Little Richard Is Back, proclaimed the 1964 album by the Georgia Peach. In fact, after “going gospel” in 1960, he had returned to rock’n’roll two years later, touring internationally with a package tour promoted by emerging impresario Don Arden. Then Richard shared a bill at the Star Club in Hamburg with The Beatles, where his existing influence on the Liverpool group was further strengthened.
In 1963, Richard toured with the new Liverpool stars in the UK, then with the Everly Brothers, before starting a series of recording sessions for the Vee-Jay label in March of 1964. These would result in the Little Richard Is Back album, released that summer, and one of the first tracks cut for it gave him a minor chart entry on September 12, as he acknowledged a fellow rock’n’roll original.
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Richard’s version of Jerry Lee Lewis’ 1957 classic “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” didn’t make the US pop chart. However, its B-side, his reading of ”Goodnight Irene,” did bubble under the Hot 100, ranking as high as No.128. This was during the 14-month period in which Billboard did not publish an R&B chart, but “Whole Lotta Shakin’” did feature on rival trade publication Cashbox’s Top 50 In R&B Locations list, appearing for the first time on September 12 and reaching No.42.
A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
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The album, fully titled Little Richard Is Back (And There’s A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!), featured many other interpretations by Little Richard of established numbers. They were drawn both from the world of rock’n’roll (“Money Honey,” “Short Fat Fannie,” “Blueberry Hill”) and beyond (“Memories Are Made Of This”). The album didn’t make the chart, but soon Richard was re-recording his own vintage hits for Vee-Jay, for the 1965 album titled Little Richard’s Greatest Hits.
Buy or stream “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” on Little Richard Is Back.
