Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu
| ""Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (Part 1)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Huey 'Piano' Smith | ||||
| B-side | "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (Part 2) | |||
| Released | August 1957 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Label | Ace Records | |||
| Writer(s) | J. Vincent, Huey Smith | |||
| Huey 'Piano' Smith singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Johnny Rivers | ||||
| from the album L.A. Reggae | ||||
| B-side | "Come Home America" | |||
| Released | October 1972 | |||
| Format | 7" | |||
| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | United Artists | |||
| Writer(s) | J. Vincent, Huey Smith | |||
| Certification | Gold | |||
| Johnny Rivers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" is a song written and originally recorded by Huey 'Piano' Smith in 1957, who scored a minor hit with the song (No. 52 Billboard).
Johnny Rivers cover
1972 saw the song as an international hit single for Johnny Rivers with instrumental backing from L.A. sessions musicians from the Wrecking Crew.[1] "Rockin' Pneumonia" reached number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 during the winter of 1973. It was only Rivers' fifth highest charting song, but spent much longer on the chart (19 weeks) than any of his two dozen hits to that date. On the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 the song peaked at number five, and in Canada it reached number three.[2]
Rivers' cover of "Rockin' Pneumonia" became his first Gold record. His only other Gold record would be five years later with the 1977 hit, "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)."
Chart performance
Weekly singles charts
| Chart (1972-73) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Goset)[3] | 27 |
| Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[4] | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
| U.S. Cashbox Top 100[5] | 5 |
| U.S. Record World [6] | 4 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1973) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada [7] | 32 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [8] | 78 |
| U.S. Cash Box [9] | 30 |
Other cover versions
- In 1957 the tune was recorded by Larry Williams on Specialty Records. The back-up band included René Hall, guitar, Earl Palmer, drums, and Plas Johnson, tenor sax.[10]
- Aerosmith covered the song in 1987 for the Less Than Zero soundtrack.
References
- ↑ Hartman, Kent (2012). The Wrecking Crew. St. Martin’s Griffin. pp. 261–263. ISBN 978-1-250-03046-7.
- ↑ https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4266&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=kvjr3tu2h57qgh2kfmnqeotvo7
- ↑ http://tsort.info/music/nu6kf3.htm
- ↑ https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4266&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=kvjr3tu2h57qgh2kfmnqeotvo7
- ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/19730113.html
- ↑ http://tsort.info/music/nu6kf3.htm
- ↑ http://www.musicandyears.com/year/1973
- ↑ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1973.htm
- ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/1973YESP.html
- ↑ Larry Williams: Bad Boy The Legends of Specialty Records, Speciality Records 1989, liner notes