The lead guitarist on the track was Johnny Meeks, who had replaced Cliff Gallup. The song has a great rockabilly vibe to it…from this came rock but it’s hard to top this.
In August 1957, a year after he had scored a million-seller with his debut single, Be-Bop-A-Lula Gene Vincent returned to the U.S. Top 20 with Lotta Lovin’ which, briefly restored his career here that was all too ready to overlook him.
‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’ had propelled Vincent into the limelight while he was still an amateur with only a few hometown appearances to his name. Years later, he blamed his quick baptism of fire for his rapid descent into alcohol.
What didn’t help was the car accident he had on April 16, 1960…with Eddie Cochran in a taxi which killed Cochran. Vincent whose leg was weak due to a wound incurred in combat in Korea…was injured. He walked with a noticeable limp for the rest of his life.
In 1962 he was in Hamburg and played on the same bill as the Beatles. The Beatles got pretty close to him.
Lotta Lovin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta lovin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta huggin’
So baby can’t you see that you were meant for me
I want your lovin’, yes-a-ree.
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta huggin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta kissin’
So baby please proceed to get the love I need
I want your lovin’ yes indeed.
Well, I want you, I love you, I need you so much
Why don’t you give out with that magic touch
You send me, you thrill me, baby you’re so fine
I want your lovin’ baby all the time.
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta lovin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta kissin’
So baby don’t forget I gonna get you yet
I want your lovin’, aw you bet. (Rock)
Well, I want you, I love you, I need you so much
Why don’t you give out with that magic touch
You send me, you thrill me, baby you’re so fine
I want your lovin’ baby all the time
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta lovin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta-lotta huggin’
So baby don’t forget I gonna get you yet
I want your lovin’, aw you bet. (Rock)
Well I wanna-wanna lotta lovin’
Well I wanna-wanna lotta huggin’
So baby don’t forget I gonna get you yet
I want your lovin’, aw you bet
Well,I need your lovin’, aw you bet
Well, I want your lovin’, aw you bet
Well,I need your lovin’, aw you bet
Well, I want your lovin’, aw you bet.
…
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Such a great era of music, Max….thanks for ending the week on the up!
eden
Thanks Eden…I love this stuff…so down to earth.
This one doesn’t sound familiar to me, so it’s nice to hear a ‘new’ one. It transports the listener to that era perfectly.
One of those big early names that doesn’t get mentioned much… maybe not as much as it should.
Be-Bop-A-Lula and Lotta Lovin’ bring back a lotta memories! They got me jumping up and down as a kid!
They done their job then! I love this stuff Bruce. Uncomplicated and it gets to the point.
Indeed!
“Rock”. Great stuff Max. Keep the fire burning for this music. It’s way to good to be forgotten. I think Gene was in a lot of pain after the accident. Maybe a little self medication with the booze. Who can blame him
(I had to drop by to see what you were up to. What a treat)
I appreciate it man…just finished a Blasters post. Ever since finding Joyce Allen and our talks I’ve been digging out some rockabilly.
After reading what George Harrison said about him…I can’t blame him at all. He was in a lot of pain constantly. I didn’t know about his prior injury…that added to it. He is one that did it for a reason.
No problem. Look forward to the Blasters take. Yeah Joyce sent us on a run. I’ll be listening to Gene all day for sure.
I think he had a good days and bad days like anyone with those kinds of injury’s. You can see it in some of the old clips. He’s hurting. Max ever see the bath scene in Quadrophenia where Jimmy meets his old school mate in the bath house? It’s very cool.
I’ve been finding some rockabilly I never heard a lot of…I’ve never dived into Wanda Jackson properly before… until now.
You brought back some memories with that scene…it’s been a long time and I need to correct that. I do remember one of them singing Vincent and the other singing something else trying to drown the other out.
Be Bop A Lula and You Really Got Me. Mods and Rockers both listened to good music. Can you picture George Harrison as a Rocker?
Go Wanda go!
His hero was Carl Perkins…that is who George idolized.
Loving some Wanda….
YES….You Really Got Me…I need to re-watch that movie soon.
CB I’m declaring it a Rock a Billy weekend…that is what I’m going to listen to and post. It lifts me up.
I’m already into the weekend heavy with GV. Jerry Lee is on deck. Perkins in the hole.
I’m with ya dude!
I was listening to some Gene Vincent earlier. The Be-Bop-A-Lula compilation (basically Bluejean Bop! and Gene & His Blue Caps albums plus extras). As you would expect, this is on there. Great tune. I’ve only recently been getting into this stuff… pure gold.
Vincent was an interesting guy with some bad breaks.
Yes I’ve dived into it. This weekend I have two more rockabilly recordings coming…it’s cool to hear those roots.
I will be writing about Be-Bop-A-Lula next Friday. I really love this music
Oh cool…yea this is rockabilly weekend for me…I’m having two more coming up.
He needed a lotta more love. How depressed, felt alone and abandoned Gene Vincent was at the end of his life you can see in the documentary “The Rock and Roll Singer”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSDSand-6IY
You could see it in his eyes…I saw this around a year ago and it is heartbreaking. The man was never fully appreciated but more after he died.
That’s how it is, if Gene Vincent would have lived a few years longer, he would witnessed the rockabilly revival.