Sunday Shot of Rhythm and Blues Celebrating the 2023 Birthday of the Legendary Arthur Alexander and Bad Boy Larry Williams

by Robert Wilkinson

Today we celebrate the life and music of an obscure but very important and very soulful singer-songwriter, as well as the life of another who gave us classic rock and roll! Both these guys had songs done by the Beatles, Stones, and others!

We begin with the “Soldier of Love,” Arthur Alexander (May 10, 1940 – June 9, 1993). In wiki we read he “was an American country songwriter and soul singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for Allmusic, said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and that, though largely unknown, "his music is the stuff of genius, a poignant and deeply intimate body of work on par with the best of his contemporaries." Alexander wrote songs publicized by such stars as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Otis Redding, Tina Turner and Jerry Lee Lewis”

While mainly big from 1960-1975, his music is some of the best ever recorded. Today we celebrate the soulful genius of Arthur Alexander!

Here’s his first big hit, done by the Rolling Stones in 1964! “You’d Better Move On”

Here’s the 1961 original! “You’d Better Move On”

The Hollies also scored with it in 1964! “You’d Better Move On”

Though not written by Arthur, here’s the “B” side, itself a classic hit! “A Shot of Rhythm and Blues”

Johnny Kidd and the Pirates covered it and scored big! “A Shot of Rhythm and Blues” and here's the version the Beatles did Live at the BBC! “A Shot of Rhythm and Blues”

His third single and 2nd hit! He didn’t write this one either, but his 1962 version was another one picked up by the Beatles! “Soldier of Love”

Here’s the most famous version of this great tune with John singing lead! “Soldier of Love”

Here’s the “B” side to “Soldier of Love,” written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, which was a hit in its own right! “Where Have You Been All My Life?” From 1962 at the Star Club, here is the Beatles’ version! “Where Have You Been All My Life”

Speaking of the Beatles, in 1962 Arthur wrote and sang this Top Ten hit produced at Muscle Shoals by Rick Hall! “Anna.” Naturally, the Beatles covered it in their early years! “Anna”

Going back to the beginning, this was his first record! From 1960, it’s an groove! “Sally Sue Brown”

From 1962, “Go Home Girl” Here’s the 1964 Rolling Stones version of “Go Home Girl” and from 1982 on the Old Grey Whistle Test, here’s Ry Cooder in a beautiful live performance of “Go Home Girl”

In 1965, he did a cover of this Mel Tillis composition originally made big by Bobby Bare. Here’s Arthur’s offering of “Detroit City”

The “B” side was a truly unknown soul classic! This one’s so good you must check it out!! “You Don’t Care”

Though this was originally a hit for the Box Tops, Arthur gave us a respectable version of “Cry Like A Baby”

He wrote this catchy tune that was a huge hit for Steve Alaimo in 1962, though Arthur didn’t do his own version until 1975. For your swinging and swaying, “Every Day I Have to Cry Some”

Here’s the best known version by Steve Alaimo of “Every Day I Have to Cry Some” and from the Wayback machine, we find this gem cut in 1965 by some young teens in Australia, with Robin taking the lead vocals for the first time! “Every Day I Have to Cry Some”

We’ll close this dance with one of his later hits, with his rockin’ soul version released months before the better known version by the King! For your dancing pleasure, Arthur Alexander offering up “Burnin’ Love”

For the encore, one more time! With John Lennon on vocals, here's the Beatles Live at the BBC cranking out "Soldier of Love"

Thanks for the rocking soul music, Brother Arthur! While you’ve already “moved on,” you’ll always be the Soldier of Love giving us a Shot of Rhythm and Blues!

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May 10th is also the birthday of the legendary Larry Williams (May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980). He was an early R&B/Rock and Roll singer who wrote and recorded some major hits that other major groups covered, including some of the best of the best! After Little Richard quit Specialty Records, they brought in Larry to be the wild piano player. For about two year he was one of the biggest, and clearly was a favorite of John Lennon who made several of his tunes famous! Welcome to a few tunes which I’m sure you’ll recognize!

From June 1957,his first big one that went to #5 in the pop charts, #1 in the R&B charts! “Short Fat Fannie”

From 1957, the “B” side to “Short Fat Fannie,”“High School Dance”

Here’s his follow up in 1957 that went to #14 on the pop charts and #5 on the R&B charts, “Bony Moronie”

From 1958, “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” and “Slow Down”

As we know, the Beatles cranked these out as part of their sets! From their Hollywood Bowl show in 1965, an audio only live performance of “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”

This is a great video! From the legendary 1969 Live Peace in Toronto concert, John’s cranking it out! “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”

From their Live at the BBC sessions, the audio-only performance of “Slow Down”

From 1959, two more greats covered by the Beatles and the Stones!

Here's Larry's version of “Bad Boy,” and here’s the Beatles’ offering of that tune! “Bad Boy”

Also from 1959, Larry's version of “She Said Yeah,” and here’s the Rolling Stones live cranking out “She Said Yeah.” From the album December’s Children, the studio version of “She Said Yeah”

Thanks, guys, for the outrageously cool rock and roll! We said Yeah!

Copyright © 2023 Robert Wilkinson

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