Little Richard discography
This page is a discography for American musician Little Richard (1932–2020). Described as "the architect of rock and roll", Little Richard was a pioneering singer-songwriter whose career also encompassed rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel. He began his recording career in 1951, signing to RCA Victor, releasing his first singles, and his first album in 1957, although he released his last album in 1992, he continued to tour into the 21st century. He attained international success after signing with Specialty Records in 1955.
| Little Richard discography | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio albums | 19 |
| Live albums | 3 |
| Compilation albums | 36 |
| Singles | 77 |
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US [1] | ||
| Here's Little Richard | 13 | |
| Little Richard |
|
76 |
| The Fabulous Little Richard |
|
— |
| Pray Along with Little Richard, Volume 1 |
|
— |
| Pray Along with Little Richard (Vol 2) |
|
— |
| The King of the Gospel Singers | — | |
| Little Richard Is Back (And There's A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!) |
|
136 |
| Little Richard's Greatest Hits |
|
— |
| The Explosive Little Richard |
|
— |
| The Rill Thing |
|
— |
| The King of Rock and Roll |
|
193 |
| The Second Coming |
|
— |
| Right Now! |
|
— |
| Little Richard Live |
|
— |
| God's Beautiful City |
|
— |
| Lifetime Friend |
|
— |
| Shake It All About |
|
— |
| Little Richard Meets Masayoshi Takanaka |
|
— |
| Southern Child |
|
— |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart position | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [1] |
US R&B [4] | ||||
| The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live! |
|
— | — | ||
| Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live! |
|
184 | 29 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
Compilation albums
- 1958 Little Richard (with Buck Ram and his Rock 'n Ram Orchestra)
- 1960: Little Richard Sings: Clap Your Hands (Spinorama M119)
- 1963: Sings Spirituals
- 1963: His Biggest Hits (Specialty SP-2111)
- 1964: Sings the Gospel
- 1968: The Wild and Frantic Little Richard
- 1967: Rock N Roll Forever
- 1968: Little Richard's Grooviest 17 Original Hits (Specialty)
- 1968: Forever Yours (Roulette)
- 1969: Good Golly Miss Molly
- 1969: Little Richard
- 1970: Every Hour with Little Richard
- 1970: Rock Hard Rock Heavy
- 1970: Little Richard
- 1970: Well Alright!
- 1971: Mr. Big
- 1972: The Original
- 1972: Friends from the Beginning – Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix
- 1972: Super Hits (Trip; gatefold)
- 1973: Rip It Up
- 1974: Recorded Live
- 1974: Talkin' 'bout Soul
- 1975: Keep a Knockin'
- 1976: Sings
- 1977: Now
- 1977: 22 Original Hits (Warwick)
- 1983: 20 Greatest Hits (Lotus)
- 1984: Little Richard's Greatest (Kent)
- 1985: 18 Greatest Hits (Rhino)
- 1985: The Essential Little Richard (Specialty)
- 1988: Lucille
- 1991: The Georgia Peach
- 1996: Shag on Down by the Union Hall Featuring Shea Sandlin & Richard "The Sex" Hounsome
- 1996: Little Richard's Grand Slam Hits (DIMI Music Group)
- 2006: Here Comes Little Richard/Little Richard
- 2008: The Very Best of Little Richard
- 2016: California (I'm Comin')
Label overviews
- 1989: The Specialty Sessions (Ace, UK, 6CD; truncated 3CD version released in US on Specialty)
- 1996: The Second Coming (Charly; also released as Dancin' All Around the World - The Complete Vee-Jay Recordings; all previously released, missing alternate take of "I Don't Know What You've Got", and other unreleased material)
- 2004: Get Down With It: The Complete Okeh Sessions (all studio; Columbia)
- 2005: King Of Rock and Roll: The Complete Reprise Sessions (Rhino Handmade)
- 2005: Get Rich Quick – Birth of a Legend, 1951–1954 (RCA Victor, Peacock, Republic; Rev-Ola)
- 2015: Directly from My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years (Concord Music Group)
Singles
| Date | Side | Title | Label Cat. no. |
Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [5] |
US R&B [6] |
US AC | UK [7] | |||||
