Little Richard Cover Search

"'I don't know whether I've mentioned this to you before, but I haven't exactly become fixated, but I know that somewhere in my collection of seven inch singles, there's a really good cover version of a Little Richard song, except that I can't remember which Little Richard song it is, nor can I remember who it is who's recorded it. So, out of sheer desperation, I'm having to make my way through my entire collection of seven inch singles until I find it, and of course, in the course of doing this, I come up with one or two interesting records that I forget I've ever owned, and if you'd asked me a week ago, 'Do you have a record by somebody called Eddie Buster Forehand?', I'd have said, 'No, I don't think I do, as a matter of fact', but I do, and it's a stormer as well.' (JP, 07 December 1992 (Ö3)"

As Peel states above, the hunt for the elusive Little Richard cover developed into something of an obsession for the DJ and playing records unearthed in the course of it became a regular feature of his shows. Although the exact starting date of "The Search" is not presently known, it is hoped to compile a comprehensive list of the records he re-discovered and played on his Radio One shows, along with any comments about the tracks. All records are 7-inch singles. Please add further information if known.

thumb|320px|right|Mickey Lee Lane - Tutti Frutti

thumb|320px|right|Little Richard - Tutti Frutti The object of the search eventually turned out to be a version of Tutti Frutti by Mickey Lee Lane. The single was later found stored safely among his most precious 45s in John Peel's Record Box.

March 1992
14 March 1992
 * Sipo Bhengu and his alto sax – Tiki Dopis
 * JP: "I was trying to find records as always at Peel Acres during the week. And going through the Bs in the 7” singles I came across what must have been the first African record I played on the radio – back in 1971..."

21 March 1992
 * Big Three: You've Gotta Keep Her Under Hand (B side of If You Ever Change Your Mind) (Decca)

28 March 1992
 * Brother Blue – Onzhet Hetulate a “25 year old” single from South Africa on Tops Records

Peel came across two copies of this on his search – gave one to Andy Kershaw.

April 1992
03 April 1992
 * JP: "As I mentioned last week, I'm desperately trying to find a record. It's a song that I know Little Richard did, and it's a cover version of it, and I can't remember the artist. I'm working my way through my singles collection in the hope of finding it, and so far, well, I'm still in the Bs actually, and came up with this during the week."


 * Carl Bryan: unknown (reggae 7" from 1969)

04 April 1992
 * Bunny & Ricky: Freedom Fighter (7") Locks

11 April 1992
 * Brothers Of Soul: I Guess That Don't Make Me A Loser (Boo Records)
 * JP: "That's another one I came across during my search for that missing Little Richard cover."

June 1992
13 June 1992
 * JP: "My search for that missing Little Richard cover has taken me into the Ds hence this."


 * Delta 5: Mind Your Own Business (Rough Trade)

August 1992
07 August 1992
 * The search (for the missing Little Richard cover version) reaches the end of the D’s.

September 1992
04 September 1992
 * "This is from the Fabions. As the search continues for that missing Little Richard cover, I've now reached the Fs."


 * Fabions: V Rocket (Bullet)

05 September 1992
 * The oft-mentioned Little Richard cover version search is still going on.

25 September 1992
 * JP - "And the search for the Little Richard cover version goes on, I'm now into the Fs, so that gives me the excuse to play this."


 * Fall: It's The New Thing (Step-Forward) SF 9


 * JP: "This is another one of those records that I discovered as I was making my way through the pile of singles by artists whose names begin with F. From Fort Worth, Texas, the Firemen...."


 * Firemen: Old Smokie (Le Cam)
 * Peel likes the first half minute of this song so much he immediately plays it again. The single was later found in John Peel's Record Box.

November 1992
21 November 1992
 * JP: "This is another one of the records I found whilst searching for the missing Little Richard cover."


 * Eddie "Buster" Forehand: Young Boy Blues (Josie)
 * JP: "Are there loads of records by Eddy 'Buster' Forehand? And if there are, how come I've never heard any of them?"

27 November 1992
 * JP: "This is one of the records I discovered while I was looking for that Little Richard cover version. I'm about halfway through the Gs now."


 * Earl Gaines: Hymn Number 5 (Seventy Seven)

December 1992
11 December 1992
 * Laura Green and Johnny MacInnes: Pledge You My Love (Silver Fox)

January 1993
02 January 1993
 * Peel's continuing search for the elusive Little Richard cover version leads him to what he claims is Half Japanese's very first release, a 7 inch in an 8 inch sleeve, "which makes it very difficult to file".


 * Half Japanese: '(I Don't Want To Have) Mono (Anymore) (b-side of No Direct Line From My Brain To My Heart) (50,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Watts)

February 1993
26 February 1993
 * JP: "The search for that missing Little Richard cover version continues, and I'm getting towards the end of the aitches. This is one of the records that I came up with this week, and a gem it is too. It was a number one record in Dallas when I lived there. Ah! Brings back wonderful memories."


 * Lightnin' Hopkins: Mojo Hand

March 1993
26 March 1993
 * The Little Richard cover version has been found and will be played tomorrow night, but during the search Peel found ...


 * King Horror: "Frankenstein" (first released on the Newbeat label in 1969)

April 1993
24 April 1993
 * JP: "The search is over, yet the search continues."


 * Incredible Casuals: Picnic Egg (Eat)

June 1993
11 June 1993
 * Bobby Long And The Dealers: ‘Heartbreak Avenue (Old Town)

July 1993
10 July 1993
 * Mickey Lee Lane: Tutti Frutti (Mala Records)
 * JP: "That was the record I was searching for, for so long. The object of the search campaign that continued for about six months. Having found it, of course, my enthusiasm for continuing to look for it, if you see what I mean, has diminished somewhat but I will press on because I did come up with some interesting old records in the course of it."