JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY PRESENTS
LITTLE WILLIE JOHN
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He never received the accolades given to the likes of Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, and James Brown, but Little Willie John ranks as one of R&B's most influential performers. His muscular high timbre and enormous technical and emotional range belied his young age (his first hit came when he was 18), but his mid-'50s work for Syd Nathan's King label would play a great part in the way soul music would sound. Everyone from Cooke, McPhatter, and Brown to Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, and Al Green has acknowledged his debt to this most overlooked of rock and soul pioneers.
His debut recording, a smoking version of Titus Turner's "All Around the World" from 1955, set the pattern for a remarkable string of hits: "Need Your Love So Bad," "Suffering with the Blues," "Fever," "Let Them Talk," and his last, "Sleep," from 1961. His version of "Fever" was copied note for note by Peggy Lee and Elvis Presley, both of whom had bigger hits with it; John's version, however, remains definitive. His second hit, "Need Your Love So Bad," contains one of the most intimate, tear-jerking vocals ever caught on tape.
John had a volatile temper, fueled by a taste for liquor and an insecurity regarding his slight height (5 feet 4 inches). He was known to pack a gun and knife; in 1964, he stabbed a man and was sent to the Washington State penitentiary, where he died of pneumonia in 1968. James Brown recorded a tribute album to John that year, and his material has been recorded by scores of artists from the Beatles to Fleetwood Mac to the Blasters. Nevertheless, Little Willie John remains a stranger to most listeners and has never received the respect his talent deserves.
Little Willie John was one of the first artists featured in Rhino's King reissues series. Fever was issued late in 1993, and the single-disc, 20-track anthology included such John releases as "Need Your Love So Bad," "Suffering with the Blues," and the title cut.
Little Willie John was born November 15, 1937, in Cullendale, AR. He died May 26, 1968, in Walla Walla WA.
-- John Floyd of All Music Guide.
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1. All Around The World 2. Suffering With The Blues 3. Need Your Love So Bad 4. If I Thought You Needed Me 5. Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good 6. Are You Ever Coming Back? 7. Person To Person 8. Drive Me Home 9. Fever 10. Uh Uh Baby |
11. Like Boy, Like Girl 12. Look What You've Done To Me 13. Talk To Me, Talk To Me 14. My Baby's In Love With Another Guy 15. Bo-Da-Ley Didd-Ley 16. Inside Information 17. Rock Love 18. Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me 19. You Hurt Me 20. Leave My Kitten Alone |
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1. Talk To Me, Talk To Me 2. I've Been Around 3. Drive Me Home 4. I'll Carry Your Love Wherever I Go 5. No More In Life 6. Uh Uh Baby |
7. Person To Person 8. Until You Do 9. Tell It Like It Is 10. Don't Be Ashamed To Call My Name 11. If I Thought You Needed Me 12. There Is Someone In This World For Me |
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1. You're A Sweetheart 2. Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good 3. Look What You've Done To Me 4. Home At Last 5. Are You Ever Coming Back 6. Don't Leave Me Dear |
7. All My Love Belongs To You 8. Spasms 9. Will The Sun Shine Tomorrow 10. You Got To Get Up Early In The Morning 11. Little Bit Of Loving 12. Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me |
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1. Sleep 2. A Cottage For Sale 3. There's A Difference 4. I'm Sorry 5. My Love Is 6. I Like To See My Baby |
7. Walk Slow 8. The Very Thought Of You 9. Heartbreak (it's hurting me) 10. Loving Care 11. You Hurt Me 12. I'm Shakin' |
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1. Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good 2. Are You Ever Coming Back 3. You Got To Get Up Early In The Morning 4. Drive Me Home 5. Uh Uh Baby 6. Until You Do 7. All Around The World 8. Look What You've Done To Me |
9. Don't Leave Me My Dear 10. Spasms 11. A Little Bit Of Loving 12. No More In Life 13. Tell It Like It Is 14. Fever 15. Talk To Me 16. Do Something For Me |
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1. Sleep 2. Letter From My Darling 3. All Around The World 4. Need Your Love So Bad 5. Leave My Kitten Alone 6. Love, Life And Money |
7. Fever 8. Let Them Talk 9. I'm Sticking With You, Baby 10. Talk To Me, Talk To Me 11. Person To Person 12. Suffering With The Blues |
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1. All Around The World 2. Need Your Love So Bad 3. Fever 4. Do Something For Me 5. Suffering With The Blues 6. I've Been Around 7. Person To Person 8. Talk To Me, Talk To Me |
9. Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good 10. Let Them Talk 11. Leave My Kitten Alone 12. Walk Slow 13. You Hurt Me 14. My Baby's In Love With Another Guy 15. Big Blue Diamonds 16. Come Back To Me |
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1. Fever 2. All Around The World 3. Need Your Love So Bad 4. Talk To Me, Talk To Me 5. Take My Love |
6. Sleep 7. Home At Last 8. Letter From My Darling 9. Let Them Talk 10. Tell It Like It Is |
