The Wallflower

Etta James, Peaches, Gladys Knight

About The Wallflower

"The Wallflower" (also known as "Roll with Me, Henry" and "Dance with Me, Henry") is a 1955 song by Etta James. It was one of several answer songs to "Work with Me, Annie" and has the same 12-bar blues melody.


Year:
1999
102 
#1

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(Hey Baby, What do I have to do,)
(To make you love me too,)

You've got to roll with me Henry;
(Alright baby)
Roll with me Henry;
(Don't mean maybe)
Roll with me Henry;
(Any ole time)
Roll with me Henry;
(Don't change my mind)
Roll with me Henry;
You better roll it while the rollin' is on
Roll on, roll on, roll on;

While the cats are ballin,
You better stop your stallin,
It's intermission in a minute,
So you better get with it,
Roll with me Henry,
You better roll it while the rollin' is on
Roll on, roll on, roll on,

Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh wee,
Henry, you ain't movin me,
You better feel that boogie beat,
And get the lead out of your feet,

Roll with me Henry,
You better roll it while the rollin' is on,

Well I ain't teasin'
(Talk to me baby)
You better stop your freezin'
(All right, mama)
If you want romancin'
(Okay sugar)
You better learn some dancin'
(Mmm-hmm mm-hmm)
Roll with me Henry,
(All right mama)
You better roll it while the rollin' is on,
Roll on, roll on, roll on.

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Etta James

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer. Her style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as "Roll With Me, Henry", "At Last", "Tell Mama", "Something's Got a Hold on Me", and "I'd Rather Go Blind" for which she wrote the lyrics. She faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s with the album The Seven Year Itch. more »

6 fans

Written by: Hank Ballard, Etta James, Johnny Otis

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


11 facts about this song

Song Title
"The Wallflower" is also popularly known as "Roll With Me, Henry" and "Dance With Me, Henry."
Release Year
Etta James first recorded and released "The Wallflower" in 1954.
Artist
Etta James, also known as Jamesetta Hawkins, was a young 16-year-old singer when she recorded this song.
Lyrics
The song's lyrics are seen as a sassy response to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie."
Commercial Success
"The Wallflower" reached the #1 spot on Billboard's R&B chart in 1955.
Co-Writers
Etta James co-wrote the song with Johnny Otis and Hank Ballard.
Controversy
The original lyrics were deemed too suggestive for radio play, leading to a censorship controversy, which resulted in the renaming of the song to make it more palatable for wider audiences.
Influence
"The Wallflower" influenced a cover version by Georgia Gibbs called "Dance With Me, Henry (Wallflower)," which was even more popular in the pop market.
Recognition
The Wallflower was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008, acknowledging it as a recording of qualitative or historical significance.
Instrumentation
The raw, jumping rhythm of the song was an early example of the blending of rhythm & blues with rock & roll, influencing future music directions.
Significance
"The Wallflower" is one of the key songs that Etta James is remembered for, accentuating her bluesy and seductive vocal range and tone.

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