TERRY GROSS, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am Terry Gross. Let’s proceed our week of interviews from our archive with R&B, rockabilly and early rock ‘n’ roll musicians and songwriters. Up subsequent, we have now Carl Perkins, one of many originators of rockabilly. Perkins’ singing, guitar taking part in and songwriting introduced collectively nation and rock ‘n’ roll. He recorded at Solar Data, the label that additionally launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Money and Roy Orbison.
Perkins was finest recognized for writing the music “Blue Suede Footwear.” In 1956, his model of “Blue Suede Footwear” was a pop, rhythm and blues and nation hit. Quickly after, Elvis had an enormous hit with the music. Perkins additionally wrote “Honey Do not,” which was lined by the Beatles. In a while, Perkins’ songs have been recorded by Dolly Parton, the Judds and George Strait. I spoke with him in 1996 after he’d written a memoir. He died two years later on the age of 65. This is Perkins’ recording of his best-known music, “Blue Suede Footwear.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BLUE SUEDE SHOES”)
CARL PERKINS: (Singing) Properly it is one for the cash, two for the present, three to prepare. Now go, cat, go. However do not you step on my blue suede footwear. You are able to do something however lay off my blue suede footwear. Properly, you possibly can knock me down, step on my face, slander my identify in every single place and do something that you just need to do. However, uh-uh, honey, lay off of my footwear. Do not you step on my blue suede footwear. You are able to do something however lay off of my blue suede footwear.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
GROSS: Carl Perkins, welcome to FRESH AIR.
PERKINS: Thanks, Terry. It is a pleasure to be right here.
GROSS: I would love to listen to the story of the way you wrote “Blue Suede Footwear.”
PERKINS: Properly, I would like to share it with you. It was October the twenty first, 1955. I used to be taking part in what we referred to as again in these days a honky-tonk. They name them golf equipment now. Nevertheless it was a honky-tonk the place folks get collectively and scream and holler and dance and have a great time. And I had not owned a pair of blue suede footwear at this level. I would seen a number of of them round my hometown in Jackson, Tennessee. However on the finish of a music, this couple had been dancing, a really engaging younger woman and a cat that had on a pair of blue suedes. And on the finish of the music he mentioned, uh-uh, do not step on my suedes.
And it bothered me, you realize. Not having owned a pair, I did not understand that, you realize, in case you step on them, you sort of – you bought to brush them off a little bit bit. It discolors the toe of them. However the factor that bothered me was he thought that a lot of a pair of silly footwear to really damage her emotions. So I went house that evening and I simply couldn’t fall asleep. I imply, I simply stored seeing her face. And he or she mentioned, oh, I am sorry. And he or she actually was. And I laid there, and I considered the outdated nursery rhyme, one for the cash, two for the present, three to prepare and 4 to go. I received up, went down the concrete steps.
I used to be dwelling in a authorities undertaking home. And I received my guitar down and I mentioned, nicely, it is one for the cash, ta-dum, dum, two for the present. And I by no means will neglect, I could not discover any paper to put in writing on as a result of we had two babies, my spouse, Valda, who thank God continues to be with me after 44 years. All of our people lived shut by, so I assume we had no must have, you realize, writing paper. So I took three Irish potatoes out of a brown paper sack.
GROSS: (Laughter) Oh, no.
PERKINS: I did. And bless her coronary heart, she saved that sack. The unique phrases to “Blue Suede Footwear” is hanging in my den in Jackson, Tennessee. And I by no means will neglect. I referred to as Sam Phillips at Solar Studios down right here in Memphis, who had a boy by the identify of Elvis who had a few information already out at the moment. And I mentioned, Mr. Phillips, I wrote me a great music final evening. He mentioned, what’s it? I mentioned, I assume we’ll name it, possibly, “Blue Suede Footwear.” He mentioned, is it something like “Oh, Dem Golden Slippers”?
GROSS: (Laughter).
PERKINS: I mentioned, no, man. That is a couple of cat that do not need no person stepping on him. He mentioned, it sounds fascinating.
GROSS: Now, as you identified, the nursery rhyme is three to prepare and 4 to go.
PERKINS: And 4 to go, yeah.
GROSS: So how did it grow to be go, cat, go?
