcanic explosion of talent into forming Rock and Roll in the 1950s." -- Chuck D
"News of Little Richard passing is fuckin' depressing. I don’t know what else to say." -- Laura Jane Grace
"Sing in peace Little Richard. Bless you! No one had a greater hand in creating rock'n'roll, the sacred weapon that continues to heal our troubled world. Eternal love and thanks." -- Nils Lofgren
FH Reader Frank B. (by way of Wild Wayne by way of Kenny Vance) sent us this great poster of a show Jay and the Americans did with Little Richard back in 1965. Check out this line up … and the ticket prices!!! (kk)
And this one’s fun
…
Little Richard Never Won a Grammy, But He
Brought Down the House at the 1988 Grammy Awards
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9374831/little-richard-1988-grammys-best-new-artist-rant
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame salutes Little Richard … part of the inaugural Class of 1986 …
https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/little-richard
The risqué song about sex and dancing helped Richard land performing slots in clubs, and later established him as a certified hitmaker. The track also earned him his first career Billboard chart entry in 1955, debuting at No. 12 on the Best Sellers in Stores chart that November and later reaching No. 17 on the Most Played in Juke Boxes tally in 1956.
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9374831/little-richard-1988-grammys-best-new-artist-rant
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame salutes Little Richard … part of the inaugural Class of 1986 …
https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/little-richard
I
thought this was pretty cool …
Billboard
Magazine ran a copy of their original review of Little Richard’s first single, “Tutti-Frutti”
from 1956 ….
Their
commentary goes on to say:
There
wasn't much else like "Tutti Frutti" when Little Richard premiered the song in 1955. (Their review appeared in the issue dated
October 29th, 1955)The risqué song about sex and dancing helped Richard land performing slots in clubs, and later established him as a certified hitmaker. The track also earned him his first career Billboard chart entry in 1955, debuting at No. 12 on the Best Sellers in Stores chart that November and later reaching No. 17 on the Most Played in Juke Boxes tally in 1956.
More
Billboard Chart History here …
(You’ll
find OUR Little Richard Hit List below)
More …
THE LITTLE RICHARD HIT
LIST:
1956 – Tutti Frutti (#10 Pop / #2
R&B)
1956 – Long Tall Sally (#5 Pop / #1 R&B)
1956 – Slippin’ And Slidin’ (#33 Pop / #2 R&B)
1956 – Rip It Up (#17 Pop / #1 R&B)
1956 – Ready Teddy (#28 Pop / #8 R&B)
1956 – Heeby-Jeebies (#50 Pop / #7 R&B)
1956- She’s Got It (#xx Pop / #9 R&B)
1957 – The Girl Can’t Help It (#49
Pop / #7 R&B)
1957 – All Around The World (#xx Pop / #13 R&B)
1957 – Lucille (#21 Pop / #1
R&B)
1957 – Send Me Some Lovin’ (#54 Pop / #3 R&B)
1957 – Jenny, Jenny (#10 Pop / #2 R&B)
1957 – Miss Ann (#56 Pop / #6 R&B)
1957 – Keep A-Knockin’ (#8 Pop / #2 R&B)
1958 – Good Golly Miss Molly (#10 Pop / #4 R&B
1958 – Ooh! My Soul (#31 Pop / #15 R&B)
1958 – Baby Face (#41 Pop / #12
R&B)
1964 – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’
On (#xx Pop / #42 R&B)
1965 - Don’t Know What You’ve Got, But It’s Got
Me (#xx Pop / #12 R&B)
1966 – Poor Dog (#xx Pop / #41 R&B)
1970 – Freedom Blues (#47 Pop / #28 R&B)
1988 – Great Gosh A’Mighty (#42 Pop
/ # R&B)
Other Favorites: Happy Endings (Little Richard with The Beach
Boys)
Itsy Bitsy Spider / I Feel Pretty /
Casper The Friendly Ghost
The Career-Defining Playlist ...
