JOHNNY RIVERS - Rockin' Pneumonia REACTION - First time hearing

Music reaction video to Johnny Rivers song,Rockin Pneumonia.This was a 1972 hit song for the American.It was previously a hit as an instrumental by another artist in the 50's.
#johnnyrivers
#musicreactions
#rockreaction

[@johnj2763]

I repeat. It is a crime he has never been inducted into the rock hall.

[@TheBrooklynbodine]

Yep. Him and Three Dog Night, though I never knew Johnny Rivers wasn't.

[@johnj2763]

@@TheBrooklynbodine The Guess Who, Jethro Tull, Bad Company and a list of others longer than your arm.

[@John_Chu]

This is a cover of Huey Piano Smith and The Clowns' original (released in 1957). Smith was a leading light of the New Orleans music scene. His other notable songs were "Sea Cruise" and "Don't You Just Know It." Rivers (birth name John Ramistella) grew up in Louisiana (though he was born in NYC).

[@Judy0910]

My favorite Johnny Rivers songs are Secret Agent Man and Memphis.

[@andreaschmall5560]

"Memphis" was is first huge hit.

[@joelliebler5690]

Johnny has many great hit singles. Here are some you may want to enact to,Swayin’ to the Music, Baby I Need Your Lovin’.

[@alanrosenberg3313]

The original group was called Huey Smith and The Clowns. They left a lot of great fun-filled music.

[@mrb4749]

One of my favorite songs of Johnny sure had many good some great songs. Love his cool voice, I'd would say he was quite successful in his career. Big fan of his since the start.

[@marybaillie8907]

This was pretty rocking for Johnny Rivers. Such a great song with some great guitar and some funky piano!!! The Tracks of my Tears and Baby I Need Your Lovin are some of my favorites. Thanks Harri. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦

[@oldermusiclover]

that funky piano was the late Larry K of the Wrecking Crew and then Bread and the late Hal Blaine on drums

[@marybaillie8907]

@@oldermusiclover Thanks Ginny. Funky indeed. 👍✌️🇨🇦

[@oldermusiclover]

@@marybaillie8907 love the sound of it

[@dagmar.6954]

Another artist I grew up with. Johnny could sing different genres of music including pop, folk, blues & rock 'n' roll. He had a lot of hits during the 60's-70's such as "Memphis", "Maybellene", "Mountain Of Love", "The Seventh Son", "Secret Agent Man", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", "Summer Rain", "Midnight Special", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Rockin' Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu" etc.

[@Hobodeluxe960]

Slow Dancin is my fav

[@minigirl6839]

Poor Side of Town was great as well.

[@sanpaku6869]

And on piano Larry Knechtel who also played piano on "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel

[@esmaelgonzales6250]

Poor side of town...was a favorite single of mine...

[@39thala]

The Wrecking Crew are the musicians on this. Featuring Larry Knechtel on piano!

[@johnthegreek5836]

I remember Johnny Rivers, he had some great music, it’s great to hear these songs again and actually hear how great the instruments they are playing

[@oldermusiclover]

thanks Harri. that is the Wrecking Crew playing on this song, the late Hal Blaine on drums and one of my piano idols the late Larry K on piano

[@puddysue]

Excellent choice! Have always LOVED this one! I dare anyone to listen to this one and not find themselves moving with the music!

[@dannycasson1551]

More! Not sure if he plays piano but I know he plays guitar! “Secret Agent Man,” “Memphis,” “The Seventh Son,” Baby I need Your Lovin’,” plenty more but I’m sure everyone else is giving you all the songs you need!

[@galandirofrivendell4740]

Another song that was something of a departure from Rivers's usual output was "Secret Agent Man," which was the theme song of a TV spy series called "Secret Agent," which was the American broadcast of a British television show called "Danger Man," starring Patrick McGowan. It was one of the biggest hits of his career.

[@CB-gr1uk]

He could do any genre, anything!!

[@phillipward8776]

Johnny Rivers cover of "Seventh Son" was as cool as anything that was on the radio in 1965.

