DON'T F@CK WITH ME, FELLAS! We laughed when Faye Dunaway delivered that memorable line in Mommie Dearest. But I can assure you when LaVern Baker had cause to deliver it, you knew it was the TRUTH! Just ask poor Georgia Gibbs! Gibbs built a whole career on ripping Miss Baker off, and it's a good thing LaVern never actually got her hands on her. But I would have loved it if she had!
LaVern Baker was one of the most successful of the pioneer R&B singers of the 50's - one of the architects of what would become known as Rock & Roll. Like her or not, she had a big booming system right in her throat as she belted out hits like Soul on Fire, Jim Dandy and Saved. Her biggest hit was probably Tweedle Dee, a latin-flavored novelty song from 1953 for which she AND Georgia Gibbs will always be remembered.
I shouldn't have to rehash how in the 50's, black artists recorded hit songs that were often relegated to the "race" charts, and how they were only played late in the a.m. if they were played at all on mainstream American radio stations. Most (if not all) of these songs were landmark recordings that received more attention when white artists like Pat Boone and Georgia Gibbs covered them. The white artists made all the money, appeared on all the television shows, topped the record charts and got all the recognition with lame watered-down versions of songs like Tutti Frutti, Good Golly Miss Molly, Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Hound Dog, and Tweedle Dee. Miss Gibbs became the Queen of Cover & Rip Off and Miss Baker wasn't having it!
She took Georgia Gibbs' ass to court and tried to sue her! Georgia recorded her version note-for-note and employed many of the same musicians from Baker's home base, Atlantic Records. She used the same exact chart arrangements and it wouldn't be the last time she did it. Fed up, Baker petitioned congress for a law making it illegal to flat-out steal her shit like that without permission. She failed in her efforts, but she is the first known entertainer to have brought a suit of that kind.
In January of 1957, Miss Baker was invited to go on tour with The Platters, Big Joe Turner and Bill Haley & The Comets. Before leaving for Australia, she took out a little flight insurance and sent Georgia Gibbs the policy with a letter. "Since I'll be away and you won't have anything new to copy, you might as well take this." That's all she wrote and that's all she had to! And why shouldn't she have it? Gibbs had taken everything else, she might as well have the insurance too!
Birds of a feather flock together, and Baker was a favorite of the fiery Dinah Washington and a friend to Della Reese, who said "I had to fight her for friendship." LaVern Baker was not to be messed with. Just listen to how she curses Jackie Wilson out and tells him not to F@CK WITH HER NO MORE on the X-rated version of their 60's hit THINK TWICE! I suspect that was some damn good advice! *Catch the line at the end about somebody being a "stone queer??"
no doubt a classic.Unbelieveable(speakin of jackie and lavern's "think twice")!!!i loved it
Posted by: Candee11412 | May 13, 2011 at 02:57 PM
Wow
Posted by: Brandon | May 13, 2011 at 09:10 PM
Love her I have an old record of her before she used the name Lavern she was Bea Baker sang a song about a cadaillac love her one of my parents faves
Posted by: jahlaune | May 14, 2011 at 01:38 PM
YES, Jahlaune! "I WANT A LAVENDER CADILLAC" is a HOT SONG! It's also pretty rare and I only wish I had your copy! Congrats and ENJOY IT!
Posted by: Corey | May 14, 2011 at 02:50 PM