The Rill Thing
Encyclopedia
The Rill Thing was Little Richard
's comeback album after three years away. Utilising yet another new sound, the largely swamp rock album contained Little Richard's biggest post-Specialty
single in "Freedom Blues", which broke the Billboard
top 50, and a lesser success with the follow-up single, "Greenwood, Mississippi", which made the top 90. The title track itself was a ten minute plus instrumental penned by Richard. Despite the success of the two tracks as singles and the inclusion of two cover versions, the album itself failed to chart.
(1967) there had been several album releases, but all were repackaged collections of songs that had already been released previously, including some of his Specialty
work.
The release of the album came less than a year after Richard's performance at Atlantic City Pop Festival, and with "Freedom Blues
" he had his first hit single in thirteen years. This period was shortly before reported usage of cocaine
and concerts to promote the album on the back of the single were increasingly erratic; though he made a memorable visit to Madison Square Garden in October 1970. After the album failed to chart, Richard returned to the studios in May 1971 to produce a follow-up for Reprise with a more "teen" sound.
Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise.
Single
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...
's comeback album after three years away. Utilising yet another new sound, the largely swamp rock album contained Little Richard's biggest post-Specialty
Specialty
Specialty or speciality may refer to:* Deed, a contract in law* Index of speciality, a geometrical invariant* Speciality , an album by J-Pop singer Nami Tamaki* Specialty , a field within medicine...
single in "Freedom Blues", which broke the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
top 50, and a lesser success with the follow-up single, "Greenwood, Mississippi", which made the top 90. The title track itself was a ten minute plus instrumental penned by Richard. Despite the success of the two tracks as singles and the inclusion of two cover versions, the album itself failed to chart.
History
Between the release of The Rill Thing and Little Richard's last album Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live!Little Richard's Greatest Hits: Recorded Live!
Little Richard's Greatest Hits - Recorded Live! is the second and last album from Little Richard for the Okeh label. A live album, it was recorded in the CBS Studios at Hollywood .-History:...
(1967) there had been several album releases, but all were repackaged collections of songs that had already been released previously, including some of his Specialty
Specialty
Specialty or speciality may refer to:* Deed, a contract in law* Index of speciality, a geometrical invariant* Speciality , an album by J-Pop singer Nami Tamaki* Specialty , a field within medicine...
work.
The release of the album came less than a year after Richard's performance at Atlantic City Pop Festival, and with "Freedom Blues
Freedom Blues
Freedom Blues is the third album from Jamaican reggae musician Jah Cure. It was released in 2005 and includes contributions from Sizzla.-Track listing:# Songs Of Freedom# Jah Bless Me# Good Morning Jah Jah# Sunny Day# King In The Jungle# Chant...
" he had his first hit single in thirteen years. This period was shortly before reported usage of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and concerts to promote the album on the back of the single were increasingly erratic; though he made a memorable visit to Madison Square Garden in October 1970. After the album failed to chart, Richard returned to the studios in May 1971 to produce a follow-up for Reprise with a more "teen" sound.
Track listing
- "Freedom Blues" - 3:01
- "Greenwood, Mississippi" – 3:32
- "Two-Time Loser" – 3:20
- "Dew Drop Inn" – 2:41
- "Somebody Saw You" – 3:39
- "Spreadin' Natta, What's The Matter?" – 4:37
- "Rill Thing" – 10:27
- "Lovesick BluesLovesick Blues"Lovesick Blues" is a show tune written by composer Cliff Friend and co-lyricist & producer Irving Mills. It has become a pop standard and an even more popular country song since it helped make Hank Williams famous in the 1940s. Published through Tin Pan Alley in 1922, the song was first recorded...
" – 4:34 - "I Saw Her Standing ThereI Saw Her Standing There"I Saw Her Standing There" is a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and is the opening track on The Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me, released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 22 March 1963....
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) – 3:31
Tracks 1,2,4,6
- Little RichardLittle RichardRichard 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...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise.
Tracks 3,5,7,8,9
- Little RichardLittle RichardRichard 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...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Harrison Callay - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Ronnie Eader - baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
- Harry Thompson - tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Charles Rose - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Clayton Ivey - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Jerry Masters - bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Travis Womack - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Albert Lowe - guitar
- Roger HawkinsRoger HawkinsRoger G Hawkins , is an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Eddie Fletcher - bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Wade Jackson - tenor saxophone
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
Did not chart |
Single
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Freedom Blues/Dew Drop Inn | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100/ Cashbox Top 100/ Billboard R & B Chart |
47/ 62/ 28 |
| 1970 | Greenwood, Mississippi/I Saw Her Standing There I Saw Her Standing There "I Saw Her Standing There" is a song written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and is the opening track on The Beatles' debut album, Please Please Me, released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 22 March 1963.... |
Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100/ Cashbox Top 100 |
85/ 96 |