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Tutti Frutti Tops UK Poll Of Songs That Changed The World

May 16, 2007 | Other
Lttle Richard's 1956 hit "Tutti Frutti" has topped a new UK poll to find the 100 Records That Changed The World. The record, dubbed "a torrent of filth wailed by a bisexual alien," beat The Beatles' I Want To Hold Your Hand and Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel to claim the top spot on the new list compiled by superstar panellists for the new issue of Mojo magazine. The eclectic panel of stars who took part in the voting included Bjork, Tori Amos, Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Pete Wentz and Steve Earle.

Mojo editors claim the 100 "albums, singles and 78s" that made the list make up "the most influential and inspirational recordings ever made." Hailing Tutti Frutti the sound of the birth of rock 'n' roll, Mojo states, "One can only imagine how it must've sounded when the song exploded across the airwaves."

The top 10 on Mojo's 100 Records That Changed The World list is:

1. Tutti Frutti by Little Richard
2. I Want To Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
3. Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
4. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan
5. Autobahn by Kraftwerk
6. King of The Delta Blues Singers by Robert Johnson
7. The Velvet Underground by The Velvet Underground + Nico
8. Anthology of American Folk Music (Various Artists)
9. What'd I Say by Ray Charles
10. God Save The Queen by Sex Pistols
Source:Mojo Magazine
Viva wrote on May 16, 2007
Looks as if those folks at "Mojo" need to get to a library and re-read their history books. To say that "Tutti Frutti" was "the sound of the birth of rock 'n' roll" is not only an insult to the likes of "That's All Right" and "Heartbreak Hotel" (Songs which really are responsible for the Rock and Roll explosion), but it is quite patently wrong. And while "I want to hold your hand" was a milestone in Sixties culture, it (Or any other Beatles recording) cannot remotely compare to the Earth shattering impact Elvis Presley had on this unsuspecting world when he sang "Heartbreak Hotel" and/or "That's All Right". No songs come close, period.
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on May 16, 2007
So a song from the 60's comes in higher that a 50's songs that had more of an impact that anything from the 60's.i know many love the beatless but come on,i wont even tackle the little richard part,but i never knew it was that big of deal,and i see yet again ole bob is in this poll as well lol,these polls are bit funny, nothing to take serios thats for sure!
Joe Carr wrote on May 16, 2007
It should be Heartbreak Hotel at no. 1, this is about songs that changed the world isn't it! The world was never the same again after EP came into the scene.
Carl wrote on May 16, 2007
I would go with Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets as the record that changed the world and ushered in rock and roll. It was no. 1 for 8 weeks and established the Rock and Roll Era. Tutti Frutti was never anything more than a freaky, throwaway novelty record. Little Richard stole his whole she-male/bisexual/homosexual pose from a she-male named Esquerita, something like that. But if they are going on sexual pervesion as a bencjmark, I would go with Liberace myself. Liberace was just as sexually risque as Richard. Liberace was even involved in a homosexual scandal in the UK in the 1950s. Liberace was the king of the sex pervs, not Little Richard. These lists are a joke. I think Elvis did more to sexually liberate the world than the perv Little Richard did. And Elvis didn't steal his pose from another singer either.
Steve V wrote on May 16, 2007
Good debate. I agree that Rock Around The Clock started the big bang in 1955, then Elvis made it explode in 1956. Tutti Frutti, while great, never got the airplay Bill Haley got. Good to see What'd I Say in there. FIrst record with an electric piano and very different for its time. Huge!
CharlieRogers wrote on May 17, 2007
Of course everyone's idea of which record "changed the world" is going to be different; it all depends on your perspective and which era you are talking about - some records have a profound personal effect on individuals but do very little commercially! I personally think "Tutti Frutti" helped to brake down some barriers that were in place for black artists in the fifties and it got good airplay, but it only reached a high of #29 in the UK spending just one week on the chart on 22nd Feb 1957, but it definitely had an effect. Likewise Elvis' first single "Heartbreak Hotel" in March '56 had quite an effect on people listening to it for the first time in the fifties. Context is all important here; it should be remembered that the number one slot of March 1956 had Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made Of This" followed by The Dreamweavers "It's Almost Tomorrow" then Kay Starr's "Rock And Roll Waltz", then in April Winifred Atwell's "The Poor People Of Paris" (for three weeks), May '56 had Ronnie Hilton's "No Other Love" (for six weeks) and June '56 saw Pat Boone's "I'll Be Home". The number one albums of '56 are even more telling in my opinion: Frank Sinatra "Songs For Swingin' Lovers", the soundtracks "Carousel", "Oklahoma", and "The King And I" which spent ten weeks in ’56 at #1 and even more in ‘57, and was actually only temporarily knocked off the top spot by Bill Haley's "Rock 'N' Roll Stage Show" for one week, then two weeks after this “The King And I” was replaced (again for only one week) by our own Elvis Presley’s “Rock ‘N Roll”. I think you'll agree that compared to other material that was released around the same time that “Heartbreak Hotel” was it must have been totally earth shattering and like hearing music from another planet!! I think that The Beatles changed the face of music forever in the sixties, but why would you choose “I Want To Hold Your Hand”? This was their fifth ‘proper’ single in the UK (although Polydor released “My Bonnie” so you could technically call it their sixth). Why not choose their first single “Love Me Do” or even their first #1 “Please Please Me”? I would like to add that I am shocked and appalled that in 2007 someone can still call homosexuality a perversion, have we not even come that far!? An artist’s sexuality has no bearing on the music or art they produce. Given the "eclectic panel" chosen for this poll it is not at all surprising that it's thrown up (in my opinion) some extremely odd-ball choices but each to his own!!
Steve B. wrote on May 17, 2007
"Tutti Frutti" was a great rock and roll record. However, I don't think it had the world impact of "Heartbreak Hotel." Certainly, Elvis didn't invent rock and roll but he sure took it to the masses.
aura wrote on May 17, 2007
Think Little Richard was not a major influence in the pre-rock'n'roll era, not even Bill Haley, but - yes - Buddy Holly !
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on May 22, 2007
Where is Bill Haley & Buddy Holly "Rock Around The Clock" & "Rave On" respectivly. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" the Beatles is ok but not their best.& Carl Elvis copied the black guy's for his movement's also Johnny Ray was a favourite