This is one of the first songs that I learned the riff on and played it live. Up to this point, I was on bass but I had to start singing some so I took over rhythm guitar. It’s such a simple riff anyone could do it but it gave me some confidence on guitar. It’s a song you can sing and play the riff with no trouble.
What makes this song is not the riff, it’s Lennon’s rock voice that I would give about anything to have. This is one of the covers that the Beatles would do in The Cavern and Hamburg. They recorded two covers in 1965 to satisfy Capitol Records who wanted to add on to an album called Beatles VI. They recorded Bad Boy (probably my favorite cover by them) and Dizzy Miss Lizzy. They ended up including Dizzy Miss Lizzy on The Help! UK-only soundtrack as well.
Both Bad Boy and Dizzy Miss Lizzy were written by Larry Williams. They covered him three times in total. Slow Down, Bad Boy, and Dizzy Miss Lizzy. They covered more of Williams’s songs live but Lennon, in particular, loved his songs and did the lead vocals on all three while recording.
Larry Williams released the song in 1958 on Speciality Records, the same record company his friend Little Richard was on. The B-side was Slow Down, a song that the Beatles would cover as well. It was one of the last charting top 100 singles he ever released. It peaked at #69 on the Billboard 100. He would score a couple of R&B charting songs in 1966 and 1967.
This song is better live in my opinion and I’ve included a live more raunchy version of it by The Beatles.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Ow!
You make me dizzy, Miss LizzyThe way you rock and rollYou make me dizzy, Miss LizzyWhen you do the strollCome on, Miss LizzyLove me ‘fore I grow too old
Come on, give me feverPut your little hand in mineYou make me dizzy, dizzy, LizzyOh girl, you look so fineJust a-rocking and a-rollingGirl, I said I wish you were mine
Ah!Ow!Woo!
You make me dizzy, Miss LizzyWhen you call my nameOoh, babySay you’re driving me insaneCome on, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon babyI want to be your loving man
Ah!MmMm, ow!
Run and tell your mamaI want you to be my brideRun and tell your brotherBaby, don’t run and hideYou make me dizzy, Miss LizzyGirl, I want to marry you
Come on, give me feverPut your little hand in mine, girlYou make me dizzy, dizzy, LizzyGirl, you look so fineYou’re just a-rocking and a-rollingOoh, I said I wish you were mine
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