| Nov. 1951 |
A | "Taxi Blues" | RCA Victor 20/47-4392 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Every Hour" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1952 |
A | "Get Rich Quick" | RCA Victor 20/47-4582 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Thinkin' 'Bout My Mother" | – | – | – | – | |||
| May 1952 |
A | "Ain't Nothin' Happenin'" | RCA Victor 20/47-4772 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Why Did You Leave Me" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Nov. 1952 |
A | "Please Have Mercy on Me" | RCA Victor 20/47-5025 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "I Brought It All on Myself" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1953 |
A | "Ain't That Good News" (credit: Duces of Rhythm and Tempo Toppers, lead Little Richard) |
Peacock 1616 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Fool at the Wheel" (credit: Duces of Rhythm and Tempo Toppers, lead Little Richard) |
– | – | – | – | |||
| March 1954 |
A | "Always" (credit: Tempo Toppers feat. Little Richard) |
Peacock 5-1628 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Rice, Red Beans and Turnip Greens" (credit: Tempo Toppers feat. Little Richard) |
– | – | – | – | |||
| Oct. 1955 |
A | "Tutti Frutti" | Specialty 561 |
18 | 2 | – | 29 | Here's Little Richard |
| B | "I'm Just a Lonely Guy" (pre-overdub version) | – | – | – | – | The Fabulous Little Richard (with additional backup singer overdubs) | ||
| March 1956 |
A | "Long Tall Sally" | Specialty 572 |
6 | 1 | – | 3 | Here's Little Richard |
| B | "Slippin' and Slidin'" | 33 | 2 | – | – | |||
| April 1956 |
A | "Little Richard's Boogie" (with Johnny Otis' band) |
Peacock 5-1658 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Directly from My Heart to You" (with Johnny Otis' band) |
– | – | – | – | N/A/re-recorded for The Fabulous Little Richard | ||
| June 1956 |
A | "Rip It Up" | Specialty 579 |
17 | 1 | – | 30 | Here's Little Richard |
| B | "Ready Teddy" | 44 | 8 | – | – | |||
| Oct. 1956 |
A | "Heeby-Jeebies" | Specialty 584 |
– | 7 | – | – | Little Richard |
| B | "She's Got It" | – | 9 | – | 15 | Here's Little Richard | ||
| Dec. 1956 |
A | "The Girl Can't Help It" | Specialty 591 |
49 | 7 | – | 9 | Little Richard |
| B | "All Around the World" | – | 13 | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1957 |
A | "Lucille" | Specialty 598 |
21 | 1 | – | 10 | |
| B | "Send Me Some Lovin'" | 54 | 3 | – | – | |||
| June 1957 |
A | "Jenny, Jenny" | Specialty 606 |
10 | 2 | – | 11 | Here's Little Richard |
| B | "Miss Ann" | 56 | 6 | – | – | |||
| July 1957 |
A | "Maybe I'm Right" (with Johnny Otis' band) |
Peacock 1673 |
– | – | – | – | N/A/re-recorded for The Fabulous Little Richard |
| B | "I Love My Baby" (with Johnny Otis' band) |
– | – | – | – | N/A | ||
| Aug. 1957 |
A | "Keep A-Knockin'" | Specialty 611 |
8 | 2 | – | 21 | Little Richard |
| B | "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" | – | – | – | – | Here's Little Richard | ||
| Jan. 1958 |
A | "Good Golly, Miss Molly" | Specialty 624 |
10 | 4 | – | 8 | Little Richard |
| B | "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" | – | – | – | – | |||
| May 1958 |
A | "Ooh! My Soul" | Specialty 633 |
35 | 15 | – | 22 | |
| B | "True Fine Mama" | 68 | – | – | – | Here's Little Richard | ||
| July 1958 |
A | "Baby Face" | Specialty 645 |
41 | 12 | – | 2 | Little Richard |
| B | "I'll Never Let You Go (Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo)" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Nov. 1958 |
A | "She Knows How to Rock" | Specialty 652 |
– | – | – | – | The Fabulous Little Richard |
| B | "Early One Morning" | – | – | – | – | |||
| March 1959 |
A | "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" | Specialty 660 |
– | – | – | 17 | Little Richard |
| B | "Wonderin'" | – | – | – | – | The Fabulous Little Richard | ||
| April 1959 |
A | "Kansas City" | Specialty 664 |
95 | – | – | 26 | The Fabulous Little Richard |
| B | "Lonesome and Blue" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1959 |
