Long Tall Sally

"Tutti Frutti" was a big hit for Little Richard and Specialty in early 1956, reaching number two on the R&B charts. Pat Boone's cover version of the song from his album Pat Boone reached number 12 on the pop charts. Although this meant an unexpected cash income for the Specialty publishing firm, A&R man and producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell and a proud Richard decided to write a song that was so up-tempo and the lyrics so fast that Boone would not be able to handle it. (Boone eventually did record his own version, however, which reached number 18.) Featuring a tenor saxophone solo by Lee Allen (as did "Tutti Frutti"), "Long Tall Sally" was the best-selling 45 in the history of Specialty Records. Recording The recording session took place on February 7, 1956, at J&M Recording Studio in New Orleans, • Little Richard vocals, piano • Lee Allen tenor saxophone • Edgar Blanchard guitar • Frank Fields double bass • Earl Palmer drums • Alvin "Red" Tyler baritone saxophone ==Certifications==

}} Background The Kinks started performing in early 1963 under various names, including the Ravens. Their members at the time consisted of Ray Davies, Dave Davies, Pete Quaife and Mickey Willet. Looking to branch out, the Kinks sought out a manager, and after a few unsuccessful meetings, they met Larry Page, who promised the group a certain degree of fame. Page introduced the Ravens to American record producer Shel Talmy along with the Beatles' promoter, Arthur Howes, who was their tour manager. Talmy managed to secure the group a recording contract with Pye Records, who he previously had been collaborating with. Shortly before signing, Willet left the group, upon which they hired drummer Mick Avory who had placed an ad in Melody Maker. Towards the end of 1963, the Ravens also decided to change their name, becoming the Kinks instead. Unsure of what material they should record as their debut single, Howes, who had heard the Beatles perform "Long Tall Sally" in Paris on January 16, suggested that the Kinks should record the number. However, as the Beatles only performed the track live (and would not record it in the studio for another three months), Howes and Page both noted the commercial opportunity of putting the song on record before the Beatles had time to do so. Page quickly instructed the band to learn the track and on 20 January, the group together with Talmy entered Pye Studios for the first time. They recorded five songs that session: "Long Tall Sally", "I Took My Baby Home", "You Still Want Me", "You Do Something to Me" and "I Don't Need You Anymore". Session musician Bobby Graham played drums on all five songs. Release and reception The Kinks' version was a modernized arrangement of the song, omitting the frantic piano found in the original, along with moving away from R&B towards a contemporary rock sound. The rhythm of the Kinks rendition also changes, instead being more similar to Little Richard's later hit "Lucille". Unlike other versions, it features a "wailing harmonica solo" played by Ray. Rob Jovanovic writes that their arrangement is similar to the Beatles version, right down to a couple of phrasings in some verses. However, Thomas Kitts states that "their Merseybeat arrangement zapped the energy from the song" and that Ray's vocals "lacked the necessary fire and punch of either Little Richard or Paul McCartney". Kitts believes that Dave, "who might have sung with more abandonment", should have taken the lead vocals. The Kinks version would eventually be released through Pye Records on February 7, 1964, in the UK and later on Cameo Records in the US on April 1, 1964. The B-side was the Ray Davies original "I Took My Baby Home", which was a "beat-driven rhythm and blues" number. Though Page advertised and promoted "Long Tall Sally" in the media via "an aggressive campaign", it would fail to reach the Record Retailer charts. It did, however, reach number 42 for a week in Melody Maker's Pop 30, giving the Kinks their first commercial success. Following their breakthrough in America, "Long Tall Sally" managed to reach the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in January 1965, staying there for two weeks and peaking at number 129. He writes that despite the Kinks "dress to fit the title", they play "in the most conventional rock fashion, I'm afraid". Personnel According to band researcher Doug Hinman: The Kinks • Ray Davies lead vocal, rhythm guitar, harmonica • Dave Davies backing vocal, lead guitar • Pete Quaife backing vocal, bass Additional musician • Bobby Graham drums Charts == The Beatles version ==

The Beatles were admirers of Little Richard, and regularly performed his songs during their live act. "Long Tall Sally" was the most durable song in their live repertoire, lasting from their earliest days as the Quarrymen in 1957 through to their last public concert in August 1966. As with the majority of their Little Richard remakes, Paul McCartney sang lead vocals, as he could closely imitate Richard's vocal style. The group recorded "Long Tall Sally" at EMI Studios in London on March 1, 1964, during sessions for ''A Hard Day's Night'', although it was ultimately not included on that album. The recording was produced by the Beatles' regular producer, George Martin, who also played piano on the track. Given the group's familiarity with the song, the recording was completed in a single take. In the United Kingdom, "Long Tall Sally" was released on the UK EP of the same name on June 19, 1964, but it had been released earlier on two overseas albums, ''The Beatles' Second Album in the United States on April 10, 1964, and The Beatles' Long Tall Sally in Canada on May 11, 1964. Released as a single in Sweden, the song reached number two on Tio i Topp in June and topped the Kvällstoppen Chart in July and August. It also reached number one in Denmark. On March 7, 1988, the song appeared on Past Masters, a compilation album that compiles every song commercially released by the band that was neither included on the 12 UK studio albums nor the US Magical Mystery Tour'' LP, making it appear for the first time to be included on a core catalogue album. The song appears in the 1994 film Backbeat. Upon viewing it, Paul McCartney was reported to say: Other Beatles recordings and performances In addition to their studio recording of the song, the Beatles recorded "Long Tall Sally" for BBC radio broadcasts on seven occasions during 1963 and 1964. Two of those versions have been officially released, on the compilation albums Live at the BBC (1994) and On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 (2013). In addition, a studio version, prerecorded specially from the 1964 television special Around the Beatles, was included on the Anthology 1 compilation (1995). The live album The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl (1977) includes a 1964 concert recording of the song. "Long Tall Sally" was the last song the Beatles performed live in front of a paying audience. It was a frequent set closer during their 1966 tour—which would turn out to be their last—and they used it to close out their final show at San Francisco's Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966. The band asked their press officer, Tony Barrow, to make an audio tape recording of the concert for posterity. The recording has since circulated heavily among bootleggers, but the 30-minute tape ran out at the end of the second verse of "Long Tall Sally", meaning that the last moments of the Beatles' final paid performance are lost to history. Personnel According to Ian MacDonald, except where noted: The Beatles • Paul McCartney lead vocals, bass • John Lennon rhythm guitar, guitar solo (first) • George Harrison lead guitar, guitar solo (second) • Ringo Starr drums Additional musician • George Martin piano == Notes ==