Lawdy Miss Clawdy

'Lawdy Miss Clawdy' was Lloyd Price's high school catchphrase and he would use it as a catchy line for the radio adverts he had to write for the local WBOK station. 

It was the visit of Art Rupe, a record producer and keen talent spotter, to Price's home town of New Orleans that inspired Price to write the song. Arthur Goldberg, as his with name was, is still with us at the age of 101 and was the man who discovered Little Richard. Ray Charles also assisted Rupe by accompanying Eddie 'Guitar Slim' Jones.

Rupe got Price to record the song in March 1952 and the record was produced by Dave Bartholomew - another influential artist who first entered the industry in 1936. A real legend, and New Orleans resident, Bartholomew is still with us at the age of 99 and wrote 'Witchcraft' and 'One Night' - both recorded by Elvis. One of his bestselling records was 'I Hear You Knocking,' which Elvis is said to have performed on stage in 1956.

Fats Domino played the piano on the song and Price based the melody on Domino's 1950 hit 'The Fat Man,' which was written by both Domino and Bartholomew.

It inspired Tommy Ridgley's 1953 song 'Oh, Lawdy, My Baby' and it supposedly inspired Larry William's 1958 song 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy.'

'Lawdy Miss Clawdy' has since been recorded by Little Richard, the Beatles (on their film 'Let It Be'), Fats Domino and Shakin' Stevens.