The Rill Thing: Difference between revisions
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| released = August 1970 |
| released = August 1970 |
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| recorded = 11 March |
| recorded = 11 March – 2 June 1970 |
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| venue = |
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| studio = [[FAME Studios]], [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]] |
| studio = [[FAME Studios]], [[Muscle Shoals, Alabama]] |
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| type = studio |
| type = studio |
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| single1 = Freedom Blues |
| single1 = Freedom Blues |
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| single1date = April 1970<ref>{{cite |
| single1date = April 1970<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Reprise Records |title="Freedom Blues" trade ad |magazine=Billboard |date=25 April 1970 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/BB-1970-04-25.pdf |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> |
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| single2 = Greenwood, Mississippi |
| single2 = Greenwood, Mississippi |
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| single2date = August 1970<ref>{{cite |
| single2date = August 1970<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Reprise Records |title="Greenwood, Mississippi" trade ad |magazine=Billboard |date=15 August 1970 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-08-15.pdf |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> |
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'''''The Rill Thing''''' is [[Little Richard]]'s first album for [[Reprise Records]], released in August 1970. It was considered a comeback album for Richard, following a three-year hiatus on new albums and an acclaimed performance at [[Atlantic City Pop Festival]]. The album utilizes a soul-influenced sound<ref name="Billboard">{{cite |
'''''The Rill Thing''''' is [[Little Richard]]'s first album for [[Reprise Records]], released in August 1970. It was considered a comeback album for Richard, following a three-year hiatus on new albums and an acclaimed performance at [[Atlantic City Pop Festival]]. The album utilizes a soul-influenced sound<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Album Reviews |magazine=Billboard |date=1 August 1970 |page=64 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-08-01.pdf |accessdate=3 August 2020}}</ref> and contains Little Richard's biggest post-[[Specialty Records|Specialty]] single in "Freedom Blues", which broke the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' top 50. The follow-up single, "Greenwood, Mississippi" made the top 100 and number 56 on Cashbox Black Singles. Despite the success of the singles, the album failed to chart. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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===Songs=== |
===Songs=== |
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The album opener ''Freedom Blues'' features a message of brotherhood.<ref name="Child of God" /> Richard felt the song's inclusive theme was important to its success, commenting "it's catchy, the little thing is catchy, and the message is universal. It's not like "black people you gotta be free!" I didn’t say that. Everybody, ''everybody'' got to be free".<ref name="Child of God" /> Richard's stance had not been universally popular; his insistence on performing in front of integrated audiences at the time of the black liberation movement shortly after the [[Watts riots]] and the formation of the [[Black Panthers]] had caused many black radio DJs in certain areas of the [[United States]], including Los Angeles, to choose not to play his music.<ref name="Little Richard: The Authorised Biography">{{cite book |last1=Charles |first1=White |title=Little Richard: The Authorised Biography |date=2003 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780711997615 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ktmTr0sh5W4C |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> "Greenwood, Mississippi" was written by [[Travis Wammack]], whom Richard met at [[FAME Studios]]. Wammack told Richard he had recorded a demo of a song that was a cross between Richard’s style and [[John Fogerty]] of [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]]. After sitting in Wammack's truck to listen to the demo cassette, Richard decided to record the song. Richard insisted he record his vocals over the cassette recording, to FAME owner [[Rick Hall]]'s chagrin.<ref name="woodward">{{cite web |last1=Woodward |first1=WL |title=Travis Wammack – Memphis Royalty |url=https://www.psaudio.com/article/travis-wammack-memphis-royalty/ |website=PS Audio |accessdate=6 August 2020}}</ref> Travis Wammack released his own recording of the song on his 1975 [[Capricorn Records]] album ''Not For Sale''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Travis Wammack – Not For Sale |url=https://www.discogs.com/Travis-Wammack-Not-For-Sale/master/824961 |website=Discogs |accessdate=6 August 2020}}</ref> |