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1dm5Oz4GdF72gBJbXFp04f?utm_campaign=Marketing&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=87744983&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_G4OygBDZDtQIYInrnznW1yOhN4O6ZnSnQF6gEE9ZLGS87dlRd-euk3C15nkjuLZMeyaTXlwDHIAEb2ZsHya-9-BwNwg&_hsmi=87744983
The Career-Defining Playlist ...
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1dm5Oz4GdF72gBJbXFp04f?utm_campaign=Marketing&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=87744983&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_G4OygBDZDtQIYInrnznW1yOhN4O6ZnSnQF6gEE9ZLGS87dlRd-euk3C15nkjuLZMeyaTXlwDHIAEb2ZsHya-9-BwNwg&_hsmi=87744983
Here are some EXCLUSIVE pix of Little Richard performing at B.B. King’s during his final performance there on June 14th, 2012.
Photos used by permission of the
Photographer Stuart Hersh …
It seems like everywhere we turned
last Friday we were hit with memories of The Beatles’ “Let It Be” album on the
50th anniversary of its original release.
The Beatles Channel was saluting the
album all day along (although I’ve got to be honest with you … when you’re
hearing the same song for the third and even fourth time in the span of
three-to-four hours, it IS a bit much.
Let’s face it, the final LP only had twelve tracks on it to begin
with!!! And even when you through in
“Don’t Let Me Down” (which they did … ALSO three times in four hours) from the
same session , it still ran rather thin.
Perhaps things were simply less
exciting this time around since a deluxe anniversary box set hadn’t been
released (as originally planned) in time to coincide with the original release
date. (The last three years have brought
us the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Reissues of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band, “ “The Beatles / White Album” and “Abbey Road” … but “Let It
Be” wasn’t given the full-blown fanfare that these other anniversary releases
received.)
I have to believe that this is
largely because the NEW Peter Jackson film won’t hit theaters until September 4th
… assuming, of course, that people can actually GO to theaters again on September
4th … and they’re trying not to take away any thunder from this
event.) Now back to it’s original title,
“Get Back,” this will show a completely new edit of the film, put together by
Jackson from literally HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of hours of unused footage from
the first time around.
A newly cleaned up version of the
original film is also due to be released later this year … along with a new
coffee table book and, hopefully, a deluxe CD box set featuring much of the
other material The Fabs performed during their studio warm-ups each day before
settling in to their new recordings.
Much was said about whether or not
“Let It Be” was a worthy swansong for the group. Of course, by now we all know that “Abbey
Road” was actually recorded AFTER the “Let It Be” sessions … and comes across
as FAR more fitting of a band trying to go out on an ultimate high note. Much of that mental image has been
compromised by fans knowing that these recordings sat dormant for over a year,
indicating that even The Beatles themselves had given up on them. But is that really fair? “Let It Be,” “The Long And Winding Road” and
“Across The Universe” remain some of the group’s most-revered work.
For me, I found the final release a
bit disappointing only because I had become familiar with all of these tracks
over the course of the previous year due to all the bootleg albums that had
become available. (Personally, I heard
better versions of “Dig A Pony” and “For You Blue” on some of these bootlegs
than the ones ultimately released by the band.
And all of these recordings that had been circulating for the better
part of a year were also free of any Phil Spector enhancements … so I tend to
agree with Paul on this one that the whole original concept of the group
“getting back” to its roots without all the studio wizardry and overdubbing
that had become the norm since “Rubber Soul” was COMPLETELY lost due to the
heavy hand Spector applied to the project once he got involved.
Still, some interesting food for
thought … both pro and con …
And you’ll find BOTH opinions in
some of the links provided below …
Beatlefest
Founder Mark Lapidos shared some of his “Let It Be” memories with his readers
on Friday …
Dear Fellow Beatles Fans,
Yes, The Beatles’ final album of new music was released exactly 50 years ago today, May 8, 1970. I looked at Billboard's Top 200 that week and it has to be one of the most fertile weeks EVER in Rock music history.
Here are the LPs on just the Top 60 that week:
Yes, The Beatles’ final album of new music was released exactly 50 years ago today, May 8, 1970. I looked at Billboard's Top 200 that week and it has to be one of the most fertile weeks EVER in Rock music history.
