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‘Long Tall Sally’: Little Richard’s Long Tall Story And Rock‘n‘Roll Classic
Udiscovermusic ^ | February 27, 2024 | Paul Sexton

Posted on 02/27/2024 11:56:41 AM PST by nickcarraway

One of the great double-sided hits of the era paired ‘Long Tall Sally’ with ‘Slippin’ and Slidin.’’

Little Richard burst onto the emerging rock‘n’roll scene in the new year of 1956 with “Tutti-Frutti,” the American Top 20 hit that lit the fuse for an explosive follow-up. One of the great double-sided hits of the era, “Long Tall Sally,” backed with “Slippin’ and Slidin’ (Peepin’ and Hidin’),” was released on February 27 that year.

Like its predecessor, the Specialty 45 would end up in both the Grammy and Rock & Roll Halls Of Fame, and help spread the word about the unique entertainer we came to know as the Georgia Peach. Richard’s huge influence on The Beatles was due in no small part to this particular single, as they would demonstrate in later years.

The Beatles recorded “Long Tall Sally” as the lead track of their 1964 EP, and Paul McCartney performed it with his new group Wings on their 1972 UK college tour. The Liverpool idols also played “Slippin’ and Slidin’” during their “Get Back” rehearsals, and John Lennon chose the song to be part of his covers album Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1975 — not to mention that McCartney’s fondness for a falsetto vocal came directly from the one and only Mr. Penniman. Paul would later joke that Richard never let him forget it.

Both songs have been covered endlessly, “Long Tall Sally” also attracting versions by Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, the Kinks, Jerry Lee Lewis, and dozens of others. Aside from Lennon, “Slidin’” was done by Buddy Holly, Johnny Winter, and Otis Redding, to name only a few.

“Sally” went on to reach No.6 on the American chart, the highest ranking Little Richard ever achieved. “Slidin’” was so popular that it climbed to No.33 in its own right, as one of rock’n’roll’s true originals became a bigger star by the week. Both songs are on the deluxe edition of the unforgettable debut LP by the Georgia Peach, Here’s Little Richard.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: music; rock; rockandroll
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1 posted on 02/27/2024 11:56:41 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Good golly, that was a long time ago.


2 posted on 02/27/2024 11:58:30 AM PST by ComputerGuy (Heavily-medicated for your protection)
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To: nickcarraway

3 posted on 02/27/2024 11:59:19 AM PST by z3n (Kakistocracy)
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To: nickcarraway

Little Richard later came to Jesus and renounced his former homosexual and rock-and Roll life. Not bad. He also seemed to renounce his humor which I kind of missed.

But he’s in Heaven now, thank God.


4 posted on 02/27/2024 12:04:04 PM PST by Jim W N (MAGA by restoring the Gospel of the Grace of Christ (Jude 3) and our Free Constitutional Republic!)
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To: z3n

that’s a real nasty habit you got there


5 posted on 02/27/2024 12:04:09 PM PST by Jeff Vader ( )
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To: Jeff Vader

Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a sexual tyrannosaurus... just like me.


6 posted on 02/27/2024 12:08:23 PM PST by Lazamataz (Laz 2005: "First, we beat the Soviet Union. Then we became them.")
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To: nickcarraway
I used to wear a tie in the office on "Hawaiian shirt Friday's".

My response to "why" comes from Little Richard: "There's nothing wrong with a man wanting to look a little pretty once in a while"....

7 posted on 02/27/2024 12:13:15 PM PST by Psalm 73 ("You'll never hear surf music again" - J. Hendrix)
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To: nickcarraway

I has Tutti-Fruiti on 45....................


8 posted on 02/27/2024 12:13:26 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: nickcarraway

Wife and I saw Little Richard nearly 20 years ago in Smyrna GA, (ATL burbs). The very nice outdoor venue featured covered seating, and had a lawn area at reduced prices. The covered seating was only half full, and those on the lawn were invited down to fill the rest of the seats.