The album opener ''Freedom Blues'' features a message of brotherhood.<ref name="Child of God" /> Richard felt the song's inclusive theme was important to its success, commenting "it's catchy, the little thing is catchy, and the message is universal. It's not like "black people you gotta be free!" I didn’t say that. Everybody, ''everybody'' got to be free".<ref name="Child of God" /> Richard's stance had not been universally popular; his insistence on performing in front of integrated audiences at the time of the black liberation movement shortly after the [[Watts riots]] and the formation of the [[Black Panthers]] had caused many black radio DJs in certain areas of the [[United States]], including Los Angeles, to choose not to play his music.<ref name="Little Richard: The Authorised Biography">{{cite book |last1=Charles |first1=White |title=Little Richard: The Authorised Biography |date=2003 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780711997615 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ktmTr0sh5W4C |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> "Greenwood, Mississippi" was written by [[Travis Wammack]], whom Richard met at [[FAME Studios]]. Wammack told Richard he had recorded a demo of a song that was a cross between Richard’s style and [[John Fogerty]] of [[Creedence Clearwater Revival]]. After sitting in Wammack's truck to listen to the demo cassette, Richard decided to record the song. Richard insisted he record his vocals over the cassette recording, to FAME owner [[Rick Hall]]'s chagrin.<ref name="woodward">{{cite web |last1=Woodward |first1=WL |title=Travis Wammack – Memphis Royalty |url=https://www.psaudio.com/article/travis-wammack-memphis-royalty/ |website=PS Audio |date=27 July 2020 |accessdate=6 August 2020}}</ref> Travis Wammack released his own recording of the song on his 1975 [[Capricorn Records]] album ''Not For Sale''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Travis Wammack – Not For Sale |url=https://www.discogs.com/Travis-Wammack-Not-For-Sale/master/824961 |website=Discogs |date=1975 |accessdate=6 August 2020}}</ref> |
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[[File:LittleRichard1970.jpg|thumb| |
[[File:LittleRichard1970.jpg|thumb|right|Little Richard in 1970]] |
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Several longtime associates of Little Richard contributed to the album. [[Robert "Bumps" Blackwell]], who |
Several longtime associates of Little Richard contributed to the album. [[Robert "Bumps" Blackwell]], who had produced Richard's 1950s recordings for [[Specialty Records|Specialty]], is credited as a co-writer on "Spreadin' Natta, What's The Matter?" alongside Maybelle Jackson, who collaborated with Richard on the lyrics; Jackson had previously contributed lyrics to "[[Little Richard (album)|Heeby-Jeebies]]".<ref name="Child of God" /> [[Esquerita]], an [[R&B]] singer, songwriter and pianist whose frenetic performances and flamboyant stage persona influenced Richard,<ref name="rsobit">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dead-48505/ |last=Browne |first=David |language=en-US |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=May 9, 2020 |accessdate=May 9, 2020 |title= Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87}}</ref> co-wrote "Freedom Blues" and "Dew Drop Inn". "Dew Drop Inn" borrows the drum beat from Richard's recording of "[[Keep A-Knockin']]" for its intro.<ref name="PopMatters">{{cite web |last1=Sheppard |first1=Doug |title=Little Richard: The Rill Thing / King of Rock and Roll / The Second Coming |url=https://www.popmatters.com/108187-little-richard-the-rill-thing-king-of-rock-and-roll-the-second-comin-2496056213.html |website=PopMatters |date=30 July 2009 |accessdate=5 August 2020}}</ref> According to ''[[All About Jazz]]'', the song revisits "conventional Little Richard terrain: the patent scream, rollicking piano and booting sax solo of his earliest hits".<ref name="Jazz">{{cite web |title=Little Richard's Warner Bros. Albums Reissued On Collectors' Choice On June 23 |url=https://news.allaboutjazz.com/little-richards-warner-bros-albums-reissued-on-collectors-choice-on-june-23 |website=All About Jazz |date=4 May 2009 |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> Travis Wammack felt Richard was at the peak of his vocal prowess at this time, commenting "He was just singing his booty off!".<ref name="Omnivore">{{cite web |title=Little Richard The Rill Thing |url=http://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/the-rill-thing/ |website=Omnivore Recordings |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> The second side of ''The Rill Thing'' opens with its title track, a ten minute instrumental jam featuring Richard on electric piano.<ref name="Selvin review">{{cite magazine |last1=Selvin |first1=Joel |title=Little Richard: The Rill Thing |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=17 September 1970 |url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/little-richard-ithe-rill-thingi?fbclid=IwAR0qAuH5h4y7uufT45T4X0XlZcUyFWXQ5bEbCvnVvAYG6IVL7mUon5NzVOo |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> |
