Billy "The Kid" Emerson, "Red Hot" c/w "No Greater Love," Sun 219 (rel. 6/1955)
Today another early Sun Records release graces our stage--a classic piece of rock 'n' roll that was a hit for other artists, but not for Billy Emerson, perhaps due to Sam Phillips' pre-occupation. At the time, Elvis Presley was the hottest artist in vernacular music, and Phillips was about to negotiate a sale of his contract and masters to RCA-Victor.
Sam did a good job promoting Emerson's prior single, "Move Baby Move," and got it reviewed; it did well within its market, but had zero chance of mass-audience breakthrough. It took the ascendence of Elvis to make Black music palatable to younger white audiences, save those who lived in areas where it got played on the radio. These teens realized rhythm and blues contained an oomph they'd never get from Perry Como or The McGuire Sisters. 1956's Elvis-mania brought this realization to a larger audience.
Sam Phillips began Sun Records to record the Black artists in the Deep South, but Elvis' success, after five revolutionary singles for the label, convinced him that this new "rockabilly" (also called "cat music") was his ticket to success. He tapered off on Black music in 1955--an act he came to regret. As an independent label far away from the major cities, Sun had to anticipate new trends and take action, and for three years, Phillips, through Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, among others, got Sun on all three music charts. Those artists kept Phillips afloat. As his Black artists drifted away to other labels, the vibe of the label changed.
This was at its start when Emerson made "Red Hot," one of the classic Sun Records singles, cut at Sam Phillips' Union St. studio in May 31, 1955. Emerson had gotten the idea for the song from cheerleaders at a local football game. "Our team is red hot--their team ain't dood-uh-ly squat," they chanted. Clever: a back-and-forth debate in song!
With his great band (Moses Reed - tenor saxophone, Calvin Newborn - guitar, Kenneth Banks - bass, Billy Love - piano, Phineas Newborn Sr. - drums), who double as the Greek chorus, Billy insists his woman is somethin' special. His band offers a thumbs-down review; nothing Emerson says holds water with them. He remains convinced of her worth as a person and companion and, thanks to the song's structure, gets the last word.
The earthy sound of Phillips' studio and Emerson's band creates something special here. Had the song gotten heard by the public, it might have become popular; the push-and-pull scenario is amusing and interesting. It became a favorite of white fans into r&b. Sun rockabilly Billy Lee Riley chose it for his second single with Sam Phillips; it got some notice in the music press and sold well without getting onto the pop charts. It was also covered by Bob Luman, who made some wild sides early in his career before his #1 hit "Let's Think About Livin'" and a longer career in Nashville country.
In 1966, Tex-Mex rockers Sam the Sham and The Pharoahs revived it for one side of a single. "Red Hot" lived up to its name in a 1979 version by Robert Gordon (with guitar by Link Wray); it spent a dozen weeks on the pop charts and got to #83,
"No Greater Love" is a languid blues ballad that features guitarist Calvin Newborn. It gives Emerson a bigger stage for his pleasing, emotive voice. His performance lifts this churning declaration above the mass of similiar slow numbers in 1955 rhythm and blues.
Newborn takes a raw-boned, hard-hitting guitar solo that's a thing of beauty. It sounds like an extra horn came in for this side; the band is sharp and well-rehearsed. I would wager this is based on a Black spiritual, but, as with so many r&b and soul songs derived from the church, it does something special with its source material.
Had anyone known about it, this song might have been covered by bigger Black artists: I can imagine Nat "King" Cole or Clyde McPhatter doing fine versions of "No Greater Love." It remains an obscure but beautiful B-side--another gem from the Sun songbook.
Emerson made a final Sun single, which was released in 1956, by which time he'd moved to Chicago, where he would remain for many years. He continued to make fine singles that couldn't be mistaken for anyone else's work. He passed on in 2023 as the last man standing from Sun Records' first days.
Tomorrow: Little Jimmy Dickens delivers a rockabilly classic on a red-hot 1958 Nashville session, released by Columbia Records.
Two cool songs! Love that call and response "Your gal ain't doodley squat" and that blues guitar on "No Greater Love." Emerson had a great emotive voice for both these song styles.
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