Cliff Gallup – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Gene Vincent’s voice and slap back echo go together perfectly. Every rock artist after Gene Vincent has went after that sound.

Cliff Gallup played some great guitar on this recording. He recorded 35 tracks with Vincent including Be-Bop-A-Lula. Gallup was ranked 79th by Rolling Stone magazine’s David Fricke in his list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. He ended up influencing many guitarists including Eric Clapton, Brian Setzer, and Jeff Beck.

This song was released in 1956 and it peaked at #96 in the Hot 100 and #28 in the UK.

He continued to record and tour and remained popular in Britain, where in 1960 he reinjured his leg in the automobile accident in which fellow rockabilly singer Eddie Cochran was killed. Elvis Presley was influenced by Vincent, and bands such as The Beatles played with Vincent in Hamburg in the early sixties.

…but forget who influenced who and enjoy the song.

Race With The Devil

Well I’ve led an evil life, so they say
But I’ll hide from the devil on judgement day, I said
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move hot-rod, move me on down the the line, oh yeah

Well me and the devil, at a stop light
He started rollin’, I was out of sight, I said
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move hot-rod, move me on down the the line, oh yeah

Well, goin’ pretty fast, looked behind
A-hear come the the devil doin’ ninety-nine, I said
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move hot-rod, move me on down the the line, oh yeah

Well thought I was smart, the race was won
A-hear come the devil doin’ a-hundred and one
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move hot-rod, move me on down the the line

Well I’ve led an evil life, so they say
But I’ll hide from the devil on judgement day, I said
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move, hot-rod, move man
Move hot-rod, move me on down the the line

Tag: Cliff Gallup

Gene Vincent – Race With The Devil