A | "Shake a Hand" | Specialty 670 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "All Night Long" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Aug. 1959 |
A | "Whole Lotta Shakin'" | Specialty 680 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Maybe I'm Right" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Aug. 1959 |
A | "I Got It" (similar to “She's Got It") | Specialty 681 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Baby" | – | – | – | – | Here's Little Richard | ||
| Sep. 1959 |
A | "Save Me Lord" (aka “Certainly, Lord”) | End 1057 |
– | – | – | – | Pray Along with Little Richard (Vol 2) |
| B | "Troubles of the World" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Sep. 1959 |
A | "Milky White Way" | End 1058 |
– | – | – | – | Pray Along with Little Richard (Vol 1) |
| B | "I've Just Come from the Mountain" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1959 | A | "Directly from My Heart to You" (overdubbed ) | Specialty 686 |
– | – | – | – | The Fabulous Little Richard |
| B | "The Most I Can Offer" (overdubbed) | – | – | – | – | |||
| Sep. 1961 |
A | "He's Not Just a Soldier" | Mercury 71884 |
113 | – | – | – | The King of the Gospel Singers |
| B | "Joy Joy Joy" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Jan. 1962 |
A | "Ride On, King Jesus" | Mercury 71911 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Do You Care" | – | – | – | – | |||
| May 1962 |
A | "He Got What He Wanted (But He Lost What He Had)" | Mercury 71965 |
– | – | – | 38 | N/A |
| B | "Why Don't You Change Your Ways" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Dec. 1962 |
A | "I'm in Love Again" (credit: The World Famous Upsetters) |
Little Star 123 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Every Night About This Time" (credit: The World Famous Upsetters) |
– | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1963 |
A | "Crying in the Chapel" | Atlantic 2181 |
119 | – | – | – | |
| B | "Hole in the Wall" | – | – | – | – | |||
| May 1963 |
A | "Traveling Shoes" | Atlantic 2192 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "It Is No Secret" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Oct. 1963 |
A | "Milky White Way" | Coral 62366 |
– | – | – | – | Pray Along with Little Richard (Vol 1) |
| B | "Need Him" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1963 | A | "Valley of Tears" (credit: The World Famous Upsetters) |
Little Star 128 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Freedom Ride" (credit: The World Famous Upsetters) |
– | – | – | – | |||
| April 1964 |
A | "Bama Lama Bama Loo" | Specialty 692 |
82 | 82 | – | 20 | Well Alright! (overdubbed versions) |
| B | "Annie Is Back" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Aug. 1964 |
A | "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" | Vee Jay VJ 612 |
126 | 42 | – | – | Little Richard is Back (And There's a Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!) |
| B | "Goodnight Irene" | 128 | – | – | – | |||
| Nov. 1964 |
A | "Blueberry Hill" | Vee Jay VJ 625 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Cherry Red" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1965 |
A | "Cross Over" | Vee Jay VJ-652 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "It Ain't Whatcha Do (It's the Way How You Do It)" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1965 |
A | "Without Love" | Vee Jay VJ-665 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Dance What You Wanna" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Oct. 1965 |
A | "I Don't Know What You've Got But It's Got Me - Part I" (first version) | Vee Jay VJ-698 |
92 | 12 | – | – | |
| B | "I Don't Know What You've Got But It's Got Me - Part II" | – | 12 | – | – | |||
| Jan. 1966 |
A | "Holy Mackerel" | Modern 45xM 1018 |
– | – | – | – | The Wild and Frantic Little Richard |
| B | "Baby, Don't You Want a Man Like Me" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1966 |
A | "Do You Feel It (Part 1)" | Modern 45xM 1019 |
– | – | – | – | The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live!
