Oh, bummer. I was listening to one of those 'Sixties oldies collections the other day and this was on it. 1961 remains one of my favorite years in rock & roll and there were a lot of classic one-hit wonders including this one:
Angel Baby, There's a Moon Out Tonight, Mother-in-Law, Rama Lama Ding Song, Those Oldies But Goodies (Reminds Me of You), I Like It Like That, Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp).
At least down in the Big Easy, MOTHER-IN-LAW was not considered a one-hit wonder. Hometown fave Ernie K-Doe had another hit, A CERTAIN GIRL (which was covered by several groups, notably the Yardbirds), plus his own club. Although in a nod to his biggest hit, the club was called the Ernie K-Doe Mother-in-Law Lounge.
He may have. He had some problems with drugs and alcohol, but he got cleaned up the last few years of his life. One of my husband's co-workers was a former NOPD officer and he had a story about arresting Ernie for public intoxication and reported that Ernie said, "You can't arrest me! I'm Ernie K-Doe. I was bigger than Elvis!"
Antoinette also led a tongue-in-cheek campaign for K-Doe's election for mayor of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans in 2006, five years after his death. She is quoted as saying "He's the only one qualified -- that's my opinion."[1] Although K-Doe's name did not appear on the ballot, "his" campaign generated revenue from T-shirt and bumper sticker sales.
K-Doe continued performing and occasionally recording until shortly before his death. Always an elaborate showman, one of K-Doe's most notable later performances was at New Orleans' Aquarium of the Americas where he performed at a benefit for a local group aiding people with disabilities. The show ended with K-Doe performing seven continuous renditions of "Mother In Law" while dancing in front of the Gulf of Mexico shark tank exhibit dressed in a green plumed cape.
Great stories about K-Doe. And Deb, I remember "A Certain Girl" very well. In my youth, I listened to WNOE in New Orleans a lot, and the record got a lot of play there.
Oh, by the way "A Certain Girl" was also written by Allen Toussaint, as with so many of the New Orleans songs of the Era - Ya Ya, I Like It Like That, Mother-in-Law.
19 comments:
He died in Picayune, MS, not far from here. RIP.
/Is this where Tommy James got the name for his band?
I've often wondered that, Deb.
Oddly, while I know the song I never knew who sang it.
Oh, bummer. I was listening to one of those 'Sixties oldies collections the other day and this was on it. 1961 remains one of my favorite years in rock & roll and there were a lot of classic one-hit wonders including this one:
Angel Baby, There's a Moon Out Tonight, Mother-in-Law, Rama Lama Ding Song, Those Oldies But Goodies (Reminds Me of You), I Like It Like That, Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp).
I really miss the old days.
Wow, what a great year. Judy and I danced a few miles to "This Time" that year.
A combination of Alzheimers and Parkinsons? That is one bad combination.
RIP
At least down in the Big Easy, MOTHER-IN-LAW was not considered a one-hit wonder. Hometown fave Ernie K-Doe had another hit, A CERTAIN GIRL (which was covered by several groups, notably the Yardbirds), plus his own club. Although in a nod to his biggest hit, the club was called the Ernie K-Doe Mother-in-Law Lounge.
Didn't Ernie try and run for Mayor at one point?
He may have. He had some problems with drugs and alcohol, but he got cleaned up the last few years of his life. One of my husband's co-workers was a former NOPD officer and he had a story about arresting Ernie for public intoxication and reported that Ernie said, "You can't arrest me! I'm Ernie K-Doe. I was bigger than Elvis!"
Oh, apparently his race for Mayor was posthumous.
Antoinette also led a tongue-in-cheek campaign for K-Doe's election for mayor of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans in 2006, five years after his death. She is quoted as saying "He's the only one qualified -- that's my opinion."[1] Although K-Doe's name did not appear on the ballot, "his" campaign generated revenue from T-shirt and bumper sticker sales.
I also love this:
K-Doe continued performing and occasionally recording until shortly before his death. Always an elaborate showman, one of K-Doe's most notable later performances was at New Orleans' Aquarium of the Americas where he performed at a benefit for a local group aiding people with disabilities. The show ended with K-Doe performing seven continuous renditions of "Mother In Law" while dancing in front of the Gulf of Mexico shark tank exhibit dressed in a green plumed cape.
And, of course, "Mother-in-Law" was written by Allen Toussaint.
Great stories about K-Doe. And Deb, I remember "A Certain Girl" very well. In my youth, I listened to WNOE in New Orleans a lot, and the record got a lot of play there.
I actually like A CERTAIN GIRL a lot more than MOTHER-IN-LAW. And the cover version by the Yardbirds is even better than K-Doe's, IMHO.
/I love how an obit for Troy Shondell has morphed into a trip down Ernie K-Doe Memory Lane. Only on Bill's blog...
One more: I'm most familiar with "A Certain Girl" from Warren Zevon's cover.
Oh, by the way "A Certain Girl" was also written by Allen Toussaint, as with so many of the New Orleans songs of the Era - Ya Ya, I Like It Like That, Mother-in-Law.
A Certain Girl:
Ernie K-Doe
The Yardbirds
Warren Zevon
Allen Toussaint
I think I would pick the Zevon.
I heard the K-Doe version so many times when I was young that I have to give it first place.
It is a really good version.
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