[@325diane]

May the Piano God playing here, Larry Knechtel, rest in peace. He also played piano on the original "Bridge Over Troubled Water" recording with Simon and Garfunkel and countless other recordings.

[@GetRidOfCivilAssetForfeiture]

This brings back such great memories.

[@seiraeiramasil2302]

Johnny Rivers's got a few other hits you might like, for instance "Secret Agent Man", "Seventh Son", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" and "Slow Dancing". I remember when this came out, then realizing that it was Johnny Rivers, I was like 'wow' this is pretty different from his 60's sound, I really like it! Thanks for this, it was a treat!

[@asteverino8569]

Thanks for your UK take on American music I grew up with. I really appreciate your UK take.

[@turnerdan53]

In the 60's it seemed everyone covered this song.

[@appledoreman]

If you like this, you'll love 'Sea Cruise' by Frankie Ford.

[@dianahohimer1107]

Such a jammin little song.

[@helgar791]

This was the first version of the song I ever heard. Then I went back and heard the Huey "Piano" Smith version from 15 years previous and I knew THAT was the rockin' version.

[@fluffylobster2916]

Couldn't agree more. This version is good, but Huey's has more of that true Rock and Roll flavor, with better syncopation 😉

[@damonhines8187]

Johnny's cover of Chuck Berry's 'Memphis' was the one some of us grew up with. Well worth a listen, as is the original.

[@billkeatting1058]

Johnny Rivers' music career spans seven decades, and crosses multiple genres (rock n roll, rockabilly, folk, country, blues, pop), and roles (songwriter, singer, Grammy Award-winning producer, multi-instrumentalist). I last saw him in concert July 24th, 2019, in Nashville Tennessee, and he was still in fine form, rockin', croonin' and pickin'! But to taste some of his earliest work, one of my favorite examples is "The Customary Thing". He wrote and recorded this in 1959 when he was 16, and performed it on "American Bandstand" in 1960 at age 17. This was still several years before his popularity exploded with his L.A. "Whisky A' Go-Go" sessions and releases. Wild and raw for the day, have a listen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKmUnaJ9hdyWh7M

[@philpartynski3125]

His cover of “Summer Rain” is a gem!

[@reneerocha1796]

This is a turn up feel good song! Thanks !! Remember it so well!!

[@stevedahlberg8680]

I'm so glad you mentioned the bass line! He keeps adding more and more syncopation near the end. And of course the backing vocals are just so Lush and wonderful. What a great dance song.

[@markscutti9682]

First vinyl album I ever owned was Johnny Rivers LIVE from the Whisky a-Go-Go.

[@trespatines8698]

I have always loved this song. Very different from Johnny’s other hits.

[@bjm9071]

My favorite of his is the tv theme "Secret Agent Man" - great guitar riffs!

[@chrissneyd9278]

Cool reaction to classic rocker. Reminds me of McGuiness Flint. Thanks for the reaction, absolutely fantastic piano. The song has been covered by many artists.

[@seanjockel43]

RIP. HUEY SMITH

[@GinMae]

Thanks, Harri.. just about my favorite by JR... you cannot NOT tap your feet... lol.. just about the first & only guitar riff I can play was "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny...

[@diannthomas5653]

Love it!

[@larissahorne9991]

I hadn't heard about Dennis Waterman' passing away. I knew he was a singer but I'm only really familiar with the "New Tricks" theme song, we get quite a lot of British TV Shows in Australia. I recognise this song from "My Girl 2", both of those movies have great soundtracks.

[@mikefixx7177]

Just another song you might like is called Oh Babe what would you say by Hurricane Smith

[@stevewixom9311]

Sorry to hear about Dennis Waterman's passing. I loved is his character Gerry on New Tricks. That role was made for him to play. RIP Dennis

[@barrycohen311]

Huey Piano Smith is a New Orleans musician. He had a big hit with 'Don't You Just Know It.' kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYGWqqSHaduafqM It is still popular there during Mardi Gras season.

