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Little Richard — Rip It Up
Album: The Georgia Peach
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 538









Released: 1958
Length: 2:20
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Well, it's Saturday night and I just got paid,
Fool about my money, don't try to save,
My heart says go go, have a time,
Saturday night and I'm feelin' fine,

I'm gonna rock it up, I'm gonna rip it up,
I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up,
I'm gonna rock it up, and ball tonight.

Got me a date and I won't be late,
Picked her up in my 88,
Shag on down by the union hall,
When the joint starts jumpin' I'll have a ball,
I'm gonna rock it up, ...

'Long about ten I'll be flying high,
Walk on out unto the sky,
But I don't care if I spend my dough,
'Cause tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul,
I'm gonna rock it up, ...
Comments (31)add comment
 lizardking wrote:

From Songfacts.com.....

A white songwriter named Johnny Marascalco wrote this song, which was released as Little Richard's third single. Marascalco was sitting in a cotton field waiting for a friend to get out of church so they could hunt rabbits. A later weekend, he heard Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and decided that he could write similar songs. Little Richard's producer Bumps Blackwell (who has a co-writing credit on this one as well) bought both "Rip It Up" and another Marascalco song, "Ready Teddy," which was released as the B-side of the single. The two songs were recorded at J&M Studios in New Orleans on May 9, 1956, with Blackwell producing. Musicians on the track included Lee Allen on tenor saxophone, Alvin Tyler on baritone sax, Ernest McLean on guitar, Frank Fields on bass and Earl Palmer on drums. The song was a #1 hit on the R&B charts.


Thank You for the info!
 idiot_wind wrote:

What the heck is he singing about? 

Is this like wang dang doodle and hoochie coochie, when you get your mojo working? 

You could get lost for several days and wander the wilderness.  




LOL!! ...All tongue in cheek references to sex, back "in the day"!
What the heck is he singing about? 

Is this like wang dang doodle and hoochie coochie, when you get your mojo working? 

You could get lost for several days and wander the wilderness.  
GODLIKE!
From Songfacts.com.....

A white songwriter named Johnny Marascalco wrote this song, which was released as Little Richard's third single. Marascalco was sitting in a cotton field waiting for a friend to get out of church so they could hunt rabbits. A later weekend, he heard Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" and decided that he could write similar songs. Little Richard's producer Bumps Blackwell (who has a co-writing credit on this one as well) bought both "Rip It Up" and another Marascalco song, "Ready Teddy," which was released as the B-side of the single. The two songs were recorded at J&M Studios in New Orleans on May 9, 1956, with Blackwell producing. Musicians on the track included Lee Allen on tenor saxophone, Alvin Tyler on baritone sax, Ernest McLean on guitar, Frank Fields on bass and Earl Palmer on drums. The song was a #1 hit on the R&B charts.
Yyyyyyeahhhh... and I'm sure Miss Molly truly enjoyed a good game of soccer! lol  {#Roflol}

 SmackDaddy wrote:
talk about gutter minds. Chances are "gonna ball tonight" was related to "going to a ball tonight" and "having a ball" as in "having a blast"

gonna ball tonight = gonna rock tonight.

1950s kids.
 


 kcar wrote:

The reason this got any airplay at all was that it could be interpreted in two different ways. Both takes are right. 

Please enjoy the song regardless, y'all.  
 
I'm of the same mind as you, kcar. Jerry Lee, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats, all were masters of double entendre.

You gotta remember folks, it hasn't always been okay to just come out and say "F*^% You" in a pop song. With apologies to C-Lo. {#Twisted}

 SmackDaddy wrote:
talk about gutter minds. Chances are "gonna ball tonight" was related to "going to a ball tonight" and "having a ball" as in "having a blast"

gonna ball tonight = gonna rock tonight.

1950s kids.
 
The reason this got any airplay at all was that it could be interpreted in two different ways. Both takes are right. 

Please enjoy the song regardless, y'all.  
put it back on the shelf for another 6 years.
Little Richard...nuff said
You guys have not got a clue !{#Lol}

talk about gutter minds. Chances are "gonna ball tonight" was related to "going to a ball tonight" and "having a ball" as in "having a blast"

gonna ball tonight = gonna rock tonight.

1950s kids.
 Papernapkin wrote:
Little Richard is 5'10".
 
He looks about 4'10".

 Wizzuvv_oz wrote:
so glad to hear a little LR.  Often imitated never duplicated. 
Bill just made a comment about the lyrics "gonna ball tonight" and not knowing what that meant when he first heard it.  Same with me and LR lyric "dancin underneath the apple tree"

 
Okay, I think I get what it means, but what's the origin? Google wasn't helpful.

 wallyfuzz wrote:
an original...In his time, he sure played with some minds!
'and ball tonight'! (pimp)
 
Absolutely...he was what Southerners call a "hot mess", eh?  Amazing..."ball tonight" got past the sensors of the era.{#Music}
 jadewahoo wrote:
Roots Rock 'n Roll!
 go cat go!!!


Little Richard is 5'10".
sax
 Eagan wrote:
A great artist who's influence is still reverberates through Rock and Roll.
 

What he said.

Little Steven played this on his syndicated show this week.

When it comes to eclecticism and just plain pickin out good tunes, RP rules.

Roots Rock 'n Roll!
Just an FYI, the "Specialty" label was Little Richard's original home. If you get a "best of" that's on a different label, it was probably re-recorded at a later date.
was this song in hibernation for six years on RP  ?
(see date of song comments below)

so glad to hear a little LR.  Often imitated never duplicated. 
Bill just made a comment about the lyrics "gonna ball tonight" and not knowing what that meant when he first heard it.  Same with me and LR lyric "dancin underneath the apple tree"

hell ya!  rippers and 8-balls..  ball tonight indeed.
YOW-sah!
Originally Posted by Eagan: A great artist who's influence is still reverberates through Rock and Roll. Thanks for the reminder.
Well said. It's about roots. I will have to listen again for the horns. Thanks for the pointer Leslie. :) -ptah
Annie Lennox could learn something about believing in what you perform from this song!
an original...In his time, he sure played with some minds! \'and ball tonight\'! (pimp)
I can\'t listen to this without hearing the Brave Little Toaster and his friends struggling to find their Master.
Great horn in this song.
A great artist who's influence is still reverberates through Rock and Roll. Thanks for the reminder.