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The album concludes with two covers; the first is a version of "[[Lovesick Blues]]" in what has been described as a [[New Orleans rhythm and blues|New Orleans]] rhythm.<ref name="Jazz"/> "Lovesick Blues", a [[show tune]] written by [[Cliff Friend]] and [[Irving Mills]], is most associated with [[Hank Williams]] who recorded a [[Country music|country]] cover of the song in 1949. It was a staple of Little Richard's live performances at this time alongside the Williams song "[[Your Cheatin' Heart]]". Richard commented in 1970; "I don't just do the country sound, I make it mine, you understand, I sing it with an R&B rhythm and it makes it into something else".<ref name="Child of God">{{cite magazine |last1=Dalton |first1=David |title=Little Richard: Child of God |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/little-richard-child-of-god-2-177027/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=28 May 1970 |accessdate=4 August 2020}}</ref> The final track is a cover of [[the Beatles]] "[[I Saw Her Standing There]]", a song Richard considered to have been inspired by his music. Richard's version is played at a slower tempo to the original and features a horn section.<ref name="Selvin review"/> Little Richard met the Beatles when they supported him on a 1962 European tour, and considered the band "some of the greatest songwriters ever been".<ref name="Child of God" /> |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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The album was released in August 1970. The cover shot of Little Richard in performance was taken by [[Ed Caraeff]]. The album's back cover features an essay describing the album as "the first accurately dazzling reflection of his talent since his beginnings on the Specialty label" |
The album was released in August 1970. The cover shot of Little Richard in performance was taken by [[Ed Caraeff]]. The album's back cover features an essay describing the album as "the first accurately dazzling reflection of his talent since his beginnings on the Specialty label"<ref name="discogs">{{cite web |title=Little Richard – The Rill Thing |url=https://www.discogs.com/Little-Richard-The-Rill-Thing/master/329292 |website=Discogs |date=1970 |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> and its record labels bear the slogan "The Little Richard Sound".<ref name="Omnivore"/> The album was preceded by lead single "Freedom Blues", which became a ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' top 50 hit, peaking at number 47 on 11 July 1970.<ref name="Billboard stats">{{cite magazine |title=Little Richard |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/little-richard/chart-history/hsi/ |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=4 August 2020}}</ref> It was Little Richard's biggest American pop hit in thirteen years. In [[RPM (magazine)|Canada]] the song reached number 70.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3808.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 4, 1970}}</ref> The album's second single "Greenwood, Mississippi" was less successful; it charted at number 85 on the Billboard chart and number 56 on the [[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]] Black Singles chart.<ref name="Billboard stats" /> Despite Reprise's promotional efforts and the charting singles, ''The Rill Thing'' was a commercial failure<ref name="Larkin" /> and failed to chart in either the United States or United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Strong |first1=Martin C. |title=The Great Rock Discography |date=1994 |publisher=Canongate Press |location=Edinburgh |isbn=0862413850 |page=644}}</ref> The album made its CD debut in June 2009 as part of a reissue campaign of Little Richard's [[Reprise Records|Reprise]] albums by [[Collectors' Choice Music]].<ref name="Jazz"/> Collector's Choice ceased releasing recordings the following year.<ref name=Discogs_CCM>{{cite web |title=Collectors' Choice Music |publisher=[[Discogs]] |url=https://www.discogs.com/label/43860-Collectors-Choice-Music |accessdate=2019-12-02}}</ref> A new CD issue of the album by [[Omnivore Recordings]] with four bonus tracks was released on 18 September 2020.<ref name="Omnivore"/> |
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==Critical reception== |
==Critical reception== |
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| rev2Score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|last1=Larkin|first1=Colin|title=Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|date=1997|publisher=Virgin Books|location=London|isbn=1-85227 745 9|pages=758–59}}</ref> |
