The Little Black Egg
Encyclopedia
"The Little Black Egg" is a song first performed by Daytona Beach, Florida
garage band The Nightcrawlers in 1965. It reached number 85 on the Billboard
charts in 1967,
and has been since covered by multiple artists including The Lemonheads
, Tarnation
and The Cars
. It was The Nightcrawlers' only hit.
in 1966 and charted nationally (reaching number 85 on Billboard
Top Pop Singles chart) the following year.
on lead vocals.
The song was later stripped of Ocasek's vocals and re-sung by fashion model Bebe Buell
, whom Ocasek had befriended. The version with Buell's vocals was included on her 1981 EP Covers Girl;
the Cars version was released on 1995's Just What I Needed anthology.
Other recordings of "The Little Black Egg" include a 1991 version by The Primitives
, released on their Galore
album;
a 1993 version by The Lemonheads, released on their Into Your Arms
CD single;
and a 1997 version by the Paula Frazer
-led country band Tarnation, released on their Mirador album.
Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the Tarnation version of "The Little Black Egg" as a highlight of Mirador.
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
garage band The Nightcrawlers in 1965. It reached number 85 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts in 1967,
and has been since covered by multiple artists including The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
, Tarnation
Tarnation (band)
Tarnation is an alt-country-goth band, formed by Paula Frazer in late 1992, primarily recording on the 4AD label.-History:Tarnation originally consisted of Frazer on vocals and guitar. In 1993, she was soon joined by Brandan Kearney on lap steel guitar and Brent Johnson on guitar and vocals. Next,...
and The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
. It was The Nightcrawlers' only hit.
Original recording
Allmusic review Matthew Greenwald describes the song as a "slightly bizarre nursery rhyme", with lyrics about a rotten bird's egg. The song was originally recorded in 1965 by sound engineer Lee Hazen and released on Hazen's record label Lee Records; the 1965 release became a regional hit in The Nightcrawlers' home state of Florida and in the Midwest. The song was re-released on Kapp RecordsKapp Records
Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...
in 1966 and charted nationally (reaching number 85 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Pop Singles chart) the following year.
Other versions
In 1981, during recording sessions for Shake It Up, members of The Cars recorded a version of "The Little Black Egg" featuring Ric OcasekRic Ocasek
Ric Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....
on lead vocals.
The song was later stripped of Ocasek's vocals and re-sung by fashion model Bebe Buell
Bebe Buell
Beverle Lorence "Bebe" Buell is an American fashion model and singer, and Playboy magazine's November 1974 Playmate of the Month. She is also known for dating rock musicians. She is actress Liv Tyler's mother from a brief relationship with Aerosmith vocalist Steven Tyler...
, whom Ocasek had befriended. The version with Buell's vocals was included on her 1981 EP Covers Girl;
the Cars version was released on 1995's Just What I Needed anthology.
Other recordings of "The Little Black Egg" include a 1991 version by The Primitives
The Primitives
The Primitives are a British indie pop band from Coventry, best known for their 1988 international hit single "Crash".-Biography:The Primitives were part of the indie music scene of the mid-1980s alongside bands like The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, the Soup...
, released on their Galore
Galore (The Primitives album)
Galore is the third and final studio album by The Primitives. The group disbanded shortly after this release and would not record again until 2010.-Track listing:#"You Are the Way" - 3:32#"Lead Me Astray" - 3:16#"Earth Thing" - 4:20...
album;
a 1993 version by The Lemonheads, released on their Into Your Arms
Into Your Arms
"Into Your Arms" is a song by alternative rock band The Lemonheads. The song is included on the 1993 album Come on Feel the Lemonheads. It reached number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart in November 1993...
CD single;
and a 1997 version by the Paula Frazer
Paula Frazer
Paula Frazer is an American singer-songwriter. She grew up in Georgia and Arkansas and moved to San Francisco in 1981. Her music is frequently described as melancholic alternative country, but with an eclectic mix of folk, blues and pop, among other genres...
-led country band Tarnation, released on their Mirador album.
Allmusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the Tarnation version of "The Little Black Egg" as a highlight of Mirador.