Baxter studied piano at the Detroit Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles for further studies at Pepperdine College. Abandoning a concert career as a pianist, he turned to popular music as a singer. At the age of 23 he joined Mel Tormé's Mel-Tones, singing on Artie Shaw records such as "What Is This Thing Called Love?".
Baxter then turned to arranging and conducting for Capitol Records in 1950, and was credited with the early Nat King Cole hits, "Mona Lisa" and "Too Young", but both were actually orchestrated by Nelson Riddle.[1] (In later releases of the recordings the credit was corrected to Riddle.[citation needed]) Not a uncommon practice these days: Baxter himself had arranged Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" in 1947 for a recording conducted by Frank De Vol. In 1953 he scored his first film, the sailing travelogue Tanga Tika. With his own orchestra, he released a number of hits including "Ruby" (1953), "Unchained Melody" (1955) and "The Poor People Of Paris" (1956). The latter recording sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[2]He also achieved success with concept albums of his own orchestral suites: Le Sacre Du Sauvage, Festival Of The Gnomes, Ports Of Pleasure, and Brazil Now, the first three for Capitol and the fourth on Gene Norman's Crescendo label. The list of musicians on these recordings includes Plas Johnson and Clare Fischer.
Baxter also wrote the "Whistle" theme from the TV show Lassie.
Baxter did not restrict his activities to recording. As he once told Soundtrack! magazine, "I never turn anything down".
In the 1960s, he formed the Balladeers, a besuited and conservative folk group that at one time featured a young David Crosby.[citation needed] He operated in radio as musical director of The Halls of Ivy and the Bob Hope and Abbott and Costello shows.
Like his counterparts Henry Mancini, Lalo Schifrin and James Horner, Baxter later worked for the film industries from 1960s to 70s. He worked on movie soundtracks for American International Pictures where he composed and conducted scores for Roger Corman's Edgar Allan Poe films and other horror stories and teenage musicals, including The Pit and the Pendulum, Panic in Year Zero!, Beach Party, The Comedy of Terrors,The Dunwich Horror, and Frogs. Howard W. Koch recalled that Baxter composed, orchestrated, and recorded the entire score of The Yellow Tomahawk (1954) in a total of three hours for $5,000.[3]
With less soundtrack work in the 1980s, he scored music for theme parks and SeaWorlds. In the 1990s, Baxter was widely celebrated, alongside Martin Denny and the Arthur Lyman Group, as one of the progenitors of what had become known as the "exotica" movement. In his 1996 appreciation for Wired magazine, writer David Toop remembered Baxter thus:
"Baxter offered package tours in sound, selling tickets to sedentary tourists who wanted to stroll around some taboo emotions before lunch, view a pagan ceremony, go wild in the sun or conjure a demon, all without leaving home hi-fi comforts in the white suburbs".
Baxter has a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6314 Hollywood Blvd.
Long Tall Sally
Les Baxter and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He claimed he had the misery but he had a lot of fun
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Woo, baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
Well, Long Tall Sally, she's built sweet
She got everything that Uncle John needs
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Well, I saw Uncle John with Bald Head Sally
He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Woo, baby, havin' me some fun tonight, ow
Well, I saw Uncle John with Bald Headed Sally
He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Woo, baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
I'm gonna have some fun tonight
I'm gonna have some fun tonight, woo
Have some fun tonight
Everything's all right
I'm gonna have some
Have me some fun tonight
The lyrics to Les Baxter and His Orchestra's song "Long Tall Sally" tell a story of a man named Uncle John who is having a lot of fun despite claiming to be miserable. The singer is planning to tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John's behavior. The song suggests that even though Uncle John may be pretending to be unhappy, he is actually enjoying his life and having a good time.
The line "Long Tall Sally, she's built sweet" refers to a woman named Sally who is physically attractive and has everything that Uncle John desires. It implies that Sally is the reason behind Uncle John's fun-filled lifestyle.
The second verse reveals that when Uncle John sees Aunt Mary approaching, he quickly hides in an alley with a woman named Bald Headed Sally, presumably trying to avoid any confrontation or explanation. This further emphasizes that Uncle John is engaging in secret and possibly adulterous activities.
The overall theme of the lyrics is about enjoying life and having fun, even if it involves deceptive behavior. It suggests that sometimes people may pretend to be unhappy, but in reality, they are indulging in enjoyable experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna tell Aunt Mary about Uncle John
I am going to inform Aunt Mary about the actions of Uncle John
He claimed he had the misery but he had a lot of fun
Although he pretended to be upset, he actually enjoyed himself a lot
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Woo, baby, havin' me some fun tonight, yeah
I am experiencing a great time tonight
Well, Long Tall Sally, she's built sweet
Long Tall Sally is attractive and appealing
She got everything that Uncle John needs
She possesses all the qualities that Uncle John desires
Well, I saw Uncle John with Bald Head Sally
I witnessed Uncle John together with Bald Head Sally
He saw Aunt Mary comin' and he ducked back in the alley
When he noticed Aunt Mary approaching, he quickly hid in the alley
Oh, baby, yeah, baby
Showing excitement and enthusiasm
Woo, baby, havin' me some fun tonight, ow
I am having a great time tonight
I'm gonna have some fun tonight
I am going to enjoy myself tonight
Everything's all right
Everything is in a satisfactory or acceptable state
Have me some fun tonight
I am going to experience enjoyment tonight
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Entoris Johnson, Richard Penniman, Robert Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Great Gramophoner Sebastian
What a GREAT song! RIP Richard
The Gregola Records Club
Beautiful transcription.
AidanM78rpM
Thanks, Greg! I've almost got the hang of it.
C Porter
my favorite song of his. Only to be compared to Jenny Jenny with how good it is. I've had potential chances to get little richard 78s before, but that would mean that I'd be walking out of the store with 3 or 4 records less because of the price.
AidanM78rpM
They're pricey for sure, but imo they're worth it. They're a pretty cool addition to your collection.
Nagato
Hearing abt his death was extremely sad news :(
kev michael
Grew Up with this...Long Tall Sally..is still Popular!!!!.. Little Richard.is the best...than the Beatles!!!...Rock and Roll on a 78rpm!!!