| rev2Score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|last1=Larkin|first1=Colin|title=Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|date=1997|publisher=Virgin Books|location=London|isbn=1-85227 745 9|pages=758–59}}</ref> |
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Upon release, ''The Rill Thing'' received positive reviews. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' described the album as a "stomping, swinging, soulful leap backwards in the rock 'n' rolling '50s with the Muscle Shoals gang".<ref name="billboard review">{{cite |
Upon release, ''The Rill Thing'' received positive reviews. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' described the album as a "stomping, swinging, soulful leap backwards in the rock 'n' rolling '50s with the Muscle Shoals gang".<ref name="billboard review">{{cite magazine |title=Billboard Album Reviews |magazine=Billboard |date=1 August 1970 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-08-01.pdf |accessdate=7 August 2020}}</ref> [[Joel Selvin]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' considered the album "a major artistic triumph for Little Richard" that "faithfully exhibits Richard's maturity as an artist both through the selection of material and the contemporary instrumental setting". Selvin praised Richard's vocals and the covers of "Lovesick Blues" and "I Saw Her Standing There", and deemed the album "a most significant chapter in the living legend of the greatest rock and roll singer ever".<ref name="Selvin review"/> |
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Among retrospective reviews, William Ruhlmann of [[AllMusic]] described ''The Rill Thing'' as "a convincing update" on Little Richard's earlier work, despite "the rambling ten-minute instrumental title track".<ref name="Ruhlmann">{{cite web |last1=Ruhlmann |first1=William |title=Little Richard - The Rill Thing |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rill-thing-mw0000820603 |website=Allmusic |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> Reviewing the album upon its 2009 reissue, Doug Sheppard of [[PopMatters]] considered ''The Rill Thing'' to be "at least partially successful" at updating Richard's sound, remarking that the album "retains Richard’s forceful singing, but augments it with bluesy, funky soul rather than his trademark manic R&B". He was critical of the title track, and considered Richard's version of "I Saw Her Standing There" "surprisingly ineffectual".<ref name="PopMatters"/> Kev Boyd of ''Fatea Magazine'' was similarly critical of the album's second side, considering the title track "all deep bass and blues harp but little in the way of inspiration" and describing the version of "Lovesick Blues" as "ill-advised".<ref name="fatea"/> In an article about the album for ''[[Shindig! (magazine)|Shindig!]]'' in 2020, Martin Ruddock wrote that ''The Rill Thing'' "remains a high point in one hell of a catalogue".<ref name="Wig Off" /> |
Among retrospective reviews, William Ruhlmann of [[AllMusic]] described ''The Rill Thing'' as "a convincing update" on Little Richard's earlier work, despite "the rambling ten-minute instrumental title track".<ref name="Ruhlmann">{{cite web |last1=Ruhlmann |first1=William |title=Little Richard - The Rill Thing |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rill-thing-mw0000820603 |website=Allmusic |accessdate=10 August 2020}}</ref> Reviewing the album upon its 2009 reissue, Doug Sheppard of [[PopMatters]] considered ''The Rill Thing'' to be "at least partially successful" at updating Richard's sound, remarking that the album "retains Richard’s forceful singing, but augments it with bluesy, funky soul rather than his trademark manic R&B". He was critical of the title track, and considered Richard's version of "I Saw Her Standing There" "surprisingly ineffectual".<ref name="PopMatters"/> Kev Boyd of ''Fatea Magazine'' was similarly critical of the album's second side, considering the title track "all deep bass and blues harp but little in the way of inspiration" and describing the version of "Lovesick Blues" as "ill-advised".<ref name="fatea"/> In an article about the album for ''[[Shindig! (magazine)|Shindig!]]'' in 2020, Martin Ruddock wrote that ''The Rill Thing'' "remains a high point in one hell of a catalogue".<ref name="Wig Off" /> |
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==Personnel== |
==Personnel== |
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===Tracks 1,4,7=== |
===Tracks 1, 4, 7=== |
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*[[Little Richard]] – [[Singing|vocals]], [[piano]] |
*[[Little Richard]] – [[Singing|vocals]], [[piano]] |
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Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise. |
Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise. |
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===Tracks 3,5,7,8,9=== |
===Tracks 3, 5, 7, 8, 9=== |
