I LIKE BIG HAIR AND I CANNOT LIE

Fuck, "Fujiyama Mama" turned into a rabbit hole. I heard Eileen Barton's version, sounding surprisingly rockabilly for something recorded in 1955. Not all that different from Wanda Jackson's cover from '57. That's the one that everybody seems to know and most assume is the original. It is not, but that's where things get going good. Released earlier in 1955, Annisten Allen's version is the original and it's full r&b. It's not often you get to hear an r&b version and a rockabilly (or at least hillbilly) version released no more than months apart.

The fourth version (if what I read online is accurate), was Pearl Harbour's 1980 version. (That's her, above,) It was produced by Mickey Gallagher, the pianist for Ian Dury, and the Clash's touring keyboard player. Pearl Harbor was, at the time, seeing Paul Simonon. Because of those two things, I'd always assumed that one or more of the Clash was on Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too, her LP that contained "Fujiyama Mama". After seeing them back her doing it live (video here) I realized that they can't play the song for shit.

 

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~ 

Listen:

Annisten Allen - Fujiyama Mama (streaming) at YouTube 1955
Eileen Barton - Fujiyama Mama mp3 at De Discos y Monstruos 1955
Wanda Jackson - Fujiyama Mama mp3 at Log-Line 1957
Pearl Harbour - Fujiyama Mama (streaming) at YouTube 1980
Video:
Pearl Harbour with the Clash (live in Japan) - Fujiyama Mama at YouTube 1982