LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Three years after the earthmoving 1955 sessions for "Tutti Frutti," rock 'n' roll legend Little Richard had a brush with death that left him indebted to God. He swore off his jewelry-and-mascara evil ways and enrolled in Bible school in Huntsville, Alabama. But by the end of the '60s, having met The Beatles and witnessed Elvis' comeback special, Richard was ready to record again -- and not just rehashes of his early singles.Richard's friend Mo Ostin signed him to Reprise, and the singer hunkered down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to record what would become one of the greatest comeback albums in rock history, 1970's The Rill Thing. A collection of originals and covers of Hank Williams and Beatles tunes, the album was a brilliant update of the classic Little Richard sound, but it sold poorly. Resolved to try again, Richard recorded a more overtly commercial effort in 1971's King Of Rock 'N' Roll, another example of the artist's diverse taste in repertoire (The Rolling Stones, John Fogerty, Hoyt Axton). He also worked with Quincy Jones on the $ movie soundtrack, contributing two songs clearly inspired by Isaac Hayes' Shaft.The following year Richard took a completely different route, adopting a stripped-down, back-to-basics approach to what would become 1972's The Second Coming. The sessions also produced ten songs for an album to be titled Southern Child, which, for reasons unknown, was never released. The tracks make their debut on this set.Rhino Handmade's three-disc anthology King Of Rock 'N' Roll: The Complete Reprise Recordings collects his early-'70s work for Reprise, including the albums The Rill Thing (1970), King Of Rock 'N' Roll (1971), The Second Coming (1972), and the never-issued Southern Child (1972). Also included are the 1972 $ soundtrack cuts, as well as assorted rarities and unreleased tracks from his Reprise sessions.King Of Rock 'N' Roll: The Complete Reprise Recordings is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING FREEDOM BLUES (3:00) GREENWOOD, MISSISSIPPI (3:20) TWO-TIME LOSER (3:20) DEW DROP INN (2:40) SOMEBODY SAW YOU (3:37) SPREADIN' NATTA, WHAT'S THE MATTER? (4:35) THE RILL THING (10:25) LOVESICK BLUES (4:31) I SAW HER STANDING THERE (3:29) SHAKE A HAND (If You Can) (2:39) MONEY IS (4:28) DO IT-TO IT (2:50) KING OF ROCK AND ROLL (3:10) JOY TO THE WORLD (6:47) BROWN SUGAR (3:21) IN THE NAME (3:07) DANCING IN THE STREET (5:30) MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (3:59) THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO (3:29) GREEN POWER (3:58) I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY (2:38) SETTIN' THE WOODS ON FIRE (2:21) BORN ON THE BAYOU (4:26) MOCKINGBIRD SALLY (3:39) SECOND LINE (4:49) IT AIN'T WHAT YOU DO, IT'S THE WAY HOW YOU DO IT (2:44) THE SAINTS (5:03) NUKI SUKI (5:31) ROCKIN' ROCKIN' BOOGIE (5:29) PROPHET OF PEACE (3:17) THOMASINE (3:10) SANCTIFIED, SATISFIED TOE-TAPPER (7:09) IN THE NAME (Version 2) (2:42) WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME (2:12) SETTIN' THE WOODS ON FIRE (Instrumental) (2:58) MISSISSIPPI (Instrumental) (3:01) STILL MISS LIZA JANE (5:21) OPEN UP THE RED SEA (4:43) CALIFORNIA (I'M COMIN') (3:16) IF YOU PICK HER TOO HARD (SHE COMES OUT OF TUNE) (3:51) BURNING UP WITH LOVE (3:20) AIN'T NO TELLIN' (5:53) LAST YEAR'S RACE HORSE (CAN'T RUN IN THIS YEAR'S RACE) (4:13) SOUTHERN CHILD (2:56) IN THE NAME (Version 3) (2:55) OVER YONDER (3:53) I GIT A LITTLE LONELY (1:41) PUPPY DOG SONG (8:35) IN THE NAME (Version 4, Take 1; false start) (0:43) IN THE NAME (Version 4, Take 2) (3:02) IN THE NAME (Version 4, Take 3) (3:01) SNEAK THE FREAK (4:06) RADIO SPOT A (1:00) RADIO SPOT B (1:01)