Little Richard’s “Settin’ The Woods On Fire: The Reprise Rarities”

Omnivore Recordings Announces Little Richard’s Settin’ The Woods On Fire: The Reprise Rarities Vinyl Plus 4 More Vinyl Reissues

Settin’ The Woods On Fire out on November 22

The Rill Thing and Lifetime Friend out December 13, King of Rock and Roll and The Second Coming out January 10

October 15, 2024: Today, Omnivore Recordings announces the vinyl release of Little Richard’s Settin’ The Woods On Fire: The Reprise Rarities, a 13-track collection from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer member, many of which make their vinyl debut, out on November 22. Along with the announcement, Omnivore also shared release dates for four more Little Richard LP reissues to follow with The Rill Thing and Lifetime Friend out December 13, and King of Rock and Roll and The Second Coming out January 10. These four reissues will mirror the tracklisting of their original release.

Little Richard’s place in rock history has never been disputed. “The Architect” returned in 1970 on Reprise Records with The Rill Thing, and during his tenure there, recorded four albums with only three seeing actual release. (Southern Child would remain unreleased until the material appeared on a 2007 compilation, with Omnivore Recordings releasing it in its intended form in 2020.) Along with alternate takes, singles, and appearances on soundtracks including $ (starring Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn) and composed by Quincy Jones, those tracks were included on expanded CD reissues of King Of Rock And Roll, The Second Coming, and Southern Child.

Now, 13 of those performances are available on LP—some for the first time since their original release, and others making their vinyl debut. Settin’ The Woods On Fire: The Reprise Rarities collects and showcases Little Richard’s dynamic time on Reprise, and offers a deeper look into the man whose output was and is as engaging and original as it had ever been, as he crossed in the 1970s (and beyond). Mastered by Grammy-winner Michael Graves and cut by Jeff Powell at Take Out Vinyl/Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Memphis, Settin’ The Woods On Fire offers a look into a man whose musical boundaries were endless, and paves the way for a reissue campaign highlighting those classic albums’ return to vinyl.

The Rill Thing (LP) – December 13

Little Richard returned in 1970 with The Rill Thing and instead of sticking around his adopted home of Los Angeles, Richard set out for Rick Hall’s FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record the album for Reprise, joined by Bumps, who was now his manager.

The opening track, “Freedom Blues,” was released in April of 1970 and hit #28 on the charts. The second cut, “Greenwood Mississippi,” was also released as a single in August and also made a Billboard appearance. The marathon title track (running a whopping 10 minutes and 20 seconds) was an intense funk jam that was captured in one take. The album also featured covers of tunes by The Beatles and Hank Williams—it was a different sound by far than the savagely rocking attack he’d ridden to fame like a rocket at Specialty close to a decade and-a-half earlier, but it was every bit as effective.

The Rill Thing bore the slogan “The Little Richard Sound” on its labels. “He was at his peak with his vocals on there,” says guitarist Travis Wammack admiringly. “He was just singing his booty off!” The Rill Thing is back as a 12″ long player, and pressed on opaque pink vinyl with a printed inner sleeve that includes liner notes by Bill Dahl.

Lifetime Friend (LP) – December 13

After the 1984 release of his autobiography, The Quasar Of Rock And Roll, Little Richard decided to come out of retirement. It had been seven years since his last record, the gospel-focused God’s Beautiful City, and over a decade from his 1970s return album run on the Reprise label (The Rill Thing, King Of Rock And Roll, and The Second Coming, plus the one that Reprise shelved at the time, Southern Child). For the new album, Richard went overseas to record in London with a powerhouse band including Billy Preston, Muscle Shoals guitarist Travis Wammack, bassist Jesse Boyce, and drummer James Stroud with producer Stuart Colman at the helm. Warner Bros., unleashed Lifetime Friend in 1986.

With ten tracks of rock ’n’ roll mixed with spiritual lyrics (and even an early rap appearance), the release was another return to form. His third coming, one could say. The album’s blistering opener “Great Gosh A’Mighty” (co-written with Billy Preston) would even be recut by Richard for the film Down And Out In Beverly Hills, nearly cracking the Top 40. Two other tracks, “Operator” and “Somebody’s Comin’,” would make chart appearances in the UK.

As Dahl writes in his liners, “Rock ’n’ roll never had a better friend than Little Richard Penniman. He devoted most of his life to it. Lifetime Friend was his last great recorded statement, and even if Long Tall Sally, Miss Molly, and Lucille weren’t in the choir, Richard gave the album his heavenly best.” Lifetime Friend is back as a 12″ long player, and pressed on turquoise vinyl with a printed inner sleeve that includes liner notes by Bill Dahl.

King of Rock and Roll (LP) – January 10

No one expected the power of Little Richard’s return in 1970 with The Rill Thing. The following year’s King Of Rock And Roll helped demonstrate that it was no fluke. This time, instead of handling the production and arranging duties himself, Richard handed those responsibilities off to the multi-talented H.B. Barnum, a widely-respected actor, musician, vocalist, arranger and producer who was on call for the likes of the Supremes, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin and Lou Rawls among others.

From originals to covers of Motown classics, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Hank Williams, and Hoyt Axton’s “Joy To The World” (made famous by Three Dog Night), there was no doubt who sat on the throne of popular music. This time around, “Green Power” was selected as the single with its flip, “Dancing In The Street,” but no chart action was to be had.

Though Don Peterson’s striking cover photo likely attracted more than one taker browsing the record stores in ’71. This album nicked Billboard’s pop album charts in November of ’71, and underscored the obvious: The King of Rock and Roll was back! The King Of Rock And Roll is back as a 12″ long player and pressed on white vinyl with a printed inner sleeve that includes liner notes by Bill Dahl.

The Second Coming (LP) – January 10

Naming his third album for Reprise, The Second Coming may have been pushing the outrageousness a bit far, but considering his previous LP was titled King Of Rock And Roll it was clear that humility was not Little Richard’s strongest attribute. However, it was more a nod to the concept of the album, than the ego of the artist.

Reuniting with Robert “Bumps” Blackwell and a host of studio musicians from the ’50s, the studio team was met by some of the top session players of the early ’70s at The Record Plant in Los Angeles to cut the album. Notable players like Lee Allen, Jim Horn, Earl Palmer, Chuck Rainey, and Sneaky Pete Kleinow were on hand for the proceedings.

While Richard would exit the business soon after its release to follow his religious pursuits, The Second Coming marks the end of what could be called his second chapter. And, a third was on the way a decade later. The Second Coming is back as a 12″ long player, and pressed on opaque red vinyl with a printed inner sleeve that includes liner notes by Bill Dahl.

Pre-order:

Settin’ The Woods On Fire: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/settin-the-woods-on-fire/
The Rill Thing: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/the-rill-thing/
Lifetime Friend: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/lifetime-friend/
King of Rock and Roll: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/king-of-rock-and-roll/
The Second Coming: www.omnivorerecordings.com/shop/the-second-coming/

Settin’ The Woods On Fire: The Reprise Rarities tracklist:

SIDE ONE
1. The Rill Thing Radio Spot A
2. Money Is
3. Mississippi (Instrumental)
4. Still Miss Liza Jane
5. In The Name (Version 4, Take 3)
6. Settin’ The Woods On Fire (Instrumental)

SIDE TWO
1. Do It – Do It
2. Open Up The Red Sea
3. Why Don’t You Love Me
4. In The Name (Version 2)
5. Sneak The Freak
6. Shake A Hand (If You Can)
7. The Rill Thing Radio Spot B

Missing Piece Group