Larry Williams....Bad Boy

[RadioCarino]

This completely rocks. No wonder the Beatles loved him. Great tune. Thanks for posting. S Carino.

[powerbeatle]

As an addict(:-) ) of THE Beatles I have to say, that I really like this Larry-version AND naturally the rocking version of THE BEATLES .

[charlyW34]

hey, I am a near disciple of John Lennon, but man, this is the shizzit.

[jncurotto]

Pity there's more money in drugs an' pimpin' or Larry might have lived longer.

[MsCaleb79]

I allways thought he was white but he´s not, John Lennon is.

[Bowser1948]

Please search for "Peanuts Wilson " " Cast Iron arm "  then compare and discus

[MrFerrango]

I wonder who's Idea it was to have the voice over ! the producer ? bad Idea.

It show's how Lennon really invented that Rock & Roll Rippin voice that he only used in a hand full of songs. He really must have seen the potential of this song, a well written Rocker that the Beatles took and really kicked it in the ass taking it to an all new level. Nice work Johnny !

[luvureally]

@MrFerrango You're being sarcastic right? John Lennon ripped that "Rock&Roll Rippin voice" off the gospel trained likes of Little Richard & Ronald Isley. Lennon only used that "voice" a few times because it was a strain on his limited range, while it came naturally to Little Richard & Isley. Like their compatriots, Rolling Stones, every r&b/soul classic Beatles covered lacked soul and the punch of the originals.

[Sinisa138]

@luvureally Once upon a time in America:a/Episode 1:"Black man's got no soul.Hi's an animal and must be our slave". b/Same land, episode 2:"White man's got no soul and can't play jazz (blues). Same land, episode3:" There are still same idiots like in episode 1 and 2.

At last, but not the least: Beatles cover is real rock'n roll act, and original is some kind of minstrel, cabaret or comic act. Tipical mist produced by this kind of labels then. John find something there,but he was an artist.

[luvureally]

@Sinisa138 Beatles added nothing new to this cover, just a rehash of the original "kind of minstrel, cabaret or mimic act". I guess they were mimicking a mimic. Also funny how every r&b cover done by Beatles, even when using same arrangement, is called R&R. So I guess Louis Jordan, Dizzy Gillespie & Fats Waller weren't artist because of they put a bit of cabaret and humor into their music?

[Sinisa138]

@luvureally Same arrangement? You must be hard of hearing. I can't educate you musicaly and generaly online, but i can say this: 1/ " Some people call it R&R". Never heard of that sentence? Little Richard call it R&R, Chuck Berry too, and in this respective song larry call it himself R&R. It's the same thing. You dig? Some british groups called it R&B because they thought there is a more "soul" and "punch". 2/ Some people are artists and some people are entertainers Some are clowns, of course.

[luvureally]

@Sinisa138 Please. Beatles covers of classic soul/r&b were never strayed far from originals: Isley version of "Twist & Shout", "Please Mr. Postman", "Money", "Shout", "Anna", "You Really Got A Hold On Me" etc., and those Brits were right, the originals did have more soul and punch! In fact, be it covers of Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Everly Brothers, they stayed true to (or attempted to) original version.

[luvureally]

@luvureally On the other hand other artist have been far more creative with their Beatles covers - Bobby Womack "And I Lover Her", Aretha Franklin - "Let It Be", Wilson Pickett/Duane Allman - "Hey Jude", just to name a few.

[subg88]

@luvureally

You're contradicting yourself. If the Beatles didn't have soul, Womack, Franklin, Pickett, Ray Charles, etc. wouldn't have covered their songs.

[luvureally]

@subg88 No contradiction, they were great pop songs that were transformed into great soul songs by talented and SOULFUL artist. Whereas the Beatles never strayed far from the original songs they covered, these folk took Beatles music into a entirely new direction.

[luvureally]

@MrFerrango The vocal style that Beatles did imitate most successfully was that of the Everly Brothers. Maybe because of the shared English/Scott/Irish heritage. But the Everlys could still sing circles around them on any given day.

[BruceBeatlefan]

Larry Williams just kills in this song. He's obviously having a ton of fun and his band is kickass. I like the way he repeats "bad boy" after each line, something John Lennon wouldn't have tried in a million years. If you want to compare versions, keep this in mind: (1) The Beatles knocked off this song cold in a single session for the purpose of fulfilling a last-minute request from Capitol Records (2) I never would have known this song, nor of Larry Williams, if not for the Beatles.

