The King of Rock and Roll

The King of Rock and Roll is Little Richard's second album for Reprise Records, a follow-up album that contained one original Little Richard song, the gospel rock "In the Name" and a new song co-written by Producer H. B. Barnum, "Green Power", the single release; and versions of tracks by artists including Hank Williams, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Three Dog Night, and The Rolling Stones. The title track is a mock braggadocio that references Tom Jones, Elvis Presley, Ike & Tina Turner, Sly and the Family Stone and Aretha Franklin amongst others.

Critical reception

The album received a largely negative review in Rolling Stone magazine, where Vince Aletti stated "Much of the album seems designed around the Talk Show Personality rather than the Singer, giving it the sticky veneer of a jive extravaganza."^[1]

Track listing

1. "King of Rock 'n' Roll" (Bradford Craig, H.B. Barnum) - 3:11
2. "Joy To The World" (Hoyt Axton) – 6:49
3. "Brown Sugar" (Keith Richards, Mick Jagger) – 3:23
4. "In The Name" (Richard Penniman) – 3:10
5. "Dancing in the Street" (Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson) – 5:31
6. "Midnight Special" (Traditional; arranged by Richard Penniman) – 4:02
7. "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (Robert Rogers, William Robinson) – 3:29
8. "Green Power" (H.B. Barnum, John "Skip" Anderson) – 3:59
9. "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Hank Williams) – 2:40
10. "Settin' The Woods On Fire" (Ed G. Nelson, Fred Rose) – 2:22
11. "Born on the Bayou" (John C. Fogerty) – 4:27

Personnel

• Little Richard – vocals, electric piano

Rest of personnel unknown, records not kept by Reprise.

Charts

References