PERKINS: Properly, the unique line there that I got here up with, I mentioned three to prepare, now go, man, go. I wrote the music go, man, go. And the primary try I made at recording it, I mentioned go man. After which I received excited as a result of I may inform via the glass management window that Mr. Phillips was liking this music. And I received excited and forgot the phrase man. On my unique report, there’s a slight pause. I mentioned three to prepare now go, cat, go, however do not you. The phrase cat flew in there as a substitute of man. And after I received via with it, he mentioned, that is it. I mentioned, Mr. Phillips, I made a horrible mistake. I referred to as that man a cat. He mentioned, I heard you, and he’ll keep a cat.
(LAUGHTER)
GROSS: Now, this was the primary rock ‘n’ roll report to prime the pop charts, rhythm and blues charts and nation charts on the similar time.
PERKINS: Yeah, it was.
GROSS: And lots of people made their very own recordings of “Blue Suede Footwear,” Lawrence Welk amongst them.
(LAUGHTER)
PERKINS: Yeah, he certain did. Pee Wee King and the Golden West Cowboys. There was each sort of model. And, you realize, to today, Terry, this music nonetheless will get placed on albums all world wide. It is wonderful. You ought to listen to it within the Japanese language.
(LAUGHTER)
GROSS: Yeah.
PERKINS: Yeah.
GROSS: Now, in fact, Elvis Presley…
PERKINS: Oh, bless his coronary heart.
GROSS: …Did a model of your music.
PERKINS: Yeah.
GROSS: How did he find yourself doing it?
PERKINS: When my report got here out January 2, 1956, “Blue Suede Footwear,” RCA Victor contacted Elvis. They’d purchased him from Solar Data at that time. And so they mentioned, Elvis, there is a hit music on the market. We would like you to get within the studio and report it. He mentioned, there’s a whole lot of hits on the market. What are you speaking about? And Steve Sholes, allegedly was the person who recorded Elvis again within the early a part of his profession at Victor, mentioned the music is “Blue Suede Footwear.” He mentioned, sure, sir, you are proper. I feel it is a hit music myself. However that is my good friend Carl Perkins. And that is a Solar report.
And he did not need to do this music on the time they wished him to, which was in January of 1956. He waited till April of that 12 months, letting my report do what it was going to. After which he recorded it. And that was the sort of man he was, you realize? He may’ve jumped on it first, and no person would’ve ever recognized Carl Perkins existed. However due to the character of this positive particular person human being named Elvis, he wished me to have success with it, and he thought I’d have if he stayed off of it, and that is what he did.
GROSS: What do you consider his model?
PERKINS: I cherished it. You recognize, I fell into the entice. Elvis did it quicker than I did. And I like – within the music business, we name it the groove. The beat that he put to it was up-tempo from mine fairly a bit. And I cherished his a lot until I drifted into doing it like he did – you realize, quicker. And after I met The Beatles in 1964 in England, they usually – we was at a celebration, they usually wished me to do, you realize, “Blue Suede Footwear,” and I did. And Harrison mentioned, why do not you do it such as you did it? I mentioned, nicely, I feel I’m. He mentioned, no, you are not. My report was, (singing) nicely, it is a one for the cash (imitating music).
A particular two stops, you realize? And Elvis was, (singing) nicely, it is a one for the cash, (imitating music) two for the present (imitating music).
It was a one-lick, and Harrison was actually disturbed with that. He mentioned, man, you do it totally different than anyone ever did, and now you are doing it like all people else. However I actually favored Elvis’ report of it. I nonetheless to today do. And I catch myself unconsciously dashing it as much as the very groove he had it.
GROSS: Did you consider your self as making an attempt one thing new? Bringing collectively rock and roll and nation?
PERKINS: Properly, we did not know precisely what we have been doing, Terry, however we did know that it was totally different. We did know that as a substitute of leaning again and sitting comfortably of their theater seats or wherever we have been taking part in, these folks have been scooting round, transferring. Some have been getting up, shaking. Younger folks have been dancing within the aisles. And we knew that we have been inflicting a stir with this, and it wasn’t – so far as I used to be involved, or any of the blokes within the early days, we did not really feel prefer it was something mistaken with what we have been doing.
GROSS: Did you develop that model taking part in in honky-tonks?
PERKINS: Oh, yeah. You progress there due to a flying bottle or an ashtray flying at some cat’s head near the stage. Yeah, you have been in your toes taking part in in these locations. And even, you realize, again in these years, I used to be taking part in the identical sort of music that was later recorded in Memphis in ’54. I began taking part in the tonks after I was, gosh, 16, 17 years outdated. And I performed – I did Roy Acuff’s “Nice Speckled Chook” or “Wabash Cannonball.” However I – you realize, I mentioned, (singing) what a phenomenal thought. Lord I am considering (imitating music).
