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The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)
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Wikipedia article
"'The Wallflower'" (also known as "'Roll with Me, Henry'" and "'Dance with Me, Henry'") is a 1955 song by Etta James. It was one of several answer songs to "Work with Me, Annie" and has the same 12-bar blues melody.
Lyrics and release
The song was written by Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard, and Etta James. Etta James recorded it for Modern Records, with uncredited vocal responses from Richard Berry. It was popularly known as "Roll with Me Henry". This original version was considered too risque to play on pop radio stations.
The song is a dialogue between "Henry" and the singer:
*Hey baby, whatta I have to do to make you love me too?
*You've got to roll with me Henry
The context is the dance floor. The Midnighters also recorded an "answer to the answer": "Henry's Got Flat Feet (Can't Dance No More)".
Under the title "The Wallflower," the single became a rhythm and blues hit, topping the U.S. R&B chart for four weeks. On 'Billboard'
The song was reissued as "Roll with Me, Henry" on Kent Records in 1960. In 2008, Etta James received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for her 1955 recording.[http://www.grammy.com/PressReleases/443_466_Hall%20of%20Fame%20release%20FINAL.pdf 2008 Grammy newsletter]
Georgia Gibbs version
In 1955, the song was covered for the pop market by Georgia Gibbs, with uncredited vocal responses from Thurl Ravenscroft, under the title "Dance with Me Henry." That version charted, hitting the top five of several pop charts, including No. 1 on the Most Played In Juke Boxes chart on May 14, 1955, spending three weeks on top of that chart,.Joel Whitburn, 'Top Pop Singles 1955-1999' (Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, 2000), 255, 921. In 1958, Etta James recorded her own cover version of "Dance with Me Henry".
References
Category:1955 singles
Category:Etta James songs
Category:Blues songs
Category:Songs written by Hank Ballard
Category:Songs written by Johnny Otis
Category:1955 songs
Category:Modern Records singles
Category:Answer songs
Category:Songs about dancing
Category:Kent Records singles
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