Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey: Introduction
“Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey” is a Beatles’ medley that is on their “Beatles For Sale” album. However, there is an alternate version on their Anthology 1 album. Then there are some live takes on their BBC albums.
In Detail
- Release Date: December 4, 1964
- Recorded: October 18, 1964
- Genre: Rock and roll
- Track Duration: 2:33 (mono version), 2:38 (stereo version)
- Record Label: Parlophone
- Songwriters: Kansas City, by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller And Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey, by Richard Wayne Penniman (Little Richard)
- Producer: George Martin
- Engineer: Norman Smith
Performers And Instruments
- Paul McCartney: lead vocals and bass guitar
- John Lennon: backing vocals and rhythm guitar
- George Harrison: backing vocals, also the lead guitar
- Ringo Starr: drums
- George Martin: piano
Where To Find “Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey”
You will find the Fab Four’s medley in the following albums:
**If you want the original version of this song, buy the 1963 album. However, if you are an avid record collector, go ahead and buy the lot!
Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey: Background
This Beatles’ medley obviously joins two songs, and the Fab Four do a fine job in the process.
- Kansas City Song
Little Willie Littlefield first recorded the rhythm and blues song “Kansas City” in 1952. However, in 1959, Wilbert Harrison released it as a single, which went to number one on America’s Billboard charts. Many other artists would record the song—in fact, over 300 to date!
- Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey Song
Little Richard recorded “Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey,” aka “Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Goin’ Back to Birmingham),” on May 9, 1956. Indeed, this was the B-side to “Good Golly Miss Molly” which went to number 4 in the American charts.
Beatles And Little Richard
During their early live performances, The Beatles would often sing cover songs. Moreover, the Fab Four were masters at recreating the rock and roll songs coming over from the United States. The band would use many of these songs for their gigs at the Cavern Club and while in Hamburg, too.
“I could do Little Richard’s voice, which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing; it’s like an out-of-body experience. You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it. You have to actually go outside yourself. It’s a funny little trick, and when you find it, it’s very interesting.”
Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
The Beatles played with Little Richard twice while he was in the UK in October 1962. They also shared the stage with him at Hamburg’s Star-Club.
After hearing Little Richard perform the medley, The Beatles took it and gave it their own style. It was to be a part of their live repertoire, if only for a short while, having dropped it by the end of 1963. However, they would come back to it from time to time. For example, they played it at the Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 17, 1964.
Because they received a rousing reception from the appreciative American audience, The Beatles knew it should be on their next album, “Beatles For Sale.”
Recording Studio
The Beatles began recording “Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey” proper on October 18, 1964, in Studio Two at the EMI Studios, London, during the 2.30pm–11.30pm session. They recorded two takes that day, when they also recorded “I Feel Fine” together with “I’ll Follow the Sun” and a few more tracks.
The first take was the version that was suitable for the album, “With The Beatles.” However, they recorded many other versions.
On their 1994 album, “Live At The BBC,” there is a copy of the version that aired on August 6, 1963, on their “Pop Go the Beatles” show. Meanwhile, on the 1995 album “Anthology 1,” there is the stereo take-two version from their studio recording on October 18, 1964.
The Beatles also have another version on their 2013 album, “On Air: Live At The BBC, Volume 2.” The band recorded this one for the “Saturday Club” on the 25th November, 1964, airing on the 26th December that year. There were numerous other times that the Fab Four would sing and record this song.
Interestingly, there is a recording of The Beatles singing “Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey” at the Cavern Club and Hamburg’s Star-Club, but as of yet, those are not commercially available.
Take A Listen To Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey
So, did The Beatles do a good job with this medley?
