Even if I was not a fan of Little Richard, I decided to watch the movie. It happened that I saw the poster the other day on the street when we were walking and made a mental note to go to the cinema to see it. Yesterday was, to put it mildly, strange. To make up for a sleepless night I slept for two hours after lunch, had a cup of coffee and in those moments I remembered about the movie projection. Should I go?
Why not? I knew almost nothing about Little Richard (I just vaguely had an image of a man playing the piano while standing) and having a documentary about his life can be an interesting way to learn about his legacy.
I don't regret it. I went alone but there was a little four-legged furry creature who made me company in front of the cinema. He is the owner's dog who is around your legs when you are buying the ticket. I have never tried to enter this cinema without a ticket... I would not risk it, with this doorkeeper!
Let's enter and see the movie now.
The documentary was directed by Lisa Cortes and it combined archive video footage with the artist himself, his photos and expert interviews with Mick Jagger, Billy Porter, John Waters and others. It was easy to follow the idea that the director was building through the movie, and although it mainly went chronologically through his life and career I could also feel a free form in going back to moments from his youth and jumping to the later period of his life.
Little Richard said:
“I am the originator. I am the emancipator. I am the architect of rock ’n’ roll.”
The movie showed me the real impact he made, but I didn't know it before the movie. How many of you would respond to the question who was the originator of rock and roll with his name?
I would probably say Elvis Presley or Chuck Berry but I would not remember to mention Little Richard. Shame on me, or it is just that he was not recognized as he had to be?
Sorry for these blurred photos, but he was playing and dancing so quickly. It was difficult to catch him and his fingers calm. There was no calmness in his performances of rock and roll. It was frenetic. I saw the way he played the piano, we could say that he was hitting the keys without control. However, that was his rebellion, his energy, maybe his frustration, his happiness, the scream of freedom and many emotions mixed together. It was euphoria.
As a child who was singing gospel in the church, music and expression were already in his blood but he was not allowed to sing as he wanted. They also wanted to teach him to play the piano, and he really liked to learn but he didn't want to learn the notes. The family background was not easy, there were eleven children in the marriage of his parents. Maybe the most painful thing that can happen to a child is not to be accepted by his own father, and that is what he had to go through when he showed he was different in certain ways. Kicked out from the family home at 15, he had to find his way of living and building his musical career.
Some musicians had a great influence on him, they were like mirrors where he saw himself and then his talent exploded. The first performance he had was with Rosetta Tharpe and from that moment he decided he would shine. He would make a difference, what he indeed did but at what price?
The first hit that rocketed his name into the skies was Tutti Frutti, with censored lyrics as the original text was not suitable for the audience. Being a black musician in the fifties in the USA, with a highly pronounced legal racial segregation, and expressing his sexual orientation that was not accepted, could not be easy. But what he made was different to anything that was heard before.
His music was charged with fervour and intensity. It sounded explosive and with the desire to be free, to give happiness. Young people, black and white people, all wanted to be free, but society would not allow black music to educate the youngsters. It was then Elvis Presley and Pat Boone who were singing his songs.
The influence he had on many other musicians was huge. And not just musicians but also people who were scared to come out of the closet. It was mentioned by a few people that he liberated the path of many but he could not liberate himself. The great hits and successes were followed by his internal fights and moral questions. After one tour they made in Australia, he went to the other extreme. He renounced secular music, especially rock and roll, his sexuality and hedonism and turned himself to God. He wanted to dedicate his life to the ministry.
His life was going from one extreme to another; marriage, divorce, back to rock and roll and tours, making a huge impact on The Beatles, Mick Jagger and hundreds of other musicians, drugs, falls, conversions, resignations, prayers, gospel... His real shine and talent, together with his struggles, frustrations and sadness were not just in the extremes but also in the shades.
This documentary clearly shows that one of the most painful things for him was the fact he was never recognized for the real influence he had. That he was the one who brought a huge difference to popular music. But on top of it, what I felt through this documentary is the internal fight that one human being can have, who has too much to show and shine, but the pressures can be too strong. Especially in the music industry.
Well, I know there were too many spoilers here, but for my excuse, it was a documentary. And maybe you all already knew about these events from his life and music career. If not and you got the trigger to watch this movie, even if you don't like this genre of music, one hour and 42 minutes can be dedicated to Little Richard, the man who called himself the architect of rock and roll.
What a tremendous story! An incredible artist! It has been a discovery for me... thank you for sharing!
The movie gave me the same discovery. I guess many artists don't get the recognition they should... what is unfortunate.
The truth is I had no idea about this story and how it had influenced so many other musicians, but it is always good to know where music comes from and best of all we never know where it is going... you can always inspire someone! Thanks @mipiano!❤️
You see, it was the same with me, I had no clue. Inspiring people like Little Richars shine their spark to others and receive the same from others - I suppose it is the way it happens :)
I think it must be similar to what happens with paintings, painters, many have inspired me... like that, that's how it works.
Very interesting proposal today. I will definitely watch it.
These things happen with many artists who are discriminated against, but talent always comes to light. I thought it was Elvis Presley too. How I learn with everything I read and interact with you. I am so grateful to have entered this world.
