Collection 1951-62 (CD) – Little Richard

Little Richard was one of the unique personalities who were at the core of the explosion of rock ‘n’ roll in the middle and later years of the 1950s, his highly individual piano style combining with his unmistakeable vocal delivery and extraordinary stage persona to bring him a succession of landmark hits like “Tutti Frutti”, “Long Tall Sally”, “Lucille” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” which helped inspire the British Invasion bands of the ’60s and have become staples of rock ‘n’ roll bands the world over. His was not a rise to instant stardom, however, making his first records in 1951 for RCA before recording for the Peacock label and then joining Specialty, for whom he had his biggest hits, later making religious records for Mercury and other smaller labels. This great-value 60-track 2-CD set comprises almost all the A & B sides which he released during the first, and most important, decade or so of his career – we have left out one or two of the gospel tracks he released as singles in the late ’50s and early ’60s so that we could include the Specialty EP and album tracks which were not otherwise released on singles. We also include both sides of a rarely-heard record he made with The Upsetters in 1962. It makes for a thorough and extremely entertaining overview of his early career, and naturally includes the 21 chart entries he had in the US and UK during that time among some less well-known material.

Track List

1. Taxi Blues (Little Richard)
2. Every Hour (Little Richard)
3. Get Rich Quick (Little Richard)
4. Thinkin’ ‘Bout My Mother (Little Richard)
5. Why Did You Leave Me? (Little Richard)
6. Ain’t Nothing Happening (Little Richard)
7. I Brought It All on Myself (Little Richard)
8. Please Have Mercy on Me (Little Richard)
9. Ain’t That Good News (Deuces of Rhythm ; Tempo Toppers)
10. Fool at the Wheel (Deuces of Rhythm ; Tempo Toppers)
11. Always (Tempo Toppers Feat. Little Richard)
12. Rice Red Beans and Turnip Greens (Tempo Toppers Feat. Little Richard)
13. Tutti Frutti (Little Richard)
14. I’m Just a Lonely Guy (Little Richard)
15. Long Tall Sally (Little Richard)
16. Slippin’ and Slidin’ (Little Richard)
17. Little Richard’s Boogie (Little Richard with Johnny Otis’ Band)
18. Directly from My Heart to You (Little Richard with Johnny Otis’ Band)
19. Rip It Up (Little Richard)
20. Ready Teddy (Little Richard)
21. Heeby-Jeebies (Little Richard)
22. She’s Got It (Little Richard)
23. The Girl Can’t Help It (Little Richard)
24. All Around the World (Little Richard)
25. Lucille (Little Richard)
26. Send Me Some Lovin’ (Little Richard)
27. Jenny Jenny (Little Richard)
28. Miss Ann (Little Richard)
29. Maybe I’m Right (Little Richard with the Johnny Otis Orchestra)
30. I Love My Baby (Little Richard with the Johnny Otis Orchestra)
31. Keep A-Knockin’ (Little Richard)
32. Can’t Believe You Wanna Leave (Little Richard)
33. Good Golly Miss Molly (Little Richard)
34. Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey (Little Richard)
35. Ooh! My Soul (Little Richard)
36. True Fine Mama (Little Richard)
37. Baby Face (Little Richard)
38. I’ll Never Let You Go Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo (Little Richard)
39. She Knows How to Rock (Little Richard)
40. Early One Morning (Little Richard)
41. By the Light of the Silvery Moon (Little Richard)
42. Wonderin’ (Little Richard)
43. Kansas City (Little Richard)
44. Lonesome and Blue (Little Richard)
45. Shake a Hand (Little Richard)
46. All Night Long (Little Richard)
47. Whole Lotta Shakin’ (Little Richard)
48. Maybe I’m Right (Little Richard)
49. I Got It (Little Richard)
50. Baby (Little Richard)
51. Directly from My Heart to You (Little Richard)
52. The Most I Can Offer (Little Richard)
53. Oh Why (Little Richard)
54. Chicken Little Baby (Little Richard)
55. He’s Not Just a Soldier (Little Richard)
56. Joy Joy Joy (Little Richard)
57. Why Don’t You Change Your Ways (Little Richard)
58. He Got What He Wanted But He Lost What He Had (Little Richard)
59. I’m in Love Again (The Upsetters) – the Upsetters
60. Every Night About This Time (The Upsetters) – the Upsetters