That outdated upright bass, we – my daddy used to inform me, he’d say, son, put that guitar again on the nail. You’re messing up Mr. Acuff’s music. He do not do it that quick, and there ain’t no want in you doing it. And relaxation my mama’s soul, it was her who would say, Buck, go away the little fellow alone. He is not hurting Mr. Acuff’s music. And due to what she would say to him, he backed off of me. And I simply at all times felt good taking part in my songs up-tempo as a result of that is the music I heard within the cotton fields. I picked cotton with many, many Black folks, and we might begin singing. They’d. And I would begin singing with them, 2 or 3 o’clock within the afternoon with the solar beating down on you. You recognize, I can hear Uncle John Westbrook saying (vocalizing). About 10 rows over, Sister Juanita, (vocalizing). And now, my little blood would begin boiling. I would say, wow, they fixing to sing. (Singing) Going to put down my burdens (imitating music).
Those who did not know the phrases used their voices, (vocalizing). And to today, Terry, I can vividly hear that up-tempo gospel music. Then I would go house at evening and get my outdated beat-up guitar off of the wall from the nail, and I attempted to make the strings, you realize, sound just like the voices I used to be listening to. Once I’d do (singing) some glad morning, my bass string would go (imitating music). That was filling in for the sounds of the voices I heard within the cotton fields.
GROSS: We’re listening again to my 1996 interview with Carl Perkins. We’ll proceed the interview after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY”)
ELVIS PRESLEY: (Singing) Properly, I mentioned blue moon of Kentucky, simply carry on shining. Shine on the one which’s gone and left me blue. I mentioned, blue moon of Kentucky, carry on…
GROSS: That is FRESH AIR. Let’s get again to my interview with Carl Perkins, one of many originators of rockabilly. He wrote and recorded “Blue Suede Footwear,” which was additionally recorded by Elvis, and “Honey Do not,” which The Beatles later recorded.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
GROSS: There’s an amazing story about the way you ended up going to Memphis to report at Solar Studios. Your spouse heard Elvis Presley on the radio, singing…
PERKINS: Yeah.
GROSS: …”Blue Moon Of Kentucky.”
PERKINS: Proper.
GROSS: And he or she referred to as you and he or she mentioned, look, there’s somebody on the radio who sounds such as you, since you and Elvis have been each placing collectively nation music, rhythm and blues and…
PERKINS: That is proper.
GROSS: …And rock and roll. And whenever you heard that, you went proper to Memphis, to the Solar Studios to see if Sam Phillips would report you too.
PERKINS: You are proper about that.
GROSS: So was he prepared to present you a shot immediately? Did it’s a must to work arduous to persuade him?
PERKINS: If I hadn’t have felt that was my solely alternative, I’d have – I would not even rotated. I would have put it in reverse and backed again to Jackson as a result of he wasn’t there after I walked in. My brothers have been sitting out within the automobile. And I went into the little entrance workplace there, and a woman by the identify of Marion Keisler (ph), who was Sam Phillips’ secretary – who was actually the girl who discovered Elvis Presley – she informed Sam about this handsome boy and the way distinctive he sang. He got here in to make a report for his mama, paid $3 for it. It was referred to as Memphis Recording Service then. However I walked in, and I assume she may inform by me that I used to be a hungry guitar picker. And he or she mentioned, in case you’ve come to audition, you are out of luck as a result of we received this boy, Elvis, and he is greater than we are able to deal with. Mr. Phillips shouldn’t be listening to anyone. I mentioned, nicely, I respect it. Is all of it proper if we sit out entrance for some time until he will get right here? And just some seconds after, or a couple of minutes, actually, after that, he pulled in. And he received a little bit near my outdated Plymouth ‘trigger I used to be in his parking place and – proper in entrance door. And he whipped in there in that two-tone ’54 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. I by no means will neglect it. It was darkish blue and light-weight blue. And he received out, and he had on a darkish blue pair of pleated pants with a lightweight blue coat. I mentioned, wow. That is both Elvis Presley or the cat that owns this place.
GROSS: (Laughter).