It was kind of depressing that a Georgia native son and a true musical genius didn’t sell out, but Little Richard put on a hell of a show. He could flat out play the piano, and nearly beat it to pieces. People climbed up and were dancing onstage and LR was waving for more to come up.

No lip-synching, no auto-tune mics, LR just rocked out well into the night. Wife and I were lucky to have been there.


9 posted on 02/27/2024 12:28:59 PM PST by Roadrunner383 (m)
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To: nickcarraway
My favorite version, hands down!

Long, Tall Sally--Pat Boone (1956)

10 posted on 02/27/2024 12:31:18 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway
Follow the Rock--The Bay Bops (1958)

Duck back in the alley with Long Tall Sally;
Take her up on a mountain to a sudden valley.
Roll over Beethoven till your face turns blue,
Shake a hand, kiss Speedoo, with the blue suede shoes.
Make a flying saucer out of Maybelline.
That’s how you follow the rock.

11 posted on 02/27/2024 12:40:19 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: Fiji Hill

Speedo being a reference to The Cadillacs.


12 posted on 02/27/2024 12:42:27 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

But his real name is Mister Earl.


13 posted on 02/27/2024 12:43:19 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

Exactly. Michael Savage used to play that all the time. Maybe my favorite doo wop song.


14 posted on 02/27/2024 12:45:06 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Believe it Or Not--Don Covay (1958)

I turned right around and looked it right in the face.
The Purple People Eater was rocking the place.
Long Tall Sally was really having fun
Dong a real cool dance with the witch doctor’s son.
Old Rockin’ Robin was doing the Stroll
While cute Jenny Lee hollered, “oh, my soul!”

15 posted on 02/27/2024 12:50:08 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway

One of McCartney’s best-ever vocals.


16 posted on 02/27/2024 12:57:48 PM PST by daler
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To: Fiji Hill
I've never hear these two songs you excerpted that mention other songs, but I've heard Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and a few times I've heard Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me) by Reunion a few times.
17 posted on 02/27/2024 1:02:21 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

I have found at least 25 references to popular songs in the lyrics of “Follow the Rock”:
1. Long Tall Sally—Pat Boone
2. Up on the Mountain—The Magnificents
3. Suddenly, There’s a Valley—Cogi Grant
4. Roll Over Beethoven—The Four Chaps
5. Shake a Hand—Faye Adams
6. Speedo—the Cadillacs
7. Blue Suede Shoes—Carl Perkins
8. The Flying Saucer—Buchanan & Goodman
9. Maybelline—Chuck Berry
10. Rock Around the Clock—Bill Haley & the Comets
11. My Boy Flat Top—Dorothy Collins
12. Band of Gold—Don Cherry
13. Stranded in the Jungle—The Cadets
14. Fools Fall in Love—The Drifters
15. 1,000 Miles Away—The Heartbeats
16. Blueberry Hill—Fats Domino
17. Rock and Roll Waltz—Kay Starr
18. Why, Baby, Why?—Pat Boone
19. All Shook Up—Elvis Presley
20. Pledging my Love—Johnny Ace
21. Party Doll—Buddy Knox
22. 99 Ways—Tab Hunter
23. Teenage Crush—Tommy Sands
24. Marianne—Terry Gilkyson & the Easy Riders
25. Don’t Be Cruel—Elvis Presley


18 posted on 02/27/2024 1:03:58 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: nickcarraway

I prefer the version of Long Tall Sally that was done by Cactus. Guitar player Jim McCarthy, bassist Tim Bogert, singer Rusty Day, drummer Carmine Appice.
Pounding and Explosive!!


19 posted on 02/27/2024 2:17:37 PM PST by Honest Nigerian
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To: Honest Nigerian
I was gonna post that but you beat me to it. That's the best one for me too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfe_Xh8m1Nw

20 posted on 02/27/2024 2:58:37 PM PST by Musket (It's very simple:<i>your quoted text pasted here</i><p> produces Quoted Italic with paragraph break)
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