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*[[Little Richard]] – [[Singing|vocals]], [[piano]] |
*[[Little Richard]] – [[Singing|vocals]], [[piano]] |
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*Harrison Callay |
*Harrison Callay – [[trumpet]] |
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*Ronnie Eader |
*Ronnie Eader – [[baritone saxophone]] |
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*Harry Thompson |
*Harry Thompson – [[tenor saxophone]] |
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*Charles Rose |
*Charles Rose – [[trombone]] |
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*Clayton Ivey |
*Clayton Ivey – [[piano]] |
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*Jerry Masters |
*Jerry Masters – [[Double bass|bass]] |
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*[[Travis Wammack]] |
*[[Travis Wammack]] – [[guitar]] |
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*Albert Lowe |
*Albert Lowe – guitar |
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*[[Roger Hawkins (drummer)|Roger Hawkins]] |
*[[Roger Hawkins (drummer)|Roger Hawkins]] – [[Drum kit|drums]] |
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*Eddie Fletcher |
*Eddie Fletcher – [[Double bass|bass]] |
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*Jesse Boyce |
*Jesse Boyce – [[electric bass]] |
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*Wade Jackson |
*Wade Jackson – tenor saxophone |
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;Technical |
;Technical |
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*[[Ed Thrasher]] |
*[[Ed Thrasher]] – art direction |
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*[[Ed Caraeff]] |
*[[Ed Caraeff]] – cover photography |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Little Richard albums]] |
[[Category:Little Richard albums]] |
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[[Category:Reprise Records albums]] |
[[Category:Reprise Records albums]] |
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[[Category:Albums recorded at FAME Studios]] |
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Latest revision as of 07:05, 8 September 2024
| The Rill Thing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 1970 | |||
| Recorded | 11 March – 2 June 1970 | |||
| Studio | FAME Studios, Muscle Shoals, Alabama | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll, soul, R&B | |||
| Length | 39:22 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | Little Richard | |||
| Little Richard chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Rill Thing | ||||
The Rill Thing is Little Richard's first album for Reprise Records, released in August 1970. It was considered a comeback album for Richard, following a three-year hiatus on new albums and an acclaimed performance at Atlantic City Pop Festival. The album utilizes a soul-influenced sound[3] and contains Little Richard's biggest post-Specialty single in "Freedom Blues", which broke the Billboard top 50. The follow-up single, "Greenwood, Mississippi" made the top 100 and number 56 on Cashbox Black Singles. Despite the success of the singles, the album failed to chart.
Background
[edit]In 1970, three years had passed since the last new material from Little Richard. Richard signed with Okeh Records in early 1966, and released two new albums on the label in 1967; The Explosive Little Richard, which utilised a Motown-influenced sound and featured no songs written by Richard, and Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live!. Both were produced by Larry Williams but the alliance was troubled; Richard would describe Williams as "the worst producer in the world".[4] Feeling he wasn't given enough respect or support from the label, Richard left Okeh in 1967.[5] Richard then signed with Brunswick Records but clashed with the label over musical direction, leaving it the following year and turning his focus to live performance. Appearing at the Atlantic City Pop Festival in August 1969, Richard "revived his own legend" according to David Dalton of Rolling Stone.[4] His appearance the following month at Toronto Rock and Roll Revival was similarly well received. These successes brought Little Richard to talk shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Dick Cavett Show, making him a prominent celebrity again.[6] Richard felt "the music business runs in a cycle and my time has come around again".[7] Richard received offers from many record labels including the Beatles' Apple. Aiming to cross over to both black rhythm and blues and white rock audiences, he accepted an offer from Reprise Records.[8] Richard was the first major signing negotiated by Mo Ostin in his position as president of Reprise.[9]
Composition
[edit]Musical style
[edit]The time is right for Little Richard to re-enter the recording field in a big way. The sound he is getting in Muscle Shoals is very close to the sound of his early records, but his performing style is highly relevant to present day music.