PERKINS: And I beat him to the entrance door. I had my foot within the door. I mentioned, Mr. Phillips, I am Carl Perkins. That is my brother sitting there within the automobile. And I used to be speaking 90 miles an hour. We come down, we need to make a report for you. He mentioned, I simply – I am too busy, man. I simply – he informed me after that, he mentioned, Carl, I do not know why I listened to you. I had no intentions. I used to be wrapped up with what I used to be going to do to get information pressed of this boy, Elvis. However you seem like your world would have ended. And I mentioned, Mr. Phillips, it might need ‘trigger my coronary heart was – I used to be simply aching to get in that studio. I simply felt, you realize, with encouragement from my spouse, I assumed, I am unable to let Val down. I received to get in there, and we did.
GROSS: So Sam Phillips gave you a shot. What did he do, ask you to play a whole lot of your songs?
PERKINS: My brother Jay had a few songs that he’d written. So Jay began doing one which he’d written, and he stopped him after about one verse. He mentioned, no, received anything? He did one other one and received about that far, and he stopped him once more. Jay favored a rustic singer by the identify of Ernest Tubb and had developed a mode like him ‘trigger he cherished him a lot, and he sounded a little bit bit like him. And I by no means will neglect. Mr. Phillips mentioned, boy, there’s already a Ernest Tubb. It’s good to neglect about him. Your music’s fairly good. However I am unable to use you guys.
And I did not understand – nicely, we did not know the microphone was nonetheless on, and he was again within the management room. I mentioned, boys, do not put them – they began to place their devices, you realize, again within the instances. And I mentioned, do not put them up. I will do him certainly one of mine. We will not go away right here. However he was listening to this, and he heard a convicted, little, outdated skinny-arm boy by the identify of Carl Perkins that after I received the shot, he walked again via there. I mentioned, Mr. Phillips, will you hearken to certainly one of my songs? He mentioned, yeah, take off.
So he stood there. However I received actual nervous ‘trigger after I received previous the primary verse, he hadn’t stopped me (laughter). And I assumed, oh, Lord, he’ll hearken to the entire music. And I received to leaping round. And the very first thing he mentioned to me after I did that, he mentioned, that is a cute music, and I prefer it. He mentioned, are you able to sing standing nonetheless? He mentioned, you are going to must as a result of in case you ever make a report, you are going to have to face nonetheless. I mentioned, sure, sir, I can do no matter you inform me to. And he mentioned, nicely, I like that music. Go house and write you one other one in that vein, and we’ll discuss placing a report out. So on the way in which again to Jackson in a ’40 mannequin Plymouth, I will need to have written 10 or 15 songs on the dashboard. And I referred to as him again in a few weeks. I had a factor he favored. It was a rustic music referred to as “Flip Round.” And that was my first report.
GROSS: Properly, why do not we hear “Flip Round,” your first recording. And that is totally different from what we have heard. This is not – that is extra of a rustic ballad than an up-tempo rockabilly music.
PERKINS: Yeah. Now, the music on the opposite aspect was a rockabilly nation factor referred to as “Film Magg.” However he favored – I am going to inform you what, he informed me, he mentioned, this boy Elvis is doing – I do know the place your coronary heart is, however he is received that ball and going with it, and I am unable to have two of you cats sounding quite a bit alike and singing this up-tempo – we name it really feel good music. There was no phrase, no identify for it at that time. Among the hillbillies in Nashville, I feel rockabilly sprang out of there. They mentioned, you realize, them boys in Memphis are rocking our music. So it received referred to as rockabilly, and it sort of caught there. However he did not really feel like – that he had room for Elvis and I doing the identical sort of music. So he informed me, he mentioned, I will put out this music “Flip Round.” After which he bought Elvis to RCA Victor, and he mentioned, now, you possibly can rock. In order that’s after I got here up with “Blue Suede Footwear” and “Honey Do not.”
GROSS: Oh, that is fascinating. Properly, why do not we hear the nation ballad that you just…
PERKINS: All proper.
GROSS: …”Flip Round.”
PERKINS: OK.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TURN AROUND”)
PERKINS: (Singing) Once you’re on their lonesome and blue, and the world seems to be down on you, flip round. I will be following you. Once you really feel that love is gone, and also you understand you are mistaken, flip round. I will be following you. Flip round. I will be ready behind you with a love that is actual and by no means ever dies. In the event you really feel your love will final and also you’d prefer to dwell your previous, flip round. I will be following you.