[josepalaciospolo]

Un Rey,...larry, mucho mejor INterpretacion más que jhon lennon. Larry es el Mejor, Mucho Mejor

[junaid1]

@chanceramone I guess one man's meat is another man's poison. I prefer the Beatle's style and that goes for all of their covers. No one can take anything away from the original artists...because they wrote the songs but I like the Beatle's versions of their covers of Chuck Berry and Budy Holly and Carl Perkins. The Beatles LOVED Black music and actually made the Soulful sound more Rockin..so to me they were Rock n Roll. It's mostly Lennon's Vocals that does it for me not the guitar work.

[junaid1]

@chanceramone Sorry to disillusion you son, but "Larry" is not pure American Rock n Roll...what is "pure" anyway... R & B, soul, doo wop, Rockabilly, African and Celtic influence..and the list goes on. Just because you are some kinda self appointed musical expert doesn't give you lisence to criticize the Greatest influence on "rock" music in the last century. The Beatles are the gold standard by which every other band is judged whether you believe they were cocky or drug related or whatever..

[kbrinks]

Love Lennon's voice but Williams music. Would be cool to somehow do a mash up of the two.

[TheTidalwaves]

You can hear the influence of the Coasters / Robins.

[Thomasfannon]

Beatles totally set the bar way higher

[jpfan101]

Rush's version is the best.

[dazdn1k]

johns voice here is better to much

[nestorguti2176]

I really like both versions, but i too like the beatles version better...

lets see how many people hate on me for saying that..ready...set...GO!

[overlordKime]

Good music is good music. Thanks Larry Williams for making music. Thanks Beatles for making music. I'm pretty sure The Beatles would have preferred Larry Williams. Larry Williams would have been just happy to see his music produced internationally. (people were stupid back then racism and stuffed stopped a lot of great musicians from getting the respect they deserved.)

[spib65]

Love this number, especially this version, & there's been some good ones.

I also do this one with my band.

Many thanks, long live rock'n'roll.

[jelly1245]

beatles version made me happier

[steveguitargunter]

Who cares who did it better? - just enjoy. It ain't no competition.

[vespa202]

@steveguitargunter well said!!!

[spib65]

@steveguitargunter

Well said, it's just a brilliant track

[91schumacher]

love the beatles cover

[chipboymc]

beatles did it better

[ZAPDUNGAA]

@chipboymc

I agree with you...but I really hate it when people compare apples and oranges...This is a great kick ass rock and roller from 1959....John Lennon loved this song and must have listened to it a zillion times...And don't forget Larry Williams wrote it and listen to all the little guitar riffs that George was able to 'build off of"...Copying something is easier than CREATING. The Beatles also did 2 more Larry Williams songs.."DIZZY MISS LIZZIE" and "SLOW DOWN"...

[ZAPDUNGAA]

@chipboymc

I agree with you...but I really hate it when people compare apples and oranges...This is a great kick ass rock and roller from 1959....John Lennon loved this song and must have listened to it a zillion times...And don't forget Larry Williams wrote it! Listen to all the little guitar riffs that George was able to 'build off of"..Don't forget ..copying something is easier than CREATING. The Beatles also did 2 more Larry Williams songs.."DIZZY MISS LIZZIE" and "SLOW DOWN"...

[Bowser1948]

@ZAPDUNGAA I dont think the beatles covered "slow down" Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers did ,,, try it BTW Larry Williams WAS a Bad Boy !!!

[barkbarkbarkbarkable]

His death was ruled a "suicide" ...even though the initial police report found him bound to a chair and gaged...evidently he was considered a drug addicted "trouble maker" who got what he deserved.....law enforcement didn't want to "waste" there time investigating....

[babyinblack]

lol 'he's a.. bad boy' , the beatles took that part out, i was wondering where they got the bad boy from, now i know.

[asorls1]

There is a great alternate version of this song too.

[killingracists]

Good, but the Fabfour outdid this one

[pernicketty]

@ZAPDUNGAA Well we all have our opinions but when it comes to singing talent you'd have to be deaf not to notice how much better the original is.

[derfunkhaus]

@pernicketty Larry Williams' recording is pretty corny. The back up vocal line "He's a bad boy!" is unintentionally funny and the Beatles were astute to omit it.

[thecountofbasie]

Don't think I ever heard the original of this one before...the Beatles would've done it this raunchy in Hamburg...great sound

[chokonudemail]

COOL

[carlmoore19]

And I also have not heard this later-done-by-Beatles number before.

[raunchboy]

One of the most underrated of the 50s rockers.

[srercrcr]

1959. He was a stablemate with Little Richard at Specialty

[vespa202]

thanks for the info :))

[demodiscs]

Great tune Lee - great rhythm section AND Larry's voice - tops!

All the best

Derek

[MODTRASH]

The Beatles do a good version of this!

[angelofbebop]

Wow, this is REALLY FANTASTIC! Great lead voice, guitars and BASS MAN!

Larry really sounds like Little Richard!