overdubbed w/additional audience sounds |
| B | "Do You Feel It (Part 2)" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1966 |
A | "Poor Dog (Who Can't Wag His Own Tail)" | Okeh 4-7251 |
121 | 41 | – | – | The Explosive Little Richard |
| B | "Well" | – | – | – | – | |||
| July 1966 |
A | "Directly from My Heart" | Modern 45xM 1022 |
– | – | – | – | The Wild and Frantic Little Richard |
| B | "I'm Back" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Nov. 1966 |
A | "I Need Love" | Okeh 4-7262 |
– | – | – | – | The Explosive Little Richard |
| B | "The Commandments of Love" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Jan. 1967 |
A | "I Don't Want to Discuss It" | Okeh 4-7271 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Hurry Sundown" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1967 |
A | "Get Down with It" | Columbia (UK) DB 8116 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Rose Mary" | – | – | – | – | |||
| March 1967 |
A | "Don't Deceive Me" | Okeh 4-7278 |
– | – | – | – | The Explosive Little Richard |
| B | "Never Gonna Let You Go" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1967 |
A | "A Little Bit of Something (Beats a Whole Lot of Nothing)" | Okeh 4-7286 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Money" | – | – | – | – | The Explosive Little Richard | ||
| 1967 | A | "Bring It Back Home to Me" (variant of live recording ) | Modern 45xM 1030 |
– | – | – | – | The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live! |
| B | "Slippin' and Slidin'" (1964 recut) | – | – | – | – | N/A | ||
| Nov. 1967 |
A | "Baby What You Want Me to Do (Part 1)" | Modern 45xM 1043 |
– | – | – | – | The Wild and Frantic Little Richard |
| B | "Baby What You Want Me to Do (Part 2)" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Dec. 1967 |
A | "Try Some of Mine" | Brunswick 55362 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "She's Together" | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1968 |
A | "Baby, Don't You Tear My Clothes" | Brunswick 55377 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Stingy Jenny" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Sep. 1968 |
A | "Soul Train" | Brunswick 55386 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Can I Count on You" | – | – | – | – | |||
| March 1969 |
A | "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" | Okeh 4-7325 |
– | – | – | – | Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live! |
| B | "Lucille" | – | – | – | – | |||
| April 1970 |
A | "Bama Lama Bama Loo" (overdubbed) | Specialty 697[8] |
– | – | – | – | Well Alright! |
| B | "Keep A-Knockin'" (original version) | – | – | – | – | Little Richard | ||
| April 1970 |
A | "Freedom Blues" | Reprise 0907 |
47 | 28 | – | – | The Rill Thing |
| B | "Dew Drop Inn" | – | – | – | – | |||
| August 1970 |
A | "Greenwood, Mississippi" | Reprise 0942 |
85 | – | – | – | |
| B | "I Saw Her Standing There" (edited) | – | – | – | – | N/A | ||
| Nov. 1970 |
A | "Poor Boy Paul" | Specialty 699 |
– | – | – | – | Well Alright! |
| B | "Wonderin'" (first version) | – | – | – | – | |||
| March 1971 |
A | "Shake a Hand (If You Can)" (Re-recording from 1971) | Reprise 1005 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Somebody Saw You" | – | – | – | – | The Rill Thing | ||
| Oct. 1971 |
A | "Green Power" | Reprise 1043 |
– | – | – | – | The King of Rock and Roll |
| B | "Dancing in the Street" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Nov. 1972 |
A | "Mockingbird Sally" | Reprise REP 1130 |
– | – | – | – | The Second Coming |
| B | "Nuki Suki" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1972 | A | "Goodnight Irene" (reissue; with Jimi Hendrix [disputed]) |
ALA ALA-1175 |
– | – | – | – | Friends from the Beginning |
| B | "Why Don't You Love Me" (1971 recording; not with Hendrix) | – | – | – | – | |||
| May 1973 |
A | "Good Golly Miss Molly" (live) (Extended version) | Bell 2008 189 |
– | – | – | – | Let the Good Times Roll (soundtrack) |
| B | "Lucille" (live) | – | – | – | – | |||
| June 1973 |
A | "In the Middle of the Night" | Greene Mountain 413 |
– | 71 | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Where Will I Find a Place to Sleep This Evening" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Feb. 1973 | A | "In the Name" | Kent 4568 |
– | – | – | – | Right Now! |
| B | "Don't You Know I” | – | – | – | – | |||
| Oct. 1975 |
A | "Call My Name" | Manticore 7007 |
106 | – | – | – | N/A |
| B | "Steal Miss Liza" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1975 | A | "Try to Help Your Brother" | Mainstream 5572 |
– | – | – | – | |
| B | "Funk Proof" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1977 | A1 | "Good Golly Miss Molly" | Creole CR 140 |
– | – | – | 37 | Little Richard Live |
