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Jetboy

(792 posts) Tue Apr 14, 2015, 02:54 PM Apr 2015

Larry Williams was covered by the Beatles, Stones, Who and Led Zep. NOT in HOF

He had a bunch of hits including 'Slow Down', 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy', 'Bad Boy (now Junior BEHAVE yourself!)', 'Bonie Maroney' and 'Short Fat Fanny.'

'Bonie Maroney' was namechecked in the Wilson Pickett classic (and Headhunters or whoever it was that did the song) 'Land of 1000 Dances' and the Stones namechecked 'Short Fat Fannie' in their class rocker 'Rip This Joint.'

One can only wonder how great Larry would've been as a rock-n-roller if he had devoted more of his short life to it instead of to crime.

Of all the bad boys in rock-n-roll history, Larry Williams was the baddest but that shouldn't hurt his case for the HOF.

While we're at it please induct Chubby Checker too. Not only is Chub still alive but he is still a dynamic live performer who does the Twist with his fans at concerts and packs the house when in town. Checker had so many hits in the early 60s and considering how important his version of The Twist was it is WAAAAY overdue.

I don't want to get too greedy so I'll stop there but I strongly feel like we need more actual rock-n-roll in the HOF. I would put these 2 artists in before 3/4 of the current members.

6 replies

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Larry Williams was covered by the Beatles, Stones, Who and Led Zep. NOT in HOF (Original Post) Jetboy Apr 2015 OP

Checker isn't in yet? shenmue Apr 2015 #1

Abba is in, Chubby Checker is on the outside looking in. Rock-n-roll Hall of Fame! Jetboy Apr 2015 #3

Williams certainly was a bad boy and he does belong in the HOF Tom Ripley Apr 2015 #2

Williams was a straight up pimp and drug dealer criminal, no doubt. Jetboy Apr 2015 #4

There was a notorious Atlanta punk band called the Restraints who did great covers of Williams songs Tom Ripley Apr 2015 #6

Listen to the Larry Williams versions and then listen to the Brit band Jetboy Apr 2015 #5

shenmue

(38,506 posts)

1. Checker isn't in yet?

Reply to Jetboy (Original post)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 04:05 PM

Apr 2015

Jetboy

(792 posts)

3. Abba is in, Chubby Checker is on the outside looking in. Rock-n-roll Hall of Fame!

Reply to shenmue (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 09:02 PM

Apr 2015

People are pleading passionately to induct Chicago, Moody Blues and Procal Harum! but not Chubby Checker. That's why I wanted to call attention to the matter.

Before Chubby Checker and the Twist, rock-n-roll was mostly for teenagers. The Twist got adults into the music, buying the records and dancing at the clubs. It truly is a farce and a shame that this great man has to congratulate the like of Abba when he should've been in there around 1989.

Tom Ripley

(4,945 posts)

2. Williams certainly was a bad boy and he does belong in the HOF

Reply to Jetboy (Original post)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 07:24 PM

Apr 2015

Jetboy

(792 posts)

4. Williams was a straight up pimp and drug dealer criminal, no doubt.

Reply to Tom Ripley (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 09:09 PM

Apr 2015

And he should've been in the HOF 20+ years ago.

I appreciate that you agree. He was a rock-n-roller- no qualifiers- straight rock-n-roll. He had hits and he influenced and was covered by the most respected bands of all time. LW is a no-brainer HOF selection but will never make it in unfortunately. It's still the right thing and worth advocating for IMO.

Tom Ripley

(4,945 posts)

6. There was a notorious Atlanta punk band called the Restraints who did great covers of Williams songs

Reply to Jetboy (Reply #4)

Wed Apr 15, 2015, 01:48 PM

Apr 2015

Their guitarplayer gave me the background story on Williams' life. What a wild ride!

I can't believe the Dolls aren't in the HOF. Or that anyone high profile isn't advocating for their inclusion.

Jetboy

(792 posts)

5. Listen to the Larry Williams versions and then listen to the Brit band

Reply to Jetboy (Original post)

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 09:21 PM

Apr 2015

versions. My ears far prefer the originals and that goes for all of the 50s American rock-n-roll covered by Brits excepting the Beatles versions of 'Twist and Shout' and 'Boys'.

We give far too much credit to the imitators and nowhere near enough to the originators. Judge for yourselves original vs cover.

edit to add videos.

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