Hello there! This week our blog features one of the great ‘roots’ rocking songs, Keep A Knockin’ (But You Can’t Come In). We will begin with a very early boogie-woogie tune by “Boodle It” Wiggins. We will then include a later jazz version by Louis Jordan, and finally the iconic rock ‘n roll version by Little Richard. This is interesting because the song changes dramatically with each new release, from a simple blues style, to a more sophisticated swing-style jazz tune, to Little Richard’s rock ‘n roll blaster.
“Boodle It” Wiggins and Keep Knockin’ (An You Can’t Get In):
Not much is known about James “Boodle It” Wiggins. He is said to have been raised in Louisiana, and he was a blues singer who recorded during the 20s and 30s. There are various explanations for his nickname “Boodle It.” The first was that it referred to a type of dance that was briefly popular during that period. The second explanation was that it was some sort of sexual reference – however, I haven’t been able to find any more details, or a photo of James Wiggins. Below is a barrelhouse piano compilation album that includes songs by Boodle It Wiggins.
In 1928 and 1929, James cut some tracks for Paramount Records, and those tracks included the song Keep A Knockin’ An You Can’t Get In. It is interesting that this song was the precursor to two different songs. The first was the song Keep A-Knockin’ that was eventually recorded by Little Richard.
The second song that was derived from Wiggins’ original was I Hear You Knocking (But You Can’t Come In). This second version became a big hit for singer-actress Gale Storm in 1955, where it rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 playlists.
We don’t have a live version of “Boodle It” Wiggins’ version of Keep A Knockin’, so here is the audio of that song.
This is the release from Paramount Records that Wiggins recorded in Chicago and released in 1928. The song features Mr. Wiggins on vocals and kazoo, backed up by a barrelhouse piano believed to be played by Bob Call. The song is basically a boogie-woogie style blues song. The lyrics are exceptionally simple and quite repetitive.
In 1929, Mr. Wiggins recorded Corinna Corinna Blues; so he was the source of yet another influential blues song. In that same year, Wiggins was the victim of a lynching. Apparently a white woman accused him of refusing to step aside for her on the street. Wiggins was assaulted by a mob that shot him four times in the head and then lynched him.
Amazingly enough, Wiggins was rescued and he survived that horrific episode. However, it is believed that James Wiggins died in 1930.
We know almost nothing about James Wiggins except for his music; however, he wrote at least three important R&B songs: Keep A Knockin’; I Hear You Knocking; and Corinna, Corinna. We salute this early pioneer of the blues.
Louis Jordan and Keep On Knocking:
Louis Jordan was a major figure in the jazz music scene during the period from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was born in Arkansas in July 1908. His father was a bandleader and head of a group called the Rabbit Foot Minstrels.
Louis’ father taught him to play saxophone and clarinet, and by his teens he was appearing with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He then played with various combos and big bands. Jordan became sufficiently famous that in the 1940s he recorded with artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong. Here is a photo of Louis Jordan.
Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five became major artists and had significant commercial success on the “race records” charts (race records was the precursor of “R&B”). And Jordan was one of the premier alto saxophonists in the 40s and 50s.
Louis Jordan heard James Wiggins’ song Keep A Knockin’, and he released his own version in 1939. So here is the audio of Louis Jordan’s rendition of Keep A Knockin’. Although we don’t have live video of Jordan, this YouTube video has a number of still photos of Jordan.
In the hands of Louis Jordan, Keep A Knockin’ is converted into a swing tune. It features both Jordan’s vocals and a couple of his short but lovely alto sax solos.
Apparently he was a consummate musician; a brilliant saxophonist and a very talented singer. For example, for a while the Chick Webb Band had two featured singers: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan.
Louis Jordan was one of the most successful African-American artists of the era immediately preceding rock ‘n roll, and he is now seen as an important precursor to that style of music.
In addition to his musical accomplishments, Jordan appeared in several films, and he was one of the first black artists to achieve significant “cross-over” success, appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in addition to his great success in the R&B playlists.
Unfortunately, Jordan may have been best known for various comedy songs. Several of those were typical of the racist stereotypes of Black Americans from those days, and make for cringe-worthy viewing today. A photo from one of those records is shown above.
Louis Jordan died of a heart attack in Los Angeles in February 1975. Nowadays he is known as a pioneer in R&B and in the early transition from R&B to rock ‘n roll. We salute the pathbreaking Louis Jordan, a multi-talented singer, bandleader and actor.
Little Richard and Keep A Knockin’ (And You Can’t Come In):
Little Richard used to boast that he had invented rock ‘n roll. This was not much of an exaggeration – he was one of the seminal figures in the early days of rhythm & blues, with a career that lasted nearly 70 years.