Happy Monday and take care of yourself.❤️🌹🥰♥️
In case you don't find the movie, here is at least the trailer, with a Spanish subtitle. I am also glad to see you here, in Hive. We all learn from each other! Happy Monday to you too 🤗
You will be asleep by now but I wish you sweet dreams. 😌😌😴
Ah... thanks for the spoiler alert.
Nope. I must watch on my own. Love these films 👍 🙏
Haha, good you saw the alert :D
Hope you will like it if you watch it one day ;))
🤗
I did not know about this musician. I had heard Elvis was the creator of the rock and roll.
Well, Richard says that it was him haha. Aquí el trailer :))
Really? 😆 Can't be, am not part of this little Richard. When I would, he would've been called big ass Richard 😆
Uhm, never really recognised. But then he has the say all the stuff he said, like he is the one who invented rock and roll? And going off the rail big time? Sounds to me like massive self-destructive behaviour (although drugs experience arent necessarily self-destructive 😆) and big-ass frustrations. But is it true he was there before all the others we do know? What about this piano-hammering guy playing with fire... Great Balls of Fire guy.... what's his name again .... wait ... Jerry Lee Lewis?
Checking their years of birth.
Owwwk, perhaps Richard was a tat earlier, who knows, but I believe Elvis was in R&R from just after he was born (ok, perhaps a little later). Not sure about Little guy and Lewis the Fire guy. Anyways... Ok, you saw the doc. And your husband didn't (not sure what I wrote that, but I did) 😆
that's the normal Spanish siesta, isn't it? 😴
Haha, two hours is indeed almost the real Spanish siesta :D But just the Sunday siesta is this long 💤
Husband is from your club lol, you you guys can't know the truth about Little Richard as you didn't see the documentary 😂
Oh, I also transmitted just what I saw. I thought you knew I was not born in the thirties like Little Richard or Elvis (I could just look like that after a sleepless night... 😁) so I was not there to see it firsthand. His going from one extreme to another over again was a kind of frustration for sure, something he could not cope with. Inner insecurities and breaks - and the outside circumstances didn't help either. It can happen to anyone and to artists of this caliber too.
Maybe our friend @themagus (when he sees this tag) could say more about this topic, knowing he likes rock (and probably knows more about rock and roll too than we :D)
Lets @themagnus come to us here 🎶
Same gens perhaps? 😆
You are like a magician now and calling @themagus to appear? :))
Let's see, maybe if you edit your message and put the tag well :p
Perhaps!? I know one of my customers started to call for me and my magic wand 🪄 after I helped one of his engineers to fix an issue on one of their servers while I am not at all an engineer and didn't know the application. was just luck but I was named the guy with the magic wand being bale to solve anything 😆
Lets see if the 🪄 helps here
What a nice feeling it is to go to the cinema, isn't it? It's not the same as at home. It's been a while since I've been to the cinema... 😔
Thank you very much for recommending this documentary which is very interesting indeed. I hope I can find it here to watch it one day.
He lived in a complicated time, but even so he was able to express himself in his own way. And indeed, every time is a difficult time for genius. This world is full of people who hate to see others shine. Or they just don't understand it because it's outside their standards. History has proven that the masses are always wrong.
Yes, it is a good feeling to watch a movie in the cinema! (I hope you will have the opportunity to do the same, soon)
I forgot to post about another movie we watched a bit more than a month ago, it was an interesting movie too. I hope to make myself write about that one, (one day - don't know when) - La Sombra de Caravaggio. That artist also lived in a difficult time, well, maybe it is just that artists that somehow stand out from the average have it more difficult. 🤷♀
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I felt pity when reading this content especially about Richard. I can really say that he is really nice and amazing person. 😌
I am looking forward to the release of the movie about Bob Marley, I always found rock and roll to be too noisy and excited for my tastes
Yes, rock and roll probably comes with too much noise and energy. I didn't know too much about it either, but it was this documentary that served as material to learn a bit more about this genre and the first steps of it. ;)
ah I see more academic than pleasure?
I love acquiring new knowledge, and I confess that when it comes to rock and roll, although I love the genre, I am a complete newbie. I had never heard of Little Richard, and even less about his influence on Rock and Roll. Now I start the day with something new learned and with a growing curiosity to research more about his life, all thanks to you.
Hi @amambay
I am glad this post served you to learn something new and believe me, I was also seeing for the first time these facts shown here ;)
Saludos y gracias 😇
I hope to continue learning interesting things from your perspective. I know I will. Greetings and thanks to you for sharing 😊
Wow! Just getting to know the master of Rock and rolls. It's quite true that surviving in the music industry isn't that simple and easy asuch but Richard really made an indelible remark although he resigned for a more decent christian life at the peak of his influence.
On the other hand, his background was also a clog in his wheel but he maneuvered his way by breaking limits irrespective of being cast out of the home and the racism in those times. Nice publishing for our perusal.
Life is full of ups and downs, and probably this artist experienced the same, in his career and personal life. Thank you for reading and your comments, @davchi2
I have not listened to his songs before, but the way you are saying that they are good, I will definitely listen to them.
🐱