| A2 | "Rip It Up" | – | – | – | – | |||
| B | "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Sep. 1983 |
A | "Chicken Little Baby" | Specialty 734 |
– | – | – | – | The Fabulous Little Richard |
| B | "Oh Why" | – | – | – | – | Here's Little Richard | ||
| 1985 | A | "All Around the World" | Specialty 736 |
– | – | – | – | Little Richard |
| B | "Heeby-Jeebies-Love" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1986 | A | "Great Gosh A'Mighty! (It's a Matter of Time)" | MCA 52780 |
42 | – | – | 62 | Down and Out in Beverly Hills (soundtrack)/Lifetime Friend |
| 1986 | A | "Operator" | WEA YZ89 |
– | – | – | 67 | Lifetime Friend |
| B | "Big House Reunion" | – | – | – | – | |||
| Jan. 1987 |
A | "Somebody's Comin'" | WEA YZ98 |
– | – | – | 93 | |
| B | "One Ray of Sunshine" | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1987 | A | "Happy Endings" (with the Beach Boys) | Critique
7-99392 |
– | – | – | – | N/A |
| 1988 | A | "Twins" (from the original motion picture "Twins") (with Philip Bailey, 3:18) |
WTG 31-08492 |
– | – | – | 82 | |
| B | "Twins" (from the original motion picture "Twins") (with Philip Bailey, 3:57) |
– | – | – | 82 | |||
| "–" denotes releases that did not chart or was not released. | ||||||||
Billboard Year-End performances
| Year | Song | Year-End Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | "Long Tall Sally" | 45 |
Other appearances
| Year | Song | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Rock Island Line" | Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly | traditional song |
| 1991 | "Itsy Bitsy Spider" | For Our Children | |
| 1993 | "Roll Back the Rock (To the Dawn of Time)" | We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story soundtrack | Thomas Dolby song |
| 1994 | "Somethin' Else" | Rhythm, Country and Blues | Eddie Cochran cover with Tanya Tucker |
| 1996 | "I Feel Pretty" | The Songs of West Side Story | Marni Nixon cover |
| 2002 | "Get Rhythm" | Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash cover |
| 2008 | "I Ain't Never" | The Imus Ranch Record | Mel Tillis cover |
Guest appearances
| Year | Song | Album | Artist | Notes |
| 1970 | "Miss Ann" | To Bonnie from Delaney | Delaney & Bonnie and Friends |
|
| 1971 | "Money Is" and "Do It" | Dollars | Quincy Jones |
|
| 1972 | "He's Not Just a Soldier" | Over the Influence | Mylon LeFevre |
|
| 1975 | "Take It Like a Man" | Head On | Bachman-Turner Overdrive |
|
| 1989 | "When Love Comes to Town" (Live from the Kingdom Mix) | "When Loves Comes to Town" B-side | U2 with B.B. King |
|
| 1990 | "Elvis Is Dead" | Time's Up | Living Colour |
|
| 1990 | "You Really Got Me Now" | Blaze of Glory | Jon Bon Jovi |
|
| 1991 | "Voices That Care" | N/A | Voices That Care |
|
| 1993 | "The Power" | Duets | Elton John |
|
| 1996 | "Everybody's Got A Game" | Definition of Soul | Solomon Burke |
|
| 1997 | "Hold On to What You've Got" | Soul-Gasm | Jimmy Lewis |
|
| 1999 | "Keep a-Knockin'" | Why Do Fools Fall in Love soundtrack | Little Richard |
|
| 2006 | "I Saw Her Standing There" | Last Man Standing | Jerry Lee Lewis |
|
| 2012 | "But I Try" | Analog Man | Joe Walsh |
|
Recording sessions
1950s
The pre-Specialty sessions
RCA Victor sessions: WGST Studio, Atlanta, October 16, 1951, and January 12, 1952
Peacock sessions: Houston, February 25 and October 5, 1953
The Specialty sessions
Little Richard recorded a demonstration tape for Specialty at WBML Studio, Macon, on February 9, 1955. He recorded for Specialty for two years, from September 13, 1955, to October 18, 1957.
When Richard abdicated from rock 'n' roll in late 1957, Specialty was forced to go back to earlier, less rock-oriented recordings they had rejected initially to make future releases. In an effort to make these recordings sound "current", they added a female chorus (and in at least one instance, extra instrumentation) to the basic track.
The Goldner sessions
Several religious tracks were recorded in the summer of 1959 in New York City and released by different labels owned by (or associated with) record industry mogul George Goldner (End, Goldisc, Coral, Spin O Rama, etc.). Three record labels with access to the "dirgelike" tracks later overdubbed drums and other percussion to fill out the sound.
1960s
The Little Star sessions
Little Richard recorded six rhythm and blues songs, three Fats Domino vocals and three instrumentals, backed by his 1950s band, the Upsetters, on November 24, 1962, in New York. Two singles were released by Little Star under the name "The World Famous Upsetters".
The Mercury sessions
Little Richard was working for Mercury from June 1961 to March 1962. These recordings have been produced by Quincy Jones and Bumps Blackwell. It appears a second Mercury album was planned but shelved. Richard reached the charts with two single releases.
