Raunchy (song)
Encyclopedia
"Raunchy" is the name of an American
rock and roll
instrumental hit from 1957. It was recorded by Bill Justis
and his band in Memphis, Tennessee
, and co-written by Justis and Sid Manker.
"Raunchy" may have been the first song to use the twangy solo lead guitar
format, which was developed by others and became a staple for the next few years. Justis played the saxophone
and Manker played the lead guitar. Released on Phillips International Records
, it charted in the U.S. at #2 Pop and #1 R&B.
The lead guitar work was rudimentary in comparison with later instrumentals. In later years Justis rerecorded an improved definitive rendition with a stronger guitar.
Competing with the Justis release in 1957 were other versions of "Raunchy," by Billy Vaughn
and Ernie Freeman
. Freeman's version was his biggest solo success, reaching #4 on the Pop
chart and #1 on the R&B chart in 1957.
Soon after the hit, guitarist Duane Eddy
, with producer Lee Hazlewood
, took it upon themselves to develop that style to an ultimate degree. Far from a light lead guitar sound, they greatly enhanced the reverberation
in their recordings. Eddy started with the big hit "Rebel Rouser" in 1958, but later made a recording of "Raunchy" for the RCA Records
album Twangin' the Golden Hits in 1965.
"Raunchy" was recorded by many groups in the following years, either on singles or albums. They included The Ventures
, Bill Black
, Tom and Jerry (guitarists)
, Al Caiola
, Billy Strange
, Bill Smith Combo aka Tommy & The Tom Toms
(Chess #1780), Incredible Bongo Band
In 1958 George Harrison
performed the song to John Lennon
(and Paul McCartney
) on the top deck of a bus, and was so note-perfect Lennon decided to let him into his band, The Quarrymen
, which later became The Beatles
, despite earlier reservations about Harrison's younger age.
Years later, while working on the Beatles Anthology project in 1994, the three surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney
, George Harrison
and Ringo Starr
, played this song during a jam session. Video
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
instrumental hit from 1957. It was recorded by Bill Justis
Bill Justis
William E. "Bill" Justis Jr. was an American pioneer rock and roll musician, composer, and musical arranger, best known for his 1957 Grammy Hall of Fame song, "Raunchy."-Biography:...
and his band in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, and co-written by Justis and Sid Manker.
"Raunchy" may have been the first song to use the twangy solo lead guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
format, which was developed by others and became a staple for the next few years. Justis played the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and Manker played the lead guitar. Released on Phillips International Records
Phillips International Records
Phillips International Records is a sub-label of Sun Records started by Sam Phillips in October 1957.The label, showed a blue globe with Phillips prominent and the words Sam C --- International Corp on a red white and blue ribbon below....
, it charted in the U.S. at #2 Pop and #1 R&B.
The lead guitar work was rudimentary in comparison with later instrumentals. In later years Justis rerecorded an improved definitive rendition with a stronger guitar.
Competing with the Justis release in 1957 were other versions of "Raunchy," by Billy Vaughn
Billy Vaughn
Richard "Billy" Vaughn was an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, orchestra leader, and A&R man for Dot Records....
and Ernie Freeman
Ernie Freeman
Ernie Freeman was an American pianist, organist and arranger.In 1935 he began playing in local Cleveland area nightclubs, and also formed a classical music trio for local social functions with his father and his sister Evelyn...
. Freeman's version was his biggest solo success, reaching #4 on the Pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and #1 on the R&B chart in 1957.
Soon after the hit, guitarist Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy
Duane Eddy is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he had a string of hit records, produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebel Rouser", "Peter Gunn", and "Because They're Young"...
, with producer Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood
Lee Hazlewood , born Barton Lee Hazlewood was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s.Hazlewood had a distinctive baritone voice that added an ominous...
, took it upon themselves to develop that style to an ultimate degree. Far from a light lead guitar sound, they greatly enhanced the reverberation
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
in their recordings. Eddy started with the big hit "Rebel Rouser" in 1958, but later made a recording of "Raunchy" for the RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
album Twangin' the Golden Hits in 1965.
"Raunchy" was recorded by many groups in the following years, either on singles or albums. They included The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
, Bill Black
Bill Black
William Patton "Bill" Black, Jr. was an American musician who is noted as one of the pioneers of rockabilly music. Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley's early trio and the leader of Bill Black's Combo....
, Tom and Jerry (guitarists)
Tom and Jerry (guitarists)
Tom and Jerry was a guitar duo of the early 1960s in the United States, consisting of Tommy Tomlinson and Jerry Kennedy.They recorded instrumentals on the Mercury Records label...
, Al Caiola
Al Caiola
Al Caiola is a guitarist who plays jazz, country, rock, western, and pop music. He has been both a studio musician and stage performer...
, Billy Strange
Billy Strange
William E. "Billy" Strange is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor.-Recordings and songwriting:...
, Bill Smith Combo aka Tommy & The Tom Toms
Tommy & the Tom Toms
Tommy & The Tom Toms first started with two guitars and drums, Eddie Wayne Hill on lead guitar, Leonard Walters on rhythm guitar and Joel Colbert on drums. The three fledgling musicians from Arlington, Texas began jamming in an old barn in 1959 and evolved to playing around town for private parties...
(Chess #1780), Incredible Bongo Band
Incredible Bongo Band
The Incredible Bongo Band, also known as Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band, was a project started in 1972 by Michael Viner, a record artist manager and executive at MGM Records. Viner was called on to supplement the soundtrack to the virtually anonymous B film The Thing With Two Heads. The...
In 1958 George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
performed the song to John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
(and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) on the top deck of a bus, and was so note-perfect Lennon decided to let him into his band, The Quarrymen
The Quarrymen
The Quarrymen are a British skiffle and rock and roll group, initially formed in Liverpool in 1956, that eventually evolved into The Beatles in 1960...
, which later became The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, despite earlier reservations about Harrison's younger age.
Years later, while working on the Beatles Anthology project in 1994, the three surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, played this song during a jam session. Video