Long Tall Sally

The recording session took place on February 7, 1956, at J&M Studio in New Orleans,[10] owned by Cosimo Matassa on the corner of Rampart and Dumaine where Fats Domino and many other New Orleans luminaries recorded. "Long Tall Sally", as well as many other Little Richard sides, was also recorded there.

The music was a fast uptempo number with Little Richard's hammering, boogie piano. Richard plays staccato straight eighth notes while drummer Palmer plays a fast shuffle. The shuffle was the most common rhythm and blues beat; Richard added the straight eighth notes, much less common in that time, although now standard for rock music. Together this created an ambiguity in the ride rhythm—known to musicians as "playing in the crack" that came to characterize New Orleans (and also Chuck Berry) rock and roll. In typical Little Richard style, he sang in the key of F, in a raw, aggressive, exhilarating style with lyrics being about self-centered fun.[6]

Well, Long Tall Sally
She's built for speed
She's got everything that Uncle John needs

According to Chris Morris' liner notes to the 2017 reissue of Here's Little Richard:[10]

• Little Richard – vocals, piano
• Lee Allen – tenor saxophone
• Edgar Blanchard – guitar
• Frank Fields – double bass
• Earl Palmer – drums
• Alvin "Red" Tyler – baritone saxophone

The Kinks started performing in early 1963 under various names, including the Ravens which would be what they would be called for most of that year.[11][12] Their members at the time consisted of Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mickey Willet.[13] Looking to branch out, the Kinks sought out a manager, and after a few unsuccessful meetings, they met Larry Page, who promised the group a certain degree of fame.[14] Page introduced the Ravens to American record producer Shel Talmy along with the Beatles' promoter, Arthur Howes, who was their tour manager.[14] Talmy managed to secure the group a recording contract with Pye Records, who he previously had been collaborating with.[15] Shortly before signing, Willet left the group, upon which they hired drummer Mick Avory who had placed an ad in Melody Maker.[16]

Towards the end of 1963, the Ravens also decided to change their name, becoming the Kinks instead.[17] Unsure of what material they should record as their debut single, Howes suggested to Page that they should record "Long Tall Sally".[18] Howes had heard the Beatles perform the track in Paris on January 16 and noted the audience reaction, which was frantic and in a frenzy.[18] However, as the Beatles only performed the track live (and would not record it in the studio for another three months), Howes and Page both noted the commercial opportunity of putting the song on record before the Beatles had time to do so.[18][19] Page quickly instructed the band to learn the track and only four days later,[19] the group together with Talmy entered Pye Studios for the first time.[18] They recorded five songs that session; "Long Tall Sally", "I Took My Baby Home", "You Still Want Me", "You Do Something To Me" and "I Don't Need You Anymore.[20] Talmy was not too keen on Avory drumming, as he was new in the group, instead opting for session musician Bobby Graham.[20]

The Kinks' version was a modernized arrangement of the song, omitting the frantic piano found in the original, along with moving away from R&B towards a contemporary rock sound.[21] The rhythm of the Kinks rendition also changes, instead being more similar to Little Richard's later hit "Lucille".[19] Unlike other versions, it features a "wailing harmonica solo" played by Ray.[22] Rob Jovanovic writes that their arrangement is similar to the Beatles version, right down to a couple of phrasings in some verses.[20] However, Thomas Kitts states that the merseybeat rendition "zapped energy" from the record and that the Kinks "lacked the necessary fire or punch to conquer both Little Richard and Paul McCartney".[18] Kitts believes that Dave should have taken the lead vocals as his voice was more "gritty".[18]

The Kinks version would eventually be released through Pye Records on February 7, 1964, in the UK and later on Cameo Records in the US on April 1, 1964.[22][18][23] The B-side was the Ray Davies original "I Took My Baby Home", which was a "beat-driven rhythm and blues" number.[22] Though Page "aggressively" advertised and promoted "Long Tall Sally" in the media, it would fail to reach the Record Retailer charts.[18] It did, however, reach number 42 for a week in Melody Maker's Pop 30, giving the Kinks their first commercial success.[18][22] Following their breakthrough in America, "Long Tall Sally" managed to reach the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in January 1965, staying there for two weeks and peaking at number 129.[24]

In Disc magazine, Don Nicholl gave the single three out of five stars.[25] He writes that despite the Kinks "dress to fit the title", they play "in the most conventional rock fashion, I'm afraid".[25] He states that he prefers Little Richard's original and calls "I Took My Baby Home" a better song.[25] In Record Mirror, "Long Tall Sally" is described as "pounding stuff" and is considered a very commercial version of the song.[26]

According to band researcher Doug Hinman:[27]

The Kinks

• Ray Davies – lead vocal, rhythm guitar, harmonica
• Dave Davies – backing vocal, lead guitar
• Pete Quaife – backing vocal, bass

Additional musician

• Bobby Graham – drums

In addition to their studio recording of the song, the Beatles recorded "Long Tall Sally" for BBC radio broadcasts on seven occasions during 1963 and 1964.[34] Two of those versions have been officially released, on the compilation albums Live at the BBC (1994) and On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 (2013). In addition, a studio version, prerecorded specially from the 1964 television special Around the Beatles, was included on the Anthology 1 compilation (1995). The live album The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (1977) includes a 1964 concert recording of the song.

"Long Tall Sally" was the last song the Beatles performed live in front of a paying audience. It was a frequent set closer during their 1966 tour—which would turn out to be their last—and they used it to close out their final show at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966. The band asked their press officer, Tony Barrow, to make an audio tape recording of the concert for posterity. The recording has since circulated heavily among bootleggers, but the 30-minute tape ran out at the end of the second verse of "Long Tall Sally", meaning that the last moments of the Beatles' final live show are lost to history.[35]

According to Ian MacDonald,[29] except where noted:

The Beatles

• Paul McCartney – lead vocals, bass
• John Lennon – rhythm guitar, guitar solo (first)[36]
• George Harrison – lead guitar, guitar solo (second)[36]
• Ringo Starr – drums

Additional musician

• George Martin – piano