The Rill Thing was Little Richard's first self-produced album. Richard is reported to have been focused on the material and even invested his own money in the project.[5] Richard described the album as "the only thing I’ve done since I was back in the business that I think is really good", referring to his work since he ceased recording gospel music.[4] Though many of the songs use twelve-bar blues structures like Richard's earlier rock and roll work, the arrangements are more informed by the contemporary soul and R&B music of the time.[4][10] Reflecting on the album's sound, Little Richard commented "the bass riffs are more predominant, the guitar you'll notice is more out front. The voice is just riding on the rhythm, it's a force and a funk, and it's clean, it's not gutty-gut but it's clean".[4] Reviewing the album in 2009, Kev Boyd of Fatea Magazine described its style as consisting of "blues-inflected R&B, hints of Sly Stone-lite funk, the occasional rambling instrumental and Richard's characteristic scream-singing".[10]
Songs
[edit]The album opener Freedom Blues features a message of brotherhood.[4] Richard felt the song's inclusive theme was important to its success, commenting "it's catchy, the little thing is catchy, and the message is universal. It's not like "black people you gotta be free!" I didn’t say that. Everybody, everybody got to be free".[4] Richard's stance had not been universally popular; his insistence on performing in front of integrated audiences at the time of the black liberation movement shortly after the Watts riots and the formation of the Black Panthers had caused many black radio DJs in certain areas of the United States, including Los Angeles, to choose not to play his music.[5] "Greenwood, Mississippi" was written by Travis Wammack, whom Richard met at FAME Studios. Wammack told Richard he had recorded a demo of a song that was a cross between Richard’s style and John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival. After sitting in Wammack's truck to listen to the demo cassette, Richard decided to record the song. Richard insisted he record his vocals over the cassette recording, to FAME owner Rick Hall's chagrin.[11] Travis Wammack released his own recording of the song on his 1975 Capricorn Records album Not For Sale.[12]
Several longtime associates of Little Richard contributed to the album. Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, who had produced Richard's 1950s recordings for Specialty, is credited as a co-writer on "Spreadin' Natta, What's The Matter?" alongside Maybelle Jackson, who collaborated with Richard on the lyrics; Jackson had previously contributed lyrics to "Heeby-Jeebies".[4] Esquerita, an R&B singer, songwriter and pianist whose frenetic performances and flamboyant stage persona influenced Richard,[13] co-wrote "Freedom Blues" and "Dew Drop Inn". "Dew Drop Inn" borrows the drum beat from Richard's recording of "Keep A-Knockin'" for its intro.[14] According to All About Jazz, the song revisits "conventional Little Richard terrain: the patent scream, rollicking piano and booting sax solo of his earliest hits".[15] Travis Wammack felt Richard was at the peak of his vocal prowess at this time, commenting "He was just singing his booty off!".[16] The second side of The Rill Thing opens with its title track, a ten minute instrumental jam featuring Richard on electric piano.[17]
The album concludes with two covers; the first is a version of "Lovesick Blues" in what has been described as a New Orleans rhythm.[15] "Lovesick Blues", a show tune written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills, is most associated with Hank Williams who recorded a country cover of the song in 1949. It was a staple of Little Richard's live performances at this time alongside the Williams song "Your Cheatin' Heart". Richard commented in 1970; "I don't just do the country sound, I make it mine, you understand, I sing it with an R&B rhythm and it makes it into something else".[4] The final track is a cover of the Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There", a song Richard considered to have been inspired by his music. Richard's version is played at a slower tempo to the original and features a horn section.[17] Little Richard met the Beatles when they supported him on a 1962 European tour, and considered the band "some of the greatest songwriters ever been".[4]
Release
[edit]The album was released in August 1970. The cover shot of Little Richard in performance was taken by Ed Caraeff. The album's back cover features an essay describing the album as "the first accurately dazzling reflection of his talent since his beginnings on the Specialty label"[18] and its record labels bear the slogan "The Little Richard Sound".[16] The album was preceded by lead single "Freedom Blues", which became a Billboard top 50 hit, peaking at number 47 on 11 July 1970.[19] It was Little Richard's biggest American pop hit in thirteen years. In Canada the song reached number 70.[20] The album's second single "Greenwood, Mississippi" was less successful; it charted at number 85 on the Billboard chart and number 56 on the Cashbox Black Singles chart.[19] Despite Reprise's promotional efforts and the charting singles, The Rill Thing was a commercial failure[21] and failed to chart in either the United States or United Kingdom.[22] The album made its CD debut in June 2009 as part of a reissue campaign of Little Richard's Reprise albums by Collectors' Choice Music.[15] Collector's Choice ceased releasing recordings the following year.[23] A new CD issue of the album by Omnivore Recordings with four bonus tracks was released on 18 September 2020.[16]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [24] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [21] |
