70 Years Ago Today, Gene Vincent Recorded a B-Side That Became a Hit After the A-Side Was Deemed Too Scandalous for Radio

On this day (May 4) in 1956, Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps stepped into Bradley Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and recorded “Be-Bop-A-Lula.” It was originally released as the B-side to his debut single “Woman Love,” which was deemed too scandalous for the radio. After being reissued as the A-side, “Be-Bop-A-Lula” became an international hit.

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In 1956, Elvis Presley was one of the biggest artists in the world. As a result, every label under the sun was looking for someone to be their Elvis. Capitol Records producer Ken Nelson received a demo of Vincent and his band and knew that he had found theirs. His voice was so close to Presley’s that it fooled the King’s mother. When she heard “Be-Bop-A-Lula” on the radio, she thought it was her son recording under another name.

[RELATED: The Meaning of “Be-Bop-A-Lula” by Gene Vincent and Why It’s Still a Mystery Who Wrote It]

However, according to Rockabilly Legends, Vincent wasn’t an Elvis impersonator. Sure, he had been heavily influenced by Presley’s vocal style and stage presence, but he wasn’t a carbon copy. His music helped shape the sound of rockabilly. Moreover, his jeans, white t-shirts, and leather jackets helped shape the genre’s “rebel” image and became the uniform for countless fans and future artists alike.

The Story Behind Gene Vincent’s Debut Hit

Gene Vincent originally released “Be-Bop-A-Lula” as the B-side to his debut single “Woman Love.” However, the A-side proved to be too provocative for the radio in the mid-1950s. Stations in the United States refused to play it, and the BBC outright banned it, according to Songfacts. As a result, Capitol reissued the single with “Woman Love” on the B-side. That’s when it took off. The single sold more than 2 million copies in the first year. It reached No. 7 on the Hot 100, No. 8 on the R&B chart, and No. 5 on the country chart. It was also a top 20 hit in the United Kingdom.

The original story states that Vincent wrote the song while recovering from a motorcycle accident in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. He was inspired to write the song after reading a Little Lulu comic strip. However, that story has been challenged over the years.

Notably, Blue Caps drummer Dickie Harrell stated that Donald Graves actually wrote the song. He said that Vincent and his then-manager, Bill “Sheriff Tex” Davis, bought the song for $25. “It happened a lot in those days. Guys would take the sure money,” Harrell explained.

Another story states that Vincent and Graves wrote the song together, and Vincent bought Graves’ share of the song for $25.

No matter which version is true, Graves received roughly $300 in today’s money for the song that helped Vincent create a cult following.

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