DO RE MI
RIDE YOUR PONY
Can You Hear Me
HOLY COW
WORKING IN A COAL MINE
Get Out My Life Woman
Give It Up - (1969)
Yes We Can - 1970
Born 24th December 1924 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Died 1st December 1986 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Died 1st December 1986 - New Orleans, Louisiana
In the early 1980's Lee Dorsey toured the UK as support act for the CLASH but in the sixties ‘man’, you could see him at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, the birthplace of Northern Soul. All the tracks listed above were smash hits at the city's soul clubs.
"Ya Ya" then "Do Re Mi" on the Fury label (Started by Bobby Robinson) were Lee’s first hits both arranged by Allen Toussaint, in New Orleans. In the UK Lee’s releases were on the Stateside Label.
"Ride Your Pony" and "Working in the Coal Mine" (based on Lee's own experience of working don a mine) were still with Allen Toussaint, but on Amy Records. Some of the Twisted Wheel regulars changed the words of 'Working In The Coal Mine' to: 'Working in a bluey mine - whoops! another Comedown' but it never really worked.
A ‘B’ side "Get Out Of My Life Women" was a huge hit at the Blue Note club In Manchester.
Reputed to be a no fuss quiet man when off stage, he got everyone going when he was performing, especially with the line: ‘now shoot, shoot…and ride that mule' The whole audience would fire off pretend guns in the air. These days, who knows? They would probably fire off real ones. How times have changed.
I remember him visiting the Chinese restaurant on London Road not far from the Twisted Wheel before his performance there. He wore a very large overlapping shirt collar, he had placed his large hat next to his plate, he was alone and he was eating steak and chips, not a Chinese meal. He left half of it. My friend picked up one of his chips and tried to sell it in the club, as a joke but oddly, nobody wanted to buy it!
Lee was born on the 24th December 1924, in New Orleans and died on 1st December 1986 in his home town; New Orleans. A Great soul star.
