"A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-whop-bam-boom!"

I just happened to catch the last part of “Capitol Fourth” on TV last evening. WOW! Happy Birthday U.S.A. It was the "Fourth of July" and the Americans were celebrating their country’s birthday with a variety of performers on stage in front of Capitol Hill, Washington.

On the TV screen sat a little man, dressed in a snappy blue suit, and working the keyboard of his piano. On his head was something that looked like a wig. From time to time he would delicately push the curls of the hair on his head to the side – as it tended to fall over his eyes. The mop of hair fell over his collar and part way down his back. It looked odd hovering over his old black face. The pencil thin mustache that ran close and parallel to his upper lip was another trade mark. Both the hair do and the mustache are not something that my black friends sport now-a-days. Black hair is usually tight and small curls. If it is big and there is lots of it – it will stand up high in a mop that was common in the polyester days of the 1970s. This guy is different – really different.

Uniquely this little man changed people and their way of thinking for the last 60 years. Here again he was doing the same over and over again. As he sat at the piano and worked his magic the crowd went crazy. He encouraged the people close enough to his stage to get up and dance – and the kids did. It was fun. Adults joined in and wiggled for all their worth.

Do you know who this fellow is yet? If I give you a hint and say, "A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-whop-bam-boom!" – would that help you? You definitely have to be a Baby Boomer to get that one.

Well "A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-whop-bam-boom!" – meet Little Richard an old and very favorite Rock and Roll artist that was born in 1938. He began his career singing in the 1940s and made the first recording in 1951. His stats are amazing and the life story is entertaining (link below). From Rock and Roll idol to a Preacher is a long jump, Little Richard has done it all. It was said that he actually was being credited as “having put the funk into rock and roll beat”. Another said that, “he helped lay the foundation of rock and roll music.”

There on the stage was a “really old guy” – almost 70 doing amazing stuff on a keyboard. His nimble fingers flew across the keyboard. His shrieks at times were amazing. This old fellow could still belt out the old favorites that we loved as teenagers… “Good Golly Miss Molly” – “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti” were a few that I remembered well.

As I watched it made me want to wiggle too. But I couldn’t wiggle as I had hurt my left leg big time over the weekend and it is too sore to move much. So being a good and old Baby Boomer I tapped my right foot.

The thing that brought a big smile to my face happened at the very end of the show. As Little Richard finished his very lively ‘on stage presence’ he turned slowly looking over his right shoulder. Then he motioned slightly and some one brought out his crutches to make his way off the stage. At the end he was standing with his crutches waving good bye to everyone. Hey this is my kind of man! He is old and honest. He hurts a little and has some slow down disability like the rest of us Baby Boomers. “Little Richard – you da man! You da man!”

Come on… Pastor… are you nuts?
This is the Northview Pentecostal Church Blog – a church Blog no less… What does an ancient Rock and Roll star have to do with what you normally write? Where are you going with this?

I gave you the hint already. If you haven’t already skipped to the link at the bottom of this posting about his life….Little Richard is a fellow Pentecostal Minister and has been since 1977. Since that time he has traveled and preached to hundreds of thousands people and then recorded gospel music.

Admittedly he does look a little odd with the wig and the mustache thingie… but this guy is still doing something. He has still got it. He may look like a dinosaur but he is still cool.

Last night on the Capitol Hill front lawn Little Richard stirred the hearts of every Baby Boomer that was watching. He tickled the ears and eyes of those that could still focus. He was one of us. Something to note here – it was broadcast on PBS in the USA – kind of like the CBC in Canada – a ‘thinking’ radio station – something that ‘oldies’ listen to more often than ‘youngies’ do.

Application…
"A-wop-bop-a-loo-mop-a-whop-bam-boom!" get your walker out and go… Pick up your cane and find the old bounce in your step. You are not dead – yet! Act like your dead and they will bury you. Your opportunity is now – move it, move it, move it…!

But my left leg hurts. So does other parts of me. I am just a little behind Little Richard in age… oh Boy. Anybody want to go for a walk slowly and then sit for a long coffee together?

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

Little Richard

Rockabilly Photos

Lyrics for…
Good Golly Miss Molly (Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco)

Good golly miss Molly, sure like to ball,

Good golly miss Molly, sure like to ball,

When you're rockin' and a rollin', can't hear your mama call.

From the early early mornin' to the early early night,

When I caught miss Molly rockin' at the house of blue light,

Good golly miss Molly, sure like to ball,

When you're rockin' and a rollin', can't hear your mama call.

Mama, papa told me 'Son, you better watch yourself',

If they knew about miss Molly, have to watch my pa myself,

Good golly miss Molly, sure like to ball,

When you're rockin' and a rollin', can't hear your mama call.

Goin' to the corner gonna buy a diamond ring,

When she hugged me and kissed me, made me ting-a-ling-a-ling,

Good golly miss Molly, sure like to ball,

When you're rockin' and a rollin', can't hear your mama call.

(Too funny…. we paid dollars for that record long ago… )