Little Richard – Why Don’t You Change Your Ways

I posted this song to show the other side of Little Richard. Some people just know him as the screamer and rocker. This is a ballad that he released in 1962.  nobody beats Little Richard (Richard Penniman) for a hard-raving song but it’s nice to see this side also.

Little Richard isn’t just a singer he is a force of nature. I think he would have been successful now or in any decade. He is one of the best singers I’ve heard in rock and roll. His voice is brash, intense, rough, soulful, and magical. He takes you to the edge of the cliff and when you think he will go over he pulls it back.

Beatles and Little Richards

This song was the B side to “He Got What He Wanted (But Lost What He Had)” released in 1962 as Little Richard returned to Rock and Roll after his retirement. He was touring the UK and Germany at this time. The Beatles opened a few shows for him while he was on tour.

Joe Lutcher wrote this song and had a hand in Little Richard retiring earlier. In 1957, he discussed religious matters with Little Richard, following which, during a tour of Australia, Little Richard resolved also to give up playing what was described as “the devil’s music”. Lutcher joined Penniman in Bible studies, and they toured the country together as The Little Richard Evangelistic Team, preaching the word of God to reportedly enthusiastic crowds.

CD Album - Joe Lutcher - Jumpin At The Mardi Gras - Ace - UK

Little Richard would come back to Rock and Roll of course but Joe Lutcher would not.  In later years he refused all requests to discuss his earlier secular music career. He died in 2006.

Here is the A-Side of the single….He Got What He Wanted (But Lost What He Had)… great title by the way.

Why Don’t You Change Your Ways?

Why don’t you change your ways of living
why don’t you do it now
Why don’t you do it my friend this very day
Because there is no other way

Why don’t you change your ways of talking?
Why don’t you do it now
Why don’t you do it my friend this very day
Because there is no other way

Yes, this is the way
This is the way oh well
This is the way
This is the way oh yes

Why Don’t you change your ways of walking
why don’t you do it now
Why don’t you do it my friend this very day
Because there is no other way
It’s so straight and there could be no other way
It’s so narrow many would never look that way
It’s so they don’t won’t to even find the way
It’s the light that leads me the right way

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, 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. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

22 thoughts on “Little Richard – Why Don’t You Change Your Ways”

  1. He totally shifted gears on WDYCYW’s Max. True as everyone knows him as a screamer and a rocker. Loved it when he was in Cinderella’s vid Shelter Me.

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      3. Thats a great starting point. Listen to Night Songs followed by Long Cold Winter and you can hear how Keifer was headed towards what became Heartbreak Station.

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      4. Cool dude… I saw a picture of them and this is NOT the way to judge…but I thought they were like Poison…but when I heard Heartbreak Station…I’m like wow…I like these guys. They had the throwback rock in them.

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  6. Nice; 50s tinkling piano, surprising change of voice, yet I like ‘He Got What He Wanted But Lost What He Had’ more.
    Never heard either- and yes, ‘He Lost’ is a great title for a song. Digging deep into the past here Max!

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    1. Thanks obbverse… I like this different sounding music from Richard…a little more mellow…and mellow + Little Richard doesn’t go together much.

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  7. Great post, Max. I love both of these songs! I believe “Why Don’t You Change Your Ways” is the first ballad I ever heard by Little Richard. “He Got What He Wanted” is definitely the type of song you commonly associate with him.

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