Rev. Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter and pianist.
A key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock & roll in the 1950s, Penniman’s reputation rests on a string of groundbreaking hit singles from 1955 through 1957, such as “Tutti Frutti”, “Lucille” and “Long Tall Sally”, which helped lay the foundation for rock and roll music, and influenced generations of rhythm & blues, rock and soul music artists. Little Richard’s injection of funk during this period, via his saxophone-studded mid-1950s road band, The Upsetters,[1] also influenced the development of that genre of music. He was subsequently honored by being one of seven of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was one of only four of these honorees (along with Ray Charles, James Brown, and Fats Domino) to also receive the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award.
Little Richard’s early work was a mix of boogie-woogie, rhythm & blues and gospel music, but with a heavily accentuated back-beat, funky saxophone grooves and raspy shouted vocals, moans, screams, and other emotive inflections that marked a new kind of music. In 1957, while at the height of stardom, he became a born-again Christian, enrolled in and attended Bible college, and withdrew from recording and performing secular music. Claiming he was called to be an evangelist, he has since devoted large segments of his life to this calling.
Tutti Frutti
Little Richard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
A wop bop a loo bop a lop ba ba
I got a gal, named Sue, she knows just what to do
I got a gal, named Sue, she knows just what to do
She rock to the East, she rock to the West
But she's the gal that I love best
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie, ooh
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
A wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom
I got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drives me crazy
Got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drives me crazy
She knows how to love me, yes indeed
Boy you don't know what she do to me
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie, ooh
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Wop bop a loo bop, ow
Oh tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie, ooh
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
A wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom
I got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drive me crazy
Got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drive me crazy
She knows how to love me, yes indeed
Boy you don't know what she do to me
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie, ooh
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom
The song "Tutti Frutti" is a classic rock and roll song written by Little Richard in 1955, and it became his first hit song. The lyrics of the song are a mix of nonsense phrases and traditional lyrics about love and romance. The opening verse: "Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom" is Little Richard's own signature style, and he continued this signature style in the chorus with, "Tutti Frutti, oh rootie," that are just fun and catchy phrases that enhance the rhythm and the beat of the song.
The verses speak specifically about two women in little Richard's life named "Sue" and "Daisy." Little Richard acknowledges their beauty and skills in dancing before drawing attention back to the power of the beat of the song in the chorus. Essentially, the song is really a celebration of rock and roll music, its power, and its ability to bring people together. One could even say that Little Richard's use of nonsense syllables in the song is a nod to the transformative power of music, which can break down language barriers and bring people and cultures together.
Line by Line Meaning
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom
An exclamation of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming song
Tutti frutti, oh rootie
A happy expression of joy and pleasure
A wop bop a loo bop a lop ba ba
Continuation of the exclamation from the beginning
I got a gal, named Sue, she knows just what to do
The singer has a girlfriend named Sue who pleases him in every way
She rock to the East, she rock to the West
Sue is a great dancer who can move in any direction
But she's the gal that I love best
Despite any other women he may know, Sue is the one he loves most
I got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drives me crazy
The singer has another girlfriend named Daisy who excites and challenges him
She knows how to love me, yes indeed
Daisy is a great lover who satisfies his desires
Boy you don't know what she do to me
The singer is very affected by Daisy and wants others to know it
Wop bop a loo bop, ow
A sudden cry out of pleasure and excitement
A wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom
Repeating the original excited expression from the beginning
A wop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom
Finalizing the song with an even more powerful expression of excitement and satisfaction
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Dorothy Labostrie, Joe Lubin, Richard Penniman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AlfiePasta
Rip "Little Richard" Richard Wayne Penniman
Died: May 9, 2020
Born: December 5, 1932
One of the best guys in Rock N Roll.
Richard, you may be gone, but your music won't ever die out. Your one of the people who influenced me to actually play Rock N Roll! May you rest in peace with all those other legends.
Legends never die.
@jasonraczkowski6001
Little Richard passed away this morning at 87. We thank him for the music and for pioneering the rock and roll era of music . Thanks for the memories Richard.
@Monkeysonthisapp
RIP
@traesebesta397
He passed away Saturday
@rajeshkaran7800
Yeh ,he helped a lot of the old ROCK groups back in the days ,i e The Rolling Stones , A TRUE LEGEND, RIP⚘
@RelativeWind
Trae Semestral it is saturday
@istacobellstillaround2846
Thank you for taking the time to write this for my grandpa god bless you
@arlogregorio8544
RIP Little Richard
A massive giant whose influence will last a million singers. Music wouldnt be the same without him :(
@kschoeni
“wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom.”
@j-rock5083
RIP LEGEND!! There was NO ROCK N ROLL WITHOUT LITTLE RICHARD!!
@SUGAR_XYLER
😎 I'm watching my 95 year old aunt dance with her cat