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6/12/11 – The “Red Hot” Cat Fight!

Posted: June 12th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: rockabilly | Tags: , , , | 10 Comments »

Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast

“Red Hot”

The Friday Night Cat Fight takes on one of the most rockin’, hot burnin’ rockabilly sides of all-time, “Red Hot.”  But the tune didn’t start out as a rockabilly barn burner.  It began as a cheerleader’s chant “Our team is red hot,” which was turned into a mid-tempo R&B tune by its writer Billy “The Kid” Emerson.  He cut his original for Sun Records in 1955, the same label that would issue Billy Riley’s immortal version in 1957.  Also in ’57, the great Bob Luman cut a cover of “Red Hot” for Imperial Records.  We round off this week’s competition with Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs 1966 stab at it, which went to #82 on the national charts.  Then in 1977, Robert Gordon took the tune back 20 years to its rockabilly glory with his rendition, which hit #83 nationally.
So, which version of “Red Hot” is TRULY RED HOT?  You decide.  Listen to the Cat Fight Podcast and then vote for the one you dig the most in our online poll.

Which One Do You DIG THE MOST? - "Red Hot"

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10 Comments on “6/12/11 – The “Red Hot” Cat Fight!”

  1. 1 Warren Mills said at 1:59 pm on June 12th, 2011:

    I almost always go with the origional or the version that had the first commercial success but Bob Luman version and the Robert Gordon versions were tighter and better recordings.

    I ended up with the Robert Gordon’s version.

  2. 2 Stickball Eddie said at 5:19 pm on June 12th, 2011:

    It was a close fight between Billy Riley and his Little Green Men and Bob Luman for me this week, but I opted for Billy and the boys. You could almost hear Elvis singing this one as you were listening to the last two versions. Enjoyed this FNCF, as usual. Thank you Matt.

  3. 3 John From Madison said at 7:32 pm on June 12th, 2011:

    You can’t beat that Rockabilly. Billy Riley.

  4. 4 Yum Yum said at 2:34 pm on June 13th, 2011:

    Nice to see John From Madison Taking Time Out From Cutting The Cheese To Put Out A Comment !! Sam The Sham Wooly Bully And Thats It !! Bob Luman Is Thing About Livin Billy The Kid With Emerson Lake & Palmer Was A Better Outlaw Then Singer And Robert Flash Gordon Did’nt Do It For Me !! So My Pick For Red Hot Is The Last One Standing Billy Life Of Riley And His Little Green Apples !! Yum Yum

  5. 5 Virginia said at 7:30 pm on June 13th, 2011:

    I can’t give a specific reason but I kept going back to the original version in my head. So Billy “The Kid” Emerson got my vote. I can’t imagine how much time the preparation of these FNCF’s take, Thank You so much Matt, and Kelly too for that matter, for giving up your weekends for us your fans.

  6. 6 Gene said at 2:01 am on June 16th, 2011:

    Both Billys and Robert Gordon were great. I voted for the Riley version, more because it was the most familiar, rather than any better. When it first came out, I thought the Sam the Sham version was tops, but it doesn’t hold up so well after 45 years.

  7. 7 Susann said at 11:05 am on June 16th, 2011:

    Billy Riley all the way. Thanks Matt!

  8. 8 timevac3 said at 5:06 am on June 18th, 2011:

    Billy Riley’s version had the hook of having the response come in off the beat, and it worked. Robert Gordon was wise enough to do this too, and his version was surprisingly good. They are all good versions, but Sam The Sham always did wear thin pretty fast.
    Billy Riley gets the nod.

  9. 9 Curt said at 8:12 am on July 9th, 2011:

    I vote Billy Riley

  10. 10 Steven White said at 10:45 pm on May 5th, 2022:

    Miss the greatest show on radio. Will never forget the request my wife made. Larry Williams You bug me baby. Great Friday night music.

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