[@kenchristie9214]

Johnny does the best verion of Blue Suede Shoes, Other great songs by him are Mountain Of Love, Tracks Of My Tears (far better than Smokey Robinson), Do What You Gotta Do, Tunesmith and of course his greatest song Summer Rain. Johnny is a great guitarist, that's why I recommend Blue Suede Shoes.

[@Ronshydrohub]

Thanks Harri, JR was our favorite (with my late dad who was a brilliant jazz pianist and made a few LP's a

[@draff1662]

There was a show in the UK in the 1960’s called ‘Danger Man’ it was retitles ‘Secret Agent’ when it played in the U.S. and Johnny Rivers did the theme for that. He had a n7 bet of hits in the 60’s:70’s please, please react to ‘Summer Rain’ if you haven’t - my fav of his string of hits. Thanks!

[@garyarnett1220]

This great song has dozens of covers, most recently in 2021 by Deep Purple ! For a totally different vibe from Mr Rivers try his 1967 hit Summer Rain

[@surlechapeau]

Harri, thanks for reacting to my suggestion!!

[@becksullivan4796]

Cool piano!

[@UncleQue]

I’m thinking Secret Agent Man and or his versions of Memphis or Baby I Need Your Lovin might be good to have a listen to.

[@debbiemickelson5448]

I think I have the boggie woggie flu LoL 😆😆

[@jamestaylor2920]

Miss Debbie, once Boogie Woogie gets a hold on you, you stay got. A little 1976 medical advice from Diana Ross. (Motown-Disco) "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it. Don't want it. If there's a remedy. I'll run from it, from it."

[@Hobodeluxe960]

if you're gonna play boogie-woogie ya gotta have them keys.

[@oldermusiclover]

amen and the late Larry K had them in studio for the Wrecking Crew

[@phillipward8776]

They would put thumb tacks in the piano hammers. To get that rag-time boogie woogie sound.

[@edgarsnake2857]

Say hey Harri, This piano style is a cornerstone example of New Orleans Boogie Woogie. I see some of your subscribers mention Huey Piano Smith and Larry Knechtel. Other notable players of this style include Dr. John, Professor Longhair, and of course, the great Fats Domino.

[@patriciakeith6755]

Larry Knechtel was my great-aunt's step-grandson. Met Larry's mom and dad (Clarence and Edna) and his two brothers back in Aug. 1968 when my mom, aunt and I visited LA. Clarence and Edna lived in Bell and had a small house in their back yard that my great-aunt lived in. She called it her 'doll house'. Larry was on a tour and I always hated that we missed him.

[@lindanicholson950]

The one I think I remember is a little faster than this.

[@Imadrummin]

👍👍👍

[@thomasjurgensen2086]

You need to try Huey Piano Smith version also High Blood Pressure

[@Dee-JayW]

The lyrics to this song caused a continuous disagreement between myself and my husband. LMAO 😂 I said boogie Woogie blues, he said flu. *Yes, kids, there was a time where you guessed the lyrics*

[@rs-ye7kw]

In case you've never resolved your argument, it's flu.

[@oldermusiclover]

it is Flu

[@Dee-JayW]

@@rs-ye7kw yes, I didn’t like being wrong on that one 😂

[@bendailey6070]

Check out Johnny Rivers song Secret Agent Man.

[@dejns6945]

Have you ever reacted to PTX?

[@peggyryan2851]

This is boogie woogie

[@sharonsnail2954]

Could never get into Johnny Rivers work. Seemed to release mediocre covers, not strictly true of course but ... meh All his output was professionally produced and played but lacking that something. There was too much good stuff elsewhere. This is a reasonable cover of Huey "Piano" Smith's original but you gotta hear Smith's version kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXzNmX-nabOLf6c. It rocks, as did New Orleans in the 1950s. "Just A Lonely Clown", "High Blood Pressure" and "Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas And The Sinus Blues" are other good examples of Mr. Smith's output with The Clowns although he missed out somewhat when Ace Records boss John Vincent stripped the vocal from "Sea Cruise" and re-recorded it with Frankie Ford.