Here are the LPs on just the Top 60 that week:
(Titles only - look up the artists if you don't know them - pretty
sure 1st generation fans will know just about every one of these).
The Top 6 were Bridge
Over Trouble Water, Deju Vu, Hey Jude, Santana, Chicago II, Easy Rider, then
Led Zeppelin II, McCartney, Band of Gypsys, Abbey Road, Willy & the Poor
Boys, Ladies of the Canyon, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, Live Cream, Hair,
Joe Cocker, Blood Sweat & Tears, Let It Bleed, Sweet Baby James,
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Live Peace in Toronto, Moondance, To Our Children's
Children's Children, Leon Russell.
Those are 24 of the Top 60 that week! If that wasn't enough, another
legendary album was released just days after Let
It Be, and ended up following The Beatles into the Number One slot.
It was the Woodstock
Soundtrack (an event I attended all three days!).
When Let it Be
first came out, it was being compared it to Abbey
Road. Yeah, comparing it to Abbey
Road, one of the greatest albums ever made BY ANYONE, can be
difficult. But, with three huge, timeless #1 songs - Get Back, Let It Be, Long and
Winding Road, and other classics like Across the Universe, Two of Us,
and For You Blue,
plus the rest, this album also stands on a mountain of greatness!!! The Beatles
wanted to have a rough live sound to this album and they achieved that on some
of the tracks.
It was turbulent times as well. The Vietnam War was in full swing with anti-war demonstrations going on all over the country. None were more shocking than at Kent State University in Ohio, on May 4th, just four days before the release of Let It Be. Four students were gunned down on campus that day and began the slow five year slide till the war finally ended. Ohio by CSNY was written and released instantly and was all over the airwaves that year.
It was turbulent times as well. The Vietnam War was in full swing with anti-war demonstrations going on all over the country. None were more shocking than at Kent State University in Ohio, on May 4th, just four days before the release of Let It Be. Four students were gunned down on campus that day and began the slow five year slide till the war finally ended. Ohio by CSNY was written and released instantly and was all over the airwaves that year.
The Let It Be
Movie was also released that month and I was so knocked out by the film, that I
sat through it twice! Through the eyes of a 22 year old, I saw the joy in that
film and the love John, Paul, George & Ringo had for each other, especially
when they were playing and creating music. I think the stressful scenes were
few and far between. They were brothers and sometimes brothers fight!! It was
nothing unusual to me (I have an older brother!). The amazing closing
Rooftop Concert Live was the icing on the cake.
At that moment in time, most fans didn't think this was the end of the band. Yes, volumes have been written about this subject, but, for me personally, it wasn't until December 31.1970, when Paul was sort of forced to sue his three bandmates for dissolution. I would love to hear from first generation fans on what you thought of the film if you saw it when it came out and your thoughts about the breakup at that time. Younger fans are also welcome to voice any other opinions of the album and/or film.
A completely new film, Get Back, put together by Peter Jackson from over 55 hours of footage from January, 1969, is set for release on September 4th. There will also be home releases of audio and video packages yet to be announced by Apple. Today on The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM, there are a couple of Let It Be Specials. One is with Paul. We don't know if it is new or not, but it certainly could be!!!
Please stay safe.
Peace and Love,
Mark
At that moment in time, most fans didn't think this was the end of the band. Yes, volumes have been written about this subject, but, for me personally, it wasn't until December 31.1970, when Paul was sort of forced to sue his three bandmates for dissolution. I would love to hear from first generation fans on what you thought of the film if you saw it when it came out and your thoughts about the breakup at that time. Younger fans are also welcome to voice any other opinions of the album and/or film.
A completely new film, Get Back, put together by Peter Jackson from over 55 hours of footage from January, 1969, is set for release on September 4th. There will also be home releases of audio and video packages yet to be announced by Apple. Today on The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM, there are a couple of Let It Be Specials. One is with Paul. We don't know if it is new or not, but it certainly could be!!!
Please stay safe.
Peace and Love,
Mark
Incredible
to think that as “Let It Be” was being first released, their albums “Hey Jude”
and “Abbey Road” were both still in The Top 24 … and solo releases like Paul’s
“McCartney” and John’s “Live Peace In Toronto” were also on the charts.