Richard Penniman was born in Macon, Georgia in 1932, the third of twelve children of a local pastor. Richard showed considerable musical ability both in playing saxophone and singing in his family’s gospel choir at the Pentecostal church.
Penniman’s early opportunities were limited because his family refused to allow him to perform secular music. However, at the age of 16 he left home and began performing on the “Chitlin’ Circuit,” and he also was featured as a drag performer in some vaudeville shows.
Although Penniman was recording songs as early as 1951, he found it difficult to break into the recording scene. He took the stage name “Little Richard,” learned how to play boogie-woogie piano, and fronted a band called The Upsetters. Below is a photo of Little Richard in the mid-1950s.
In the mid-50s, Little Richard’s fortunes began to improve dramatically. The management at Specialty Records hooked Richard up with producer Robert “Bumps” Blackwell. Blackwell had previously worked with R&B legend Ray Charles, and Blackwell believed that Little Richard had the potential to be as successful as Charles.
Blackwell helped Little Richard convert a raunchy song with explicitly sexual lyrics into Richard’s first big record, Tutti Frutti, that was released as a single at the end of 1955.
Tutti Frutti was a significant hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard R&B charts. It also was a major “cross-over” success, making it up to #17 on the Billboard Top 100 charts. Crooner Pat Boone released a cover of Tutti Frutti; this offended Little Richard when Boone’s white-bread cover outsold his own record.
As we have seen, the original Keep A Knockin was credited to James Wiggins. It was first recorded by Little Richard in 1957, and was credited to Penniman, Mayo Williams and Bert Mays. Little Richard liked it so much that he re-recorded it on four subsequent albums.
Like many early rock songs, the lyrics are extremely simple. The singer informs a woman that she cannot come in, no matter how long she knocks.
Keep a knockin’, but you can’t come in.
Keep a knockin’, but you can’t come in.
Keep a knockin’, but you can’t come in,
Come back tomorrow night and try again.
You said you love me, but you can’t come in.
You said you love me, but you can’t come in.
You said you love me, but you can’t come in,
Come back tomorrow night and try again.
Little Richard’s single was a big commercial success. The tune rose to #2 on the R&B charts and to #8 on the Billboard playlists.
So here is Little Richard in a “live” performance of Keep A Knockin’ (But You Can’t Come In).
This is from one of the cheesy rock ‘n roll movies of the 50s. Little Richard appears here with his Upsetters band. The song begins with a famous drum solo, that was copied in several rock songs. I’m not even sure that Little Richard is actually mouthing the words to Keep A Knockin’, but it really doesn’t matter.
You see that in Little Richard’s hands, this song has now been transformed to an up-tempo rocking tune. There are a couple of great saxophone solos in the middle, and it also features Richard bringing his trademark “Whoooo.”
And now here is actual live footage of Little Richard singing Keep A Knockin’.
This was from Jerry Lewis’ MDA Telethon in 2002. Little Richard is now much older, but he can still rock, as he shows here.
In the late 1950s, Little Richard was riding the crest of a wave of popularity. However, during a tour of Australia in 1957, he shocked his supporters by announcing that he was retiring from rock ‘n roll in order to enter the ministry.
A number of incidents had convinced Richard that God was sending him a message. In addition, Little Richard got seriously into drugs, particularly heroin, PCP and cocaine. His work in the ministry was an important element in weaning him from drug addiction.
Then in 1962 Mr. Penniman was persuaded to undertake a tour of Europe. His first show was devoted to gospel music. But he opened his second show, accompanied by organist Billy Preston, with Long Tall Sally – and the audience went wild!
After that, Little Richard continued with a triumphant rock ‘n roll tour of Europe. Up-and-coming bands vied to play in his concerts. The Beatles opened a couple of concerts for Little Richard, who gave them tips on performing, and helped Paul develop his “Little Richard” voice.
When you hear the vocal stylings of Bob Seger, or John Fogerty, or Rod Stewart, or Paul McCartney (in his hard-rocking mode), you realize that they are simply channeling Little Richard. Other artists such as John Lennon, Mick Jagger and David Bowie who didn’t copy Little Richard’s vocal style, nevertheless looked to him as an inspirational figure and tried to model their own careers after his.
It was fitting that Little Richard was one of the inductees in the inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Even in his mid-80s, Little Richard was still performing occasionally, but often in a wheelchair. He passed away on May 9, 2020 from complications due to bone cancer.
What a great loss. Little Richard Penniman was one of the original kings of rock ‘n roll. In his honor, Whooooo!
Source Material:
Tim's Cover Story 