Upon release, The Rill Thing received positive reviews. Billboard described the album as a "stomping, swinging, soulful leap backwards in the rock 'n' rolling '50s with the Muscle Shoals gang".[25] Joel Selvin of Rolling Stone considered the album "a major artistic triumph for Little Richard" that "faithfully exhibits Richard's maturity as an artist both through the selection of material and the contemporary instrumental setting". Selvin praised Richard's vocals and the covers of "Lovesick Blues" and "I Saw Her Standing There", and deemed the album "a most significant chapter in the living legend of the greatest rock and roll singer ever".[17]
Among retrospective reviews, William Ruhlmann of AllMusic described The Rill Thing as "a convincing update" on Little Richard's earlier work, despite "the rambling ten-minute instrumental title track".[24] Reviewing the album upon its 2009 reissue, Doug Sheppard of PopMatters considered The Rill Thing to be "at least partially successful" at updating Richard's sound, remarking that the album "retains Richard’s forceful singing, but augments it with bluesy, funky soul rather than his trademark manic R&B". He was critical of the title track, and considered Richard's version of "I Saw Her Standing There" "surprisingly ineffectual".[14] Kev Boyd of Fatea Magazine was similarly critical of the album's second side, considering the title track "all deep bass and blues harp but little in the way of inspiration" and describing the version of "Lovesick Blues" as "ill-advised".[10] In an article about the album for Shindig! in 2020, Martin Ruddock wrote that The Rill Thing "remains a high point in one hell of a catalogue".[8]
Track listing
[edit]Side one
[edit]- "Freedom Blues" (Richard Penniman, Esquerita) - 3:01
- "Greenwood, Mississippi" (Travis Wammack, Albert S. Lowe Jr.) – 3:32
- "Two-Time Loser" (Larry Lee) – 3:20
- "Dew Drop Inn" (Richard Penniman, Esquerita, Keith Winslow) – 2:41
- "Somebody Saw You" (Richard Penniman) – 3:39
- "Spreadin' Natta, What's The Matter?" (Richard Penniman, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Maybelle Jackson) – 4:37
Side two
[edit]- "The Rill Thing" (Richard Penniman) – 10:27
- "Lovesick Blues" (Cliff Friend, Irving Mills) – 4:34
- "I Saw Her Standing There" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 3:31
Personnel
[edit]Tracks 1, 4, 7
[edit]Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise.
Tracks 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
[edit]- Little Richard – vocals, piano
- Harrison Callay – trumpet
- Ronnie Eader – baritone saxophone
- Harry Thompson – tenor saxophone
- Charles Rose – trombone
- Clayton Ivey – piano
- Jerry Masters – bass
- Travis Wammack – guitar
- Albert Lowe – guitar
- Roger Hawkins – drums
- Eddie Fletcher – bass
- Jesse Boyce – electric bass
- Wade Jackson – tenor saxophone
- Technical
- Ed Thrasher – art direction
- Ed Caraeff – cover photography
References
[edit]
- ^ Reprise Records (25 April 1970). ""Freedom Blues" trade ad" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Reprise Records (15 August 1970). ""Greenwood, Mississippi" trade ad" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 1 August 1970. p. 64. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dalton, David (28 May 1970). "Little Richard: Child of God". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ a b c Charles, White (2003). Little Richard: The Authorised Biography. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711997615. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists Who Revolutionized Rhythm. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4.
- ^ Gormley, Mike (2 September 1969). ""He's Forgotten Me" — Little Richard Raps James Brown". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ a b Martin, Ruddock (August 2020). "Take Your Wig Off And Get Down With It". Shindig! (106). Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Little Richard Returns Via Reprise" (PDF). Cash Box. 10. 28 March 1970. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
- ^ a b c Boyd, Kev. "The Rill Thing / King Of Rock And Roll / The Second Coming". Fatea. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Woodward, WL (27 July 2020). "Travis Wammack – Memphis Royalty". PS Audio. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ "Travis Wammack – Not For Sale". Discogs. 1975. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Browne, David (May 9, 2020). "Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ a b Sheppard, Doug (30 July 2009). "Little Richard: The Rill Thing / King of Rock and Roll / The Second Coming". PopMatters. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "Little Richard's Warner Bros. Albums Reissued On Collectors' Choice On June 23". All About Jazz. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b c "Little Richard The Rill Thing". Omnivore Recordings. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b c Selvin, Joel (17 September 1970). "Little Richard: The Rill Thing". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ "Little Richard – The Rill Thing". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ a b "Little Richard". Billboard. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 4, 1970" (PDF).
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (1997). Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. London: Virgin Books. pp. 758–59. ISBN 1-85227 745 9.
- ^ Strong, Martin C. (1994). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Press. p. 644. ISBN 0862413850.
- ^ "Collectors' Choice Music". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
- ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Little Richard - The Rill Thing". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Billboard Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 1 August 1970. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
