Framed is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Robins in August, 1954, in Los Angeles and released on Leiber and Stoller's label Spark Records in October of that year as the B side of Loop De Loop Mambo. Jerry Leiber talks about the song, saying, “Another rap took the form of a police drama. We called it “Framed” and gave it a subtext that, despite the humor, refers to the legal brutality that impacted the black community.”[1]
Personnel
edit- Billy Richards, Roy Richards, Ty Tyrell, Bobby Nunn, Carl Gardner, vocals
- Mike Stoller, piano
- Gil Bernal, saxophone
- Barney Kessell, guitar
- Ralph Hamilton, bass
- Jesse Sailes, drums
In 1955, the Robins disagreed over whether to remain on the West Coast or sign with Atlantic Records and move to the East Coast. This led to a split within the group. Music producers and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller took former Robins members Nunn and Carl Gardner, recruited singers Leon Hughes and Billy Guy, and formed the Coasters. The founding Richards brothers and Tyrell continued to record as the Robins until 1961. [2][circular reference] [3]
Other versions
editThe song has been covered by Ritchie Valens (1958),[4], Lowell George and The Factory (with some lyrics changed, 1969), Jerry Reed 'KO-KO JOE' (1970), the Sensational Alex Harvey Band (1972) and Cheech & Chong (with some lyrics changed, 1976).
References
edit- ^ Leiber, Jerry and Mike Stoller, with David Ritz, Hound Dog: The Leiber and Stoller Autobiography, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2009, p. 71
- ^ "The Robins".
- ^ The Coasters: The Complete Singles As & Bs 1954-62, Acrobat Licensing LTD., ADDCCD3180, 2016, UK
- ^ Ritchie Valens Ritchie Valens in Come On. Let's Go, Del-Fi Records
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