GROSS: We’re listening again to my 1996 interview with Carl Perkins. We’ll hear extra of it after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF CYRUS CHESTNUT’S “SUSPICIOUS MINDS”)
GROSS: That is FRESH AIR. Let’s get again to my interview with Carl Perkins, one of many early rockabilly performers. He wrote and recorded “Blue Suede Footwear,” which was later recorded by Elvis, and he wrote and recorded “Honey Do not” was later recorded by The Beatles.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR CONTENT)
GROSS: After the rockabilly period, someday within the early ’60s, your music wasn’t doing that nicely commercially anymore, and also you determined…
PERKINS: Proper.
GROSS: …To surrender music…
PERKINS: Proper.
GROSS: …Again then. Why did you need to give it up?
PERKINS: Properly, I used to be consuming quite a bit. I used to be consuming as a result of I assumed – I do not actually – I actually cannot pinpoint why I received so deep into alcohol. I assumed it was erasing recollections. It was inflicting me possibly to dodge the true issues that have been on the market for me, and that was the crowds have been falling off. My music was struggling. However alcohol was inflicting most of this. Thank God I had a great church-going spouse who stored elevating my kids in the correct route and praying that I would see the sunshine. And someday, I did. And life’s been great ever since. Nevertheless it received unhealthy for some time. It certain did.
GROSS: Now, after you began feeling forgotten and uncared for in America, you grew to become an actual hero in England.
PERKINS: Yeah.
GROSS: The Beatles did a few of your songs, together with…
PERKINS: Proper.
GROSS: …”Honey Do not.”
PERKINS: Yeah.
GROSS: How did you find yourself getting so well-liked there? Did you tour England? What…
PERKINS: Yeah, I did. I went over, 1964, with Chuck Berry, who had not been to England at the moment. And the tour was very, very profitable. And this was earlier than The Beatles got here to America, a month or two earlier than they got here. And I met them over there, and are available discover out, you realize, they informed me that they’d been listening to a whole lot of my outdated Solar information and favored what I did and sort of impressed them. I feel the inspiration I gave The Beatles was the truth that I wrote my very own songs, I performed my very own lead guitar and sing my very own songs, and that is what they have been doing. And if I impressed them, it was in that method.
I do not suppose, and by no means will suppose, that it was my high quality of music. Though, they’re – George Harrison does hit a little bit lick or two that I used on a few of my earlier information, however he does it so significantly better than I ever did. However you are proper. I’ve been fairly profitable in England, and I nonetheless go over yearly. And a lot of the years, I am going to do a few excursions over there. Rockabilly music has held up actual nicely. And for some purpose or one other, outdated Carl Perkins simply feels good over there with these youngsters. They will not sit down. And I simply, you realize, I come alive and rock with them.
GROSS: Properly, I am glad you are still recording. I actually loved this. Thanks…
PERKINS: Thanks.
GROSS: …A lot for speaking with us.
PERKINS: Oh, it has been a deal with, lady. Any time, simply holler. Carl Perkins will probably be on this finish of the road. Thanks so very a lot.
GROSS: My interview with Carl Perkins was recorded in 1996. He died two years later on the age of 65.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HONEY DON’T”)
PERKINS: (Singing) Properly, how come you say you’ll whenever you will not? You inform me you do, child, when you do not. Let me know, honey, how you’re feeling. Inform the reality now. Is love actual? Uh-uh. Oh, honey, do not. Properly, honey, do not.
GROSS: Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, we’ll proceed our R&B, rockabilly and early rock and roll collection with Sam Phillips – whose Solar report label was the primary to report Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Money – and can characteristic my interview with Johnny Money. I hope you will be part of us. Our interviews and opinions are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi, Anna Bauman and John Sheehan. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Our consulting visible producer is Hope Wilson. Roberta Shorrock directs the present. Our cohost is Tonya Mosley. I am Terry Gross.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HONEY DON’T”)
PERKINS: (Singing) Properly, typically I like you on Saturday evening. Sunday morning, you do not look proper. You’ve got been out portray the city. Uh-huh, child, been stepping round. So huh-uh, hey, honey, do not. Properly, honey, do not (vocalizing). Honey, do not (vocalizing). Honey, do not. Properly, honey, do not. Say you’ll whenever you will not? Huh-uh, honey, do not.
(SOUNDBITE OF CYRUS CHESTNUT’S “LOVE ME TENDER”)
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