1957 HITS ARCHIVE: Keep A Knockin’ - Little Richard (his original hit version)

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Keep A Knockin’ (Penniman) by Little Richard

Though the label composer credit is claimed by Little Richard, this top-10 rocker was an update of a much older song, originally recorded in 1928 as "Keep A Knockin' An You Can't Get In" by James “Boodle It” Wiggins ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPYeXbc8rns ) and then by others, including Louis Jordan in 1939 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SQ-zD2XnU ). Like Richard’s other hits, “Keep A Knockin’” is sometimes heard in a different re-recorded stereo version.

Note that the original master for this particular take, aside from running slightly slower, timed out at well under two minutes. So in order to bring the track up to an acceptable length for single release, the audio editor simply copied the 45-second portion between :06 and :51 and ran it all over again between :51 and 1:36 (though the well-known tape wow at :30 is not present in the repeat).

THE 1957 HITS ARCHIVE - here in one place, a good-quality library of original-release-version best-sellers and songs that made an impact that were either released or enjoyed a major chunk of their popularity within the calendar year 1957 (some were recorded in 1956).