Specialty Records — an imprint of the Concord Bicycle Music Group — is
pleased to announce the release of Mono Box: The Complete Specialty and Vee-Jay
Albums: a deluxe, 5-LP box set that
celebrates one of the most influential entertainers in popular music history,
Little Richard. The collection includes the entire output of studio albums that
Little Richard had recorded for both the Specialty and Vee-Jay labels, spanning
1957–1965. The albums, each featuring original label and jacket art, have been
meticulously remastered from analog tapes and are presented in their original
mono mixes. Completing the collection is a 16-page booklet featuring new liner
notes by journalist Bill Dahl, plus era-specific photos.
In the early
’50s, Little Richard Penniman combined the spirit of church music, the
bawdiness of blues and the swing of New Orleans jazz and turned it into
something altogether new — rock ’n’ roll.
When the Macon, Georgia native signed to Art Rupe’s Specialty Records,
Little Richard began to develop his signature sound and flamboyant persona. His
legendary debut album, Here’s Little Richard (1957), is a bold introduction to
the artist, featuring the iconic tracks “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.”
His 1958 follow-up, Little Richard, finds the singer on his rise to
superstardom, with hits like “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly” and the title
track of Jayne Mansfield hit flick The Girl Can't Help It, in which Little
Richard appeared. The artist’s third and final album for Specialty, The
Fabulous Little Richard (1959), was released soon after Richard had traded in a
life of fame to focus on spreading the gospel. The LP featured standout tracks
from Richard’s 1955-57 Specialty sessions, including “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going
On,” “Lonesome and Blue” and “Kansas City.”
Having taken
several years out of the spotlight to focus on religion, Little Richard
returned to his rock ’n’ roll roots in the early ’60s. This period kicked off
with a successful European tour, followed by a new record contract with Vee-Jay
Records. His first release with the label was 1964’s Little Richard Is Back — a
triumphant collection of old favorites and new tunes, with a backing band that
featured a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar. Richard’s second and final studio release
with Vee-Jay was 1965’s His Greatest Hits. Despite the name, this album is not
a compilation, but rather features the singer revisiting his classic hits
nearly a decade later, introducing new arrangements and instrumentation. In his
liner notes for the Mono Box, musicologist Bill Dahl writes, “As the end of the
decade grew near and the first rock and roll revival loomed, Richard emerged at
its forefront, his outrageous image earning him overdue network TV exposure.”
Indeed, by the end of his tenure on Vee-Jay, Richard had firmly cemented his
status as a rock ’n’ roll legend. Dahl continues, “It’s impossible to imagine
how the genre would have developed if not for his massive innovations.”
Mono Box:
The Complete Specialty and Vee-Jay Albums will be released July 15th on
Specialty Records.
Little
Richard Mono Box:
The Complete Specialty and Vee-Jay Albums
Track List
Disc 1:
Here’s Little Richard
A1. Tutti
Frutti
A2. True,
Fine Mama
A3. Can’t
Believe You Wanna Leave
A4. Ready
Teddy
A5. Baby
A6. Slippin’
and Slidin’
B1. Long
Tall Sally (The Thing)
B2. Miss Ann
B3. Oh Why?
B4. Rip it
Up
B5. Jenny
Jenny
B6. She’s
Got It
Disc 2:
Little Richard
A1. Keep a
Knockin’
A2. By the
Light of the Silvery Moon
A3. Send Me
Some Lovin’
A4. I’ll
Never Let You Go (Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo)
A5.
Heeby-Jeebies
A6. All
Around the World
B1. Good
Golly, Miss Molly
B2. Baby
Face
B3.
Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
B4. Ooh! My
Soul
B5. The Girl
Can’t Help It
B6. Lucille
Disc 3: The
Fabulous Little Richard
A1. Shake a
Hand
A2. Chicken
Little Baby
A3. All
Night Long
A4. The Most
I Can Offer
A5. Lonesome and Blue
A6.
Wonderin’
A7. She
Knows How to Rock
B1. Kansas
City
B2. Directly
from My Heart
B3. Maybe
I’m Right
B4. Early
One Morning
B5. I’m Just
a Lonely Guy (All Alone)
B6. Whole
Lotta Shakin’
Disc 4:
Little Richard Is Back
A1. Whole
Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
A2. Goin’
Home Tomorrow
A3. Money
Honey
A4. Only You
A5. Hound
Dog
A6.
Goodnight Irene
B1. Lawdy
Miss Claudie
B2. Groovy
Little Suzy
B3. Short
Fat Fanny
B4. Cherry
Red
B5. Memories
are Made of This
B6.
Blueberry Hill
Disc 5: His
Greatest Hits
A1. Good
Golly Miss Molly
A2. Baby
Face
A3.
Tutti-Frutti
A4. Send Me
Some Loving
A5. The Girl
Can’t Help It
A6. Lucille
B1. Slippin’
and Slidin’
B2. Keep a
Knockin’
B3. Rip It
Up
B4. She’s
Got It
B5. Oh My
Soul
B6. Long
Tall Sally
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