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Little Richard — Rip It Up
Album: Greatest Hits / Highlights
Avg rating:
7.1

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Total ratings: 602









Released: 1958
Length: 2:20
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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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 (32)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.


Lee Allen recorded and toured with the Blasters in the early 80s. That guy was unperturbable.  
Posted 5 days ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
 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!
Posted 2 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
 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"!
Posted 3 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
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.  
Posted 4 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
GODLIKE!
Posted 4 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 6 years ago by lizardking    [ Reply ]
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.
 


Posted 14 years ago by choffman2001    [ Reply ]
 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}

Posted 14 years ago by toterola    [ Reply ]
 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.  
Posted 14 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
put it back on the shelf for another 6 years.
Posted 14 years ago by walchenbach    [ Reply ]
Little Richard...nuff said
Posted 15 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
You guys have not got a clue !{#Lol}

Posted 15 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 15 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
 Papernapkin wrote:
Little Richard is 5'10".
 
He looks about 4'10".

Posted 15 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
 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.

Posted 16 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
 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}
Posted 16 years ago by Tim_in_N_FL    [ Reply ]
 jadewahoo wrote:
Roots Rock 'n Roll!
 go cat go!!!


Posted 16 years ago by tom-kenna    [ Reply ]
Little Richard is 5'10".
Posted 16 years ago by Papernapkin    [ Reply ]
sax
Posted 16 years ago by oldviolin    [ Reply ]
 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.

Posted 16 years ago by keller1    [ Reply ]
Roots Rock 'n Roll!
Posted 16 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 16 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
was this song in hibernation for six years on RP  ?
(see date of song comments below)

Posted 16 years ago by dunno    [ Reply ]
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"

Posted 16 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
hell ya!  rippers and 8-balls..  ball tonight indeed.
Posted 16 years ago by i4niblind    [ Reply ]
YOW-sah!
Posted 16 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
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
Posted 22 years ago by ptah    [ Reply ]
Annie Lennox could learn something about believing in what you perform from this song!
Posted 22 years ago by camden_hampden    [ Reply ]
an original...In his time, he sure played with some minds! \'and ball tonight\'! (pimp)
Posted 22 years ago by wallyfuzz    [ Reply ]
I can\'t listen to this without hearing the Brave Little Toaster and his friends struggling to find their Master.
Posted 22 years ago by Notelrac    [ Reply ]
Great horn in this song.
Posted 22 years ago by Leslie    [ Reply ]
A great artist who's influence is still reverberates through Rock and Roll. Thanks for the reminder.
Posted 22 years ago by Eagan    [ Reply ]