The Atlantic sessions
The recordings made for Atlantic from June 14, 1962, to April 2, 1963, continue Richard's commitment to religious material. "Crying in the Chapel" was a regional USA hit.
The return to Specialty
In the wake of the "British Invasion" and following a successful tour of England, Richard collected his current guitarist (Glen Willings), the drummer from his New Orleans sessions (Earl Palmer), and old labelmates Don and Dewey and returned to Specialty to start his comeback.
He recorded five tracks (including "Well Alright" and "Bama Lama Bama Loo") in two sessions in March and April 1964. A single was released at the time, and four of the songs were eventually released, with additional overdubs, on the 1970 compilation Well Alright!.
The Vee Jay sessions
Charles White wrote in 1984 that "even with access to the Vee Jay files, information is a bit uncertain in some areas... Of most importance to latter-day rock fans are the cuts that Jimi Hendrix played on, as a member of Richard's touring band. We have singled out those tracks we are relatively sure have Hendrix involvement, although he may have appeared on others."[9]
Little Richard was recording for Vee Jay from June 1964 to at least May–June 1965 (Vee Jay Executive Betty Chiapetta reported in 1982, that Richard recorded several instrumentals for the label). According to Charles White, Jimi Hendrix was playing guitar at least on the first session including such tracks as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", "Hound Dog", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "Money Honey", "Goodnight Irene" and others, released on the album Little Richard Is Back. Hendrix played on at least nine tracks on the second LR Vee Jay album of '50s remakes. Among the notable Richard-Hendrix songs were "I Don't Know What You've Got (But It's Got Me)", a soul hit in late 1965, and "Dancing All Around the World" (aka "Dance a Go Go"), and "You'd Better Stop", recorded in New York City May or June, '65.
The Modern sessions
Little Richard was recording for the Modern Records label from December 1965 to January 1966.
The Modern recordings are demos, studio warm-ups, tapes supplied by Richard, and actual Modern sessions. Two albums were issued; all tracks of the first one, The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live!, have an overdubbed audience to enhance a live shows done at The Domino, a club in Atlanta, Georgia, December 1, 1965.
There are at least six tracks still unreleased (including “Try Me”, "I Got a Woman", "Good-Bye So Long" [aka "Goodbye Baby"], "Satisfaction", "Baby Face", "High Heel Sneakers"). Two songs are leftovers from Vee Jay Records, an extended version of "Groovy Little Suzy" and a studio version of "Slippin' and Slidin'", both from August 1964. It appears that a third, "Do the Jerk" [aka "Get Down With It"], was recorded in November 1964 in Nashville with Jimi Hendrix.
The Okeh sessions
A contemporary mix of pop, jazz, and soul studio tracks and a charting, in-studio-with-audience live set highlight Richard's Okeh period from February 5, 1966, to May 17, 1967 at Hollywood and (in December 1966) at Abbey Road Studios. Penniman's long-time friend, musician Larry Williams produced the pair of albums.
The Brunswick sessions
Richard recorded six tracks for Brunswick in 1967–68. Three singles have been released.
Later years
The Reprise sessions
The Reprise era was the commercial peak of Richard's comeback, highlighted by numerous television talk show appearances. The sessions took place from March 11, 1970, to April 1972. (Reprise files mention a 1969 session in Los Angeles, for Blackwell Productions; no song titles available). Sessions yielded two hit singles and one hit album. Some tracks from April 1971 first appeared under alternate titles for the Ala label.
Miscellaneous sessions
Little Richard recorded three tracks for the film Let the Good Times Roll circa late 1972, for United Records in January 1973, and for other labels in 1973–75. He re-recorded his mid-50s and mid-60s Specialty hits for K-tel in 1976. In 1979, Koala Records issued what sounds like an early 1970s performance. In 1979, he recorded the gospel album God's Beautiful City, issued by Word Records. In 1985 and 1986, he recorded the album Lifetime Friend, issued by Warner Bros.
References
- "Little Richard Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- Inc, Nielsen Business Media (November 27, 1961). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - Inc, Nielsen Business Media (January 23, 1965). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - "Little Richard Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- "Little Richard Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- "Little Richard Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 324. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "Little Richard - Bama-Lama Bama-Loo". Discogs. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- White, Charles (1994). The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Quasar of Rock. Da Capo Press. p. 245. ISBN 0-306-80552-9.
External links
- Little Richard discography discography at Discogs