I
remember going to the Chicago Premier of the “Let It Be” film on May 22nd,
1970 … the theater was PACKED!!! (A
bunch of us went to the brand new United Artists Theatre in Oak Brook, IL,
where all of the ushers wore tuxedos that night. We sat there mesmerized, watching The Beatles
on the big screen creating their latest masterpiece.) Again, it was kinda weird for me … the
so-called “new” tracks were all relatively familiar to me (other than “I, Me,
Mine,” which hadn’t made any of the bootlegs in my collection) … and I had NO
idea that they jammed that much during their warm-up time in the studio. (I remember me and my buddy Mike talking
about it afterwards … with so many of their OWN songs to choose from, why were
they reaching back to their Hamburg Days and playing these chestnuts from the
‘50’s???) I guess it’s because these are
the songs that taught them how to be a band … a shared experience of a very
special time in their lives BEFORE the mania.
(Like they say, be careful what you wish for! Bigger than Elvis??? You got it!)
Being
practical and analytical even back then, I couldn’t help but notice that there
really wasn’t a lot in the way of “new” material.
“Get
Back” and “Don’t Let Me Down” were already over a year old, released the
previous May as a single … and “Across The Universe” dated back even further
than that as a track they donated to the World Wildlife Album in 1968. My band was already performing “Let It Be”
before it was officially released to the world, having learned it off the
bootlegs. It almost felt in a way that
Spector just sort of scraped together the best of what was left lying around
and then over-produced the hell out of it in an effort to make it sound like
more than it really was. But some of
that is also 20/20 hindsight.
I can
easily go back and forth between the commercially released album and “Let It Be
… Naked” … but, as stated earlier, there are still a few tracks I prefer even
more as created in other takes. Still, I
can’t wait to see what Peter Jackson has done with all this new, unseen
footage. And yes, I fully intend to re-buy
ALL of it again, once these new releases finally see the light of day.
But then
we’re out of vintage material … between these recent anniversary reissues and
the three Anthology 2-CD sets, I don’t know that there’s ANYTHING left in the
vaults (goldmines) worth hearing … and fear that if they continue to scrape the
bottom of the barrel, it will only prove to be a disservice to the magic these
guys created in the first place. (I’ve
always been of the opinion that if they didn’t want it out before, there HAD to
be a reason for this decision.)
But
does that mean “Let It Be” wraps things up once and for all?
I
doubt it. “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver”
never got the deluxe box set treatment … and surely there are all kinds of
other live, unlistenable concert tapes floating around. But for me, I can embrace closure with this
final release. (I’ll let the two little devil / angel conscience guys on my
shoulders duke out the rest as to whether any more money leaves my wallet or
not!!!) kk
From
Ultimate Classic Rock …
How
Phil Spector Turned The Beatles’ Get Back Into Let It Be:
Did
The Beatles Let Us Down With Let It Be?
How
The Beatles Repurposed The Cover Art For The Proposed “Get Back” Album …
From noted Beatles Author Garry
Berman …
Hi Kent:
Having been born in 1961,
and becoming a Beatles fan in 1964, I actually remember, as a 9-year-old,
begging my parents to take me to see "Let It Be" at the movie theatre
when it was first released. Actually, I didn't really need to "beg",
as they were Beatles fans anyway!
My father had an 8-track
tape (!) of the album, which we always listened to in his car -- along with his
"Magical Mystery Tour" and "Abbey Road" 8-tracks. So, I am
indeed old enough (for better or worse) to have first-hand memories of that
time in the twilight of the Beatles’ career.
With my brother taking a
year in college to study in London in 1969-70, my family visited him in April
of '70, and I remember walking down the streets of the city on constant
look-out for any Beatle who might be passing by. Alas, I saw none.
