"Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" is a song written and originally recorded by Huey 'Piano' Smith in 1957, who scored a minor Billboard hit with it, peaking at No.52 on the Top 100 chart, and a more successful No.5 on the Most Played R&B by Jockeys chart.[1]
The title is a reference to "walking" pneumonia and the Asian flu, hitting the United States in 1957–58. The lyrics recount the predicament of the singer would like to approach a woman he sees in a club, or "joint," but because to his "musical ailments", he is unsuccessful.
1972 saw the song become an international hit single for Johnny Rivers, featuring Larry Knechtel on piano as well as other Los Angeles session musicians from the Wrecking Crew.[5] "Rockin' Pneumonia" reached No.6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 during the winter of 1973. It was Rivers' fifth highest charting song and spent a longer time on the chart (19 weeks) than any of his two dozen hits to that date. On the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 the song peaked at No.5, and in Canada it reached No.3.[6]
^"Deep Purple – Turning to Crime Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
External linksedit
Listen to "Rockin' Pneumonia – Boogie Woogie Flu" on YouTube (Huey "Piano" Smith)
Listen to "Rockin' Pneumonia – Boogie Woogie Flu" on YouTube (Johnny Rivers)
December 20, 2023
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Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu is a song written and originally recorded by Huey Piano Smith in 1957 who scored a minor Billboard hit with it peaking at No 52 on the Top 100 chart and a more successful No 5 on the Most Played R amp B by Jockeys chart 1 Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu Single by Huey Piano SmithA side Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu Part 1 B side Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu Part 2 ReleasedAugust 1957GenreRock and rollLength2 14LabelAceSongwriter s Johnny VincentHuey SmithHuey Piano Smith singles chronology Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu 1957 Don t You Just Know It 1958 Official audio Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu on YouTube Contents 1 Background 2 Musician credits 3 Johnny Rivers recording 3 1 Chart performance 3 1 1 Weekly charts 3 1 2 Year end charts 4 Other cover versions 5 References 6 External linksBackground editThe title is a reference to walking pneumonia and the Asian flu hitting the United States in 1957 58 The lyrics recount the predicament of the singer would like to approach a woman he sees in a club or joint but because to his musical ailments he is unsuccessful Musician credits editHuey Piano Smith piano Sidney Rayfield vocals Scarface John Williams vocals Lee Allen tenor saxophone Alvin Red Tyler baritone saxophone Earl King guitar Frank Fields bass Charles Hungry Williams drums 2 3 Johnny Rivers recording edit Rockin Pneumonia Boogie Woogie Flu nbsp Side A of the US single releaseSingle by Johnny Riversfrom the album L A ReggaeB side Come Home America ReleasedSeptember 1972 4 Recorded1972GenreBlues rock electric bluesLength3 30LabelUnited ArtistsSongwriter s Johnny VincentHuey SmithJohnny Rivers singles chronology Think His Name 1971 Rockin Pneumonia Boogie Woogie Flu 1972 Blue Suede Shoes 1973 1972 saw the song become an international hit single for Johnny Rivers featuring Larry Knechtel on piano as well as other Los Angeles session musicians from the Wrecking Crew 5 Rockin Pneumonia reached No 6 on the U S Billboard Hot 100 during the winter of 1973 It was Rivers fifth highest charting song and spent a longer time on the chart 19 weeks than any of his two dozen hits to that date On the U S Cash Box Top 100 the song peaked at No 5 and in Canada it reached No 3 6 Rockin Pneumonia gave Rivers his third gold record His final gold record would be with the 1977 hit Swayin to the Music Slow Dancing Chart performance edit Weekly charts edit Chart 1972 73 PeakpositionAustralia Go Set 7 27Canadian Top Singles RPM 6 3New Zealand Listener 8 11U S Billboard Hot 100 6U S Cashbox Top 100 9 5U S Record World 7 4 Year end charts edit Chart 1973 RankU S Billboard Hot 100 10 78U S Cash Box 11 30Other cover versions editIn 1957 the tune was recorded by Larry Williams on Specialty Records The back up band included Rene Hall guitar Earl Palmer drums and Plas Johnson tenor sax 12 The Crickets on their 1960 album In Style with the Crickets Paul Peek on his 1966 single Columbia records 4 43527 The Flamin Groovies in 1969 on their debut album Supersnazz and again on their second album Flamingo in 1970 Aerosmith in 1987 for the Less than Zero soundtrack Grateful Dead on their Europe 72 tour at the Strand Lyceum London England 23 and 24 May 1972 Billy Vera on his 1976 album Backdoor Man James Booker on his albums Gonzo Live 1976 13 and King of New Orleans Keyboard 14 Professor Longhair in 1974 released only in 1997 on his album Rock n Roll Gumbo 15 Deep Purple on their 2021 album Turning to Crime 16 References edit Whitburn Joel 2004 Top R amp B Hip Hop Singles 1942 2004 Record Research p 535 The Blues Discography 1943 1970 The Classic Years Les Fancourt amp Bob McGrath Eyeball Productions Huey Piano Smith And The Rocking Pneumonia Blues Author John Wirt LSU Press 2014 P 49 Johnny Rivers Rockin Pneumonia Boogie Woogie Flu 45cat com Retrieved 27 April 2021 Hartman Kent 2012 The Wrecking Crew St Martin s Griffin pp 261 263 ISBN 978 1 250 03046 7 a b Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Retrieved 2016 08 29 a b Song artist 376 Johnny Rivers Tsort info 2007 10 08 Retrieved 2016 08 29 flavour of new zealand search listener Flavourofnz co nz Retrieved 2016 08 29 Cash Box Top 100 1 13 73 Cashboxmagazine com Retrieved 27 April 2021 Top 100 Hits of 1973 Top 100 Songs of 1973 Musicoutfitters com Retrieved 2016 08 29 Cash Box YE Pop Singles 1973 Cashboxmagazine com Retrieved 27 April 2021 Larry Williams Bad Boy The Legends of Specialty Records Speciality Records 1989 liner notes Gonzo Live 1976 Rockbeat Records 2014 11 18 retrieved 2018 09 14 King of the New Orleans Keyboard Jsp Records 2000 retrieved 2018 09 14 Rock n Roll Gumbo retrieved 2021 05 02 Deep Purple Turning to Crime Album Reviews Songs amp More AllMusic Retrieved 15 February 2023 External links editListen to Rockin Pneumonia Boogie Woogie Flu on YouTube Huey Piano Smith Listen to Rockin Pneumonia Boogie Woogie Flu on YouTube Johnny Rivers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rockin 27 Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu amp oldid 1189600301, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
