The one Little Richard song that left John Lennon speechless: “It was so great I couldn’t speak”
For anyone who is familiar with the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, they will be aware that the late Little Richard is one of the form’s true greats. An iconoclast and moderniser, he had such a profound impact that one of his most devoted disciples, John Lennon, continued his work and changed the world.
Although many believe that it was Elvis Presley who was the ‘King of Rock and Roll’, arguably Little Richard is more deserving of the title, as his work was genuinely authentic. When he first burst onto the scene, he was delivering something completely new, unlike his contemporaries. Off the back of cuts such as ‘Tutti Frutti’ and ‘Long Tall Sally’, Richard set a precedent for all that was to come in rock’s not-too-distant future, including the advent of The Beatles.
Notably, in 1962, after his five years of abandoning rock music for a stint as a born-again Christian, the famed promoter Don Arden persuaded Richard to embark on a tour of Europe. He agreed, and a then-unknown Liverpool band called The Beatles opened for some of his dates. This proved to be a significant moment in The Beatles’ career, as Little Richard gave each member some artistic advice on performing his songs and, perhaps most crucially, taught Paul McCartney his now-iconic style of vocal delivery.
Over his career, John Lennon wasn’t afraid to discuss his love for the American rocker. In the book The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorised Biography, he reflected on the influence of both Elvis and Little Richard. “Elvis was bigger than religion in my life,” Lennon expressed. “Then this boy at school said he’d got this record by somebody called Little Richard who was better than Elvis — we used to go to this boy’s house after school and listen to Elvis on 78s: we’d buy five ciggies loose and some chips and go along.”
However, one Little Richard song was so important to Lennon, and it changed his life for good. When he first heard it, it evoked such a physical reaction that he “couldn’t speak”. Unsurprisingly, this was the raucous 1956 cut ‘Long Tall Sally’. “The new record was Little Richard’s ‘Long Tall Sally,’” he recalled. “When I heard it, it was so great I couldn’t speak.”
As a result, Little Richard’s track also changed how Lennon viewed Elvis. “You know how you are torn,” he said. “I didn’t want to leave Elvis, but this was so much better. We all looked at each other, but I didn’t want to say anything against Elvis, even in my mind. How could they both be happening in my life?”
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