John Marascalco
Encyclopedia
John Marascalco is an American
songwriter
, who is most noted for his collaborations with Robert Blackwell
. Marascalco had a hand in some of the big R&B
and rock and roll
hits
of the 1950s
and 1960s
.
, he wrote the song
s "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Ready, Teddy", and "Rip It Up
" made famous by Little Richard
. Like Norman Petty
with Buddy Holly
, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell put his name on the songwriting credits although Marascalco was the actual writer of the songs. Also for Little Richard, Marascalco co-wrote "Heeby Jeebies", "She's Got It", and "Groovy Little Suzy". He also co-wrote the song "Goodnight My Love
" with George Motola
made famous by Jesse Belvin and Paul Anka.
Furthermore he co-wrote songs with Fats Domino
("Be My Guest"), Scott Turner and Harry Nilsson
, and helped to finance Nilsson's early recording
efforts. Marascalso and Turner collaborated on songs for Nilsson, such as "I Just Ain't Right" and "Building Me Up," both of which appear on the album
s Nilsson '62: The Debut Sessions
and Early Tymes. Marascalco and Nilsson wrote songs together, including "Baby Baby" and "Born in Grenada" (Spotlight on Nilsson
).
Marascalco co-composed "Send Me Some Lovin'" with Leo Price, and this was recorded by Little Richard
. The Crickets
for their 1957 debut album, The "Chirping" Crickets, Sam Cooke, and John Lennon also recorded the song. He also penned "Wouldn't You Know", which was recorded by Billy Lee Riley
.
Marascalco tunes have been recorded by everybody from Little Richard to Creedence Clearwater Revival
to the Stray Cats
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, who is most noted for his collaborations with Robert Blackwell
Robert Blackwell
Robert "Bumps" Blackwell was an American songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lloyd Price, Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, Larry Williams, and Sly and the Family Stone at the start of...
. Marascalco had a hand in some of the big R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
of the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Career
Together with Robert BlackwellRobert Blackwell
Robert "Bumps" Blackwell was an American songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lloyd Price, Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, Larry Williams, and Sly and the Family Stone at the start of...
, he wrote the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Ready, Teddy", and "Rip It Up
Rip It Up (song)
"Rip It Up" is a song written by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco. It was first released by Bill Haley and his Comets and Little Richard in 1956. The Little Richard version hit number one on the R&B Best Sellers chart for two weeks and peaked at number seventeen on the pop chart.-Cover...
" made famous by Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
. Like Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
with Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Robert "Bumps" Blackwell put his name on the songwriting credits although Marascalco was the actual writer of the songs. Also for Little Richard, Marascalco co-wrote "Heeby Jeebies", "She's Got It", and "Groovy Little Suzy". He also co-wrote the song "Goodnight My Love
Goodnight My Love (1956 song)
For other songs with this title, see Goodnight My Love"Goodnight My Love" is a popular song written in the 1940s by George Motola, but he never finished the song. Jesse Belvin completed the song, but sold the rights of authorship to John Marascalco, who produced the song for Modern Records...
" with George Motola
George Motola
George Motola was a record producer, songwriter, and sound engineer during the 1950s till his death.-Early life and career:...
made famous by Jesse Belvin and Paul Anka.
Furthermore he co-wrote songs with Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language....
("Be My Guest"), Scott Turner and Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
, and helped to finance Nilsson's early recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
efforts. Marascalso and Turner collaborated on songs for Nilsson, such as "I Just Ain't Right" and "Building Me Up," both of which appear on the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s Nilsson '62: The Debut Sessions
Hollywood Dreamer
Early Tymes is an album consisting of demos by Harry Nilsson who recorded for Scott Turner in 1962, when he was still a struggling musician, whose regular job was working in a bank. He was reportedly paid $5 per song to sing vocals to Turner's acoustic guitar...
and Early Tymes. Marascalco and Nilsson wrote songs together, including "Baby Baby" and "Born in Grenada" (Spotlight on Nilsson
Spotlight on Nilsson
Spotlight on Nilsson is the debut album by Harry Nilsson. It is essentially a compilation of all four of the singles that were released during his tenure on the Tower label , plus two previously unreleased tracks...
).
Marascalco co-composed "Send Me Some Lovin'" with Leo Price, and this was recorded by Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
. The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
for their 1957 debut album, The "Chirping" Crickets, Sam Cooke, and John Lennon also recorded the song. He also penned "Wouldn't You Know", which was recorded by Billy Lee Riley
Billy Lee Riley
Billy Lee Riley was an American rockabilly musician, singer, record producer and songwriter. His most memorable recordings included "Rock With Me Baby," and "Red Hot".-Biography:...
.
Marascalco tunes have been recorded by everybody from Little Richard to Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
to the Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
.