I must add that one of my
biggest pet peeves is reading or hearing of "Let It Be" referred to
as "the last Beatles album" or their "swan song." Oh, boy,
does that tick me off! Of course it was the last album to be released, but the
unfortunate order of the releases of "Abbey Road" and "Let It
Be" leaves many people, to this day, assuming that the Beatles broke up under
the depressing circumstances of "Let It Be", when the entire project --
intended to show them rehearsing new songs for a TV special) began and ended
within only a month's time -- and, contrary to popular belief, there were, in
fact, many light and enjoyable moments among the group even then.
They ultimately shelved
that project, the TV special idea was abandoned, and they went on to create
"Abbey Road," which many fans consider their best album, even
arguably the best rock album ever recorded.
I've railed on about this
many times, so I'll leave it at that for now, before I get too carried away
again about the mis-understood chain of events surrounding the creation of the
two albums.
Now, I need to have a
lie-down, due to the realization that I'm recalling events that happened FIFTY
years ago!
Thanks again so much for
thinking of me!
--Garry Berman
Because "Let It Be" followed "Abbey Road" in chronological release, it has often been viewed as a bit of a let down ... a pale comparison to The Beatles' TRUE swan song.
"Let It Be" fulfilled its purpose ... the whole idea was for the band to "get back" to the basics of recording ... no studio tricks or gimmickry ... just the four guys playing together with minimum overdubs and (save Billy Preston, who George Harrison invited in to help SAVE the band!), no outside musicians.
Phil Spector blew that whole idea out of the water the minute he got hold of the master tapes.
But imagine if things had taken their original course ... instead of focusing on how pale "Let It Be" seemed in comparison to the masterpiece of "Abbey Road," imagine for a moment just how much stronger "Abbey Road" would have seemed had it followed "Let It Be" (or "Get Back" at the time) as originally intended. History would have been rewritten for all time ... NO finer finale could ever have been staged ... and The Beatles would go out on top as the greatest recording act that ever existed. (They also would have received additional props for, as Kenny Rogers might say, knowing when to fold 'em.)
But guess what ...
Even with "Let It Be" bringing down the final curtain, The Beatles are STILL regarded as the greatest recording band there's ever been. If "Let It Be" in ANY diminished their street cred, you sure can't prove it fifty years later where EVERYTHING Beatles still turns to gold ... or platinum.
Unfortunately, we can never know for sure ... but much as The White Album was a departure to feature the individual members of the band in a much more relaxed mode ... especially after all of the hoopla caused by "Sgt. Pepper" ... "Let It Be" as the next LP with a return to their roots followed by their crowning achievement sure paints a different picture of The Beatles' last "year in the life." (kk)
Because "Let It Be" followed "Abbey Road" in chronological release, it has often been viewed as a bit of a let down ... a pale comparison to The Beatles' TRUE swan song.
"Let It Be" fulfilled its purpose ... the whole idea was for the band to "get back" to the basics of recording ... no studio tricks or gimmickry ... just the four guys playing together with minimum overdubs and (save Billy Preston, who George Harrison invited in to help SAVE the band!), no outside musicians.
Phil Spector blew that whole idea out of the water the minute he got hold of the master tapes.
But imagine if things had taken their original course ... instead of focusing on how pale "Let It Be" seemed in comparison to the masterpiece of "Abbey Road," imagine for a moment just how much stronger "Abbey Road" would have seemed had it followed "Let It Be" (or "Get Back" at the time) as originally intended. History would have been rewritten for all time ... NO finer finale could ever have been staged ... and The Beatles would go out on top as the greatest recording act that ever existed. (They also would have received additional props for, as Kenny Rogers might say, knowing when to fold 'em.)
But guess what ...
Even with "Let It Be" bringing down the final curtain, The Beatles are STILL regarded as the greatest recording band there's ever been. If "Let It Be" in ANY diminished their street cred, you sure can't prove it fifty years later where EVERYTHING Beatles still turns to gold ... or platinum.
Unfortunately, we can never know for sure ... but much as The White Album was a departure to feature the individual members of the band in a much more relaxed mode ... especially after all of the hoopla caused by "Sgt. Pepper" ... "Let It Be" as the next LP with a return to their roots followed by their crowning achievement sure paints a different picture of The Beatles' last "year in the life." (kk)
