Little Richard (1932-2020) – Rip It Up

Little Richard passed away yesterday at 87 years old…he was one of the last fifties pioneers left. His influence passed through generations from Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, to Lemmy from Motorhead.

I’ve read interviews from so many artists saying how he influenced them. Bob Dylan started on Little Richard in Minnesota as a teenager and I’ve read where Lemmy was a giant fan. Richard touched many generations.

My dad told me about Little Richard before I ever heard him. He said he had the biggest voice he ever heard. He talked about a song called Long Tall Sally. I first heard it…it blew me away. Such a raw emotional power in that voice. He would take us to the edge of the cliff and then at the last minute pull us back.

His voice was one of a kind…and I mean one of a kind. He could sing anything.

Bob Dylan: 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.

Keith Richards: So sad to hear that my old friend Little Richard has passed. There will never be another!!! He was the true spirit of Rock’n Roll!

Rip It Up

A songwriter named Johnny Marascalco wrote this song, which was released as Little Richard’s third single. Marascalco while he was sitting in a cotton field waiting for a friend to get out of church so they could hunt rabbits. A later weekend, he heard Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally” and decided that he could write similar songs.

Little Richard’s producer Bumps Blackwell (who has a co-writing credit on this one as well) bought both “Rip It Up” and another Marascalco song, “Ready Teddy,” which was released as the B-side of the single. The two songs were recorded at J&M Studios in New Orleans on May 9, 1956.

The song peaked at #1 in the R&B Charts, #27 in the Billboard Charts, #30 in the UK, and #30 in Canada in 1956.

 

Rip It Up

‘Cause it’s Saturday night and I just got paid
Fool about my money don’t try to save
My heart says go, go
Have a time ’cause it’s Saturday night
And I’m feelin’ fine

I’m gonna rock it up
I’m gonna rip it up
I’m gonna shake it up
I’m gonna ball it up
I’m gonna ride it out
And ball tonight

I got a date and I won’t be late
Pick her up in my ’88’
Shag it on down to the union hall
When the music starts jumpin’
I’ll have a ball

I’m gonna rock it up
I’m gonna rip it up
I’m gonna shake it up
I’m gonna ball it up
I’m gonna ride it out
And ball tonight

Along about 10 I’ll be flying high
Rocking on out into the sky
I don’t care if I spend my gold
‘Cause tonight I’m gonna be one happy soul

I’m gonna rock it up
I’m gonna rip it up
I’m gonna shake it up
I’m gonna ball it up
I’m gonna ride it out
And ball tonight, aw

Well it’s Saturday night and I just got paid
Fool about my money don’t try to save
My heart says go, go
Have a time ’cause it’s Saturday night
And I’m feelin’ fine

I’m gonna rock it up
I’m gonna rip it up
I’m gonna shake it up
I’m gonna ball it up
I’m gonna ride it out
And ball tonight

Along about 10 I’ll be flying high
Rocking on out into the sky
I don’t care if I spend my gold
‘Cause tonight I’m gonna be one happy soul

I’m gonna rock it up
I’m gonna rip it up
I’m gonna shake it up
I’m gonna ball it up
I’m gonna ride it out
And ball tonight

 

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

49 thoughts on “Little Richard (1932-2020) – Rip It Up”

  2. Have you seen any comment from Sir Paul on Richard’s passing? He even had a big influence on some outside of music- was there ever anyone in music more braggadocious that Richard? You listen to Richard and you can’t help but think of the great Ali.

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    1. No I haven’t yet…I looked for it yesterday when I wrote this but I saw nothing at that time….I just found one from a few hours ago… I agree with the Ali comparison. None of the others talked like he did… Here’s the Paul quote

      “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’.”

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      2. I was looking yesterday and was dissappointed I didn’t have a quote from him… They go togther to me.
        I learned about Little Richard through my dad but I appreciated him through Paul and The Beatles.
        The Ali comparison is perfect Hans. He was Ali before Ali.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Richard was a rock and roll original. The greatest of all shock rockers and unlike many that followed he was real- not a put on act.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Yes it flowed naturally. A good example of it is the Hail Hail Rock and Roll doc about Chuck Berry. Chuck, Bo Diddley and Richard are in a room…Chuck and Bo talk but Richard….Preaches.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Richard and Ali were remarkably similar -they could go on forever without stopping to take a breath!

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  6. I was surprised to find he was still alive, but he will definitely be missed. One of the inaugaral inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and rightly so.

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  7. I watched an interview with him from the 70s today. Even just speaking the guy was outrageous and OTT… a true rock star. Then when he started singing and pounding the piano… Like he said: Ooh, my soul!

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    1. If he would have been born later…he would have been fronting a hard rock band…man his vocals were intense.
      His entire personaility was Rock n Roll I agree.

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  9. Little Richard really was unique in many ways. While when listening to a playlist you realize that his songs are a bit repetitive, it’s just infectious music that makes you want to groove along, just like Chuck Berry.

    You simply can’t sit still! Richard’s intensity, the screaming, the lyrics – a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-wop-bam-boom! Ready, Teddy…These lines are just brilliant!

    Richard’s music grabs you! He also had great backing musicians on many of his hits, especially the horn section.

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    1. He made the songs with his intensity. They were simple in nature but he made them come alive and they still sound so damn raw and exciting today.

      On Youtube there is a 70s UK concert with Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis…it’s great. Richard is wearing a jacket with mirror like pieces on it. If you get a chance watch it.

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      2. Yes it’s been a while back. It’s sad…Lewis is it…Domino, Berry, Cash, Perkins, Orbison etc are gone…
        We are left with Lewis and …..Boone

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      6. Yea…Checker was important I give him that. The other ones…they were crooners but…don’t get me wrong…I’m glad they are still alive.

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      10. Yes! I saw him with Bad Company. I remember “If You Need Somebody”… He was a good singer and they had success with him… that song and Holy Water

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      13. Speaking of heart problems, of the 50s singers, Bobby Darin died at 37. He’d had Rheumatic Fever is a kid and it damaged his heart. While he was singing, he had to have artificial valves put in, in 1971. He went to a dentist, went septic, had to have further surgery and died in recovery without waking up. 12-20-1973. He died one month after Alan Watts (philosopher).

        Liked by 1 person

      14. He sang Mack the Knife right? Back then the operations had to be painful…much more than today. That is terrible the way it happened.

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      15. Yep.

        I have a maternal uncle that had Rheumatic Fever. It damaged his heart but, it was mild. He can’t be around cigarette smoke. Same uncle that I said looked like McCartney when he was younger…

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      16. Jen’s dad I believe had something called rubella fever when he was a kid and it damaged his heart. The doctors didn’t find out until later.

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      17. Rubella is German measles. Unless his mother had it and he got CRS in utero prior to 20 weeks, rubella doesn’t damage hearts, even in children.

        Honestly, it sounds like her dad had the same thing. What year was he born?

        Liked by 1 person

      18. I need to ask Jennifer…I went by my memory…what’s left of it.
        She is taking a nap… I know what it is!!!! Scarlet Fever…I’m almost 100 percent positive.

        He was around 59 when he passed in 2004

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