Ode to Mister Lee

YouTube ^ | 1957 | The Bobbettes

[4Runner]

Back in 1957, the Bobbettes recorded "Mister Lee". They were singing about a crush on their teacher, whom they hated in real life, but Atlantic (the recording label) made them sing it positively instead.

[4Runner]

Despite having had the original lyrics changed, the Bobbettes still managed to create an absolute gem.

[fidelis]

Always one of my favorites. Love the yakity-sax at the break.

[Olog-hai]

What were the original lyrics?

Could the Bobbettes have become the first punk rock group?

[BenLurkin]

Did they take a pair of scissor to Mr. Lee?

[Fiji Hill]

My favorite tune by the Bobbettes--from the early months of 1958:

Rock and Ree-Ah Zole (The Teeenage Talk)

[Kenny500c]

Ode to Billie Joe - what were they throwing off the bridge?

[Fiji Hill]

I Shot Mr. Lee--The Bobbettes (1960)

[Repeal The 17th]

Yeah, I remember that one.
How about this one from the same year?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwhoCb6VkYg
1957 - Jim Dandy - Lavern Baker

[Fiji Hill]

Ode to Billie Joe - what were they throwing off the bridge?

She threw Billie Joe of the bridge.

[BenLurkin]

Fun!

[JonPreston]

Remember the song and the neighborhood.

The group, which originally formed in East Harlem, New York, in 1955, was first known as "The Harlem Queens".[1] The girls first met while singing at the Glee Club at P.S. 109 in Spanish Harlem. They were soon discovered by James Dailey, a record producer, who also became their manager, while playing a concert at the Apollo Theater's amateur night, and were signed to a recording contract on the Atlantic label.[1] The girls lived in the housing projects of 1905 Second Ave and 99th Street and sang in the hallways of the building and downstairs in the playground.

In 1957, the girls released their first hit single, "Mr. Lee", an uptempo song in which the narrator proclaims her devotion to her crush - her school teacher.[1] The girls actually disliked the real-life Mr. Lee and the original lyrics to the song were something of a put-down, but Atlantic insisted the group revise the lyrics before recording the song.[1] The single, backed by "Look at the Stars", became their biggest hit recording, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and spending four weeks at #1 on the R&B chart.[1] This made the Bobbettes the first girl group to release a #1 R&B hit that also made the pop top 10. The song would later be covered by Diana Ross on the European version of her 1987 album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues. The personnel on "Mr. Lee" included Jesse Powell on tenor sax, Allan Hanlon and Al Caiola on guitar, Ray Ellis on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, and Joe Marshall on drums. Billboard named the song #79 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[2]

[Mears]

Totally unfamiliar to me and I was around in 1957.

.

[Fiji Hill]

Speedy--The Bobbettes (1957)

[Bonemaker]

I was in high school then and our beloved principal was... MR. LEE! When we had assemblies, which were fairly regular, that song was played over the sound system and everyone sang along with it! Great for school spirit and everyone loved it.😀

[Fiji Hill]

Totally unfamiliar to me and I was around in 1957.

Our radio station of choice in 1957 was KFI--later to become the Southland home of Rush Limbaugh. It's music programs would feature Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Gale Storm, etc. but very few rock and roll tunes made it onto their playlists.

[odawg]

“Ode to Billie Joe - what were they throwing off the bridge?”

Engagement ring.

[Silentgypsy]

Thank you for posting the blast from the past.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I’ve been an oldies nut for decades and I’ve known it just as long. It is played a lot.

[blam]

Mr Blue
(The Fleetwoods)

[4Runner]

Those must have been the original lyrics. So in 1957 they were unacceptable but in 1960 they were? Huh. Precursor to Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff”.