Bob Leszczak, Who Did It First? Great Rhythm & Blues Cover Songs & Their Original Artists (Scarecrow Press, 2013) Bob Leszczak, a 30-year veteran of the rock 'n' roll DJ wars, describes his passions as record collecting and music trivia. In Who Did It First? he gets a chance to put those obsessions to good use.
So what we have here is a series of mini-histories of a thousand or so songs, many well-remembered, many totally forgotten. Most semi-serious music lovers are aware that Fats Domino had a huge hit in 1957. Most don't know, however, that another New Orleans bluesman, the great Smiley Lewis, did the song in 1954 and did not even hit the charts with it. In fact, the Domino version had a long tortuous trip to the Billboard No. 5 slot: used in the soundtrack of the 1956 Jayne Mansfield satire of rock 'n' roll The Girl Can't Help It, the song wasn't released as a single until early '57. (Domino also covered another Smiley Lewis cut, "I Hear You Knocking" and did better with it than Lewis. Who Did It First? is fascinating. It teaches so much that even music fiends don't know and does it in an entertaining manner. Did you know, for instance, that Pat Boone built his career on doing safe, sanitized versions of Little Richard songs? His "Tutti Fruiti" must be a wonder to hear. Were you aware that Wilson Pickett's "Land of a Thousand Dances" was first done by its writer, Chris Kenner, and hit No. 71 on the charts? Before the song got to Pickett, it was also recorded by Thee Midnighters, Cannibal and the Headhunters, and the Soul Creations, among others. Or that Dion's "Ruby Baby," and "Drip Drop" were first done by the Clovers and the Drifters, respectively? Here's the truth of the matter: don't pick up Who Did It First? if you have an appointment later in the day because you'll be so wrapped up in reading the book that you'll miss your appointment. It's that much fun. And here's the best part: it's the first volume of a trilogy. Volumes 2 and 3 will cover pop and rock songs, respectively, and I, for one, can't wait. ![]() |
![]() Rambles.NET book review by Michael Scott Cain 15 March 2014 Agree? Disagree? Send us your opinions! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |