DOWNLOAD THE SONGSHEET
Rip It Up (WORD)
Rip It Up (PDF)
YOU CAN PLAY ALONG WITH THE VIDEO IN GCEA TUNING, if you put your capo on the 3rd fret! Little Richard is playing in the key of F. For the first 3 lines in each of the verses, we'll do one downstrum on the [D] chord and continue to the end of the line using the [Z] chord. If you don't know what the [Z] chord is, you can check out this video on our Tips & Help page, and we'll demonstrate at the BUG Jam: Z Chord and other fancy ukulele strumming (bytownukulele.ca) For groups, some can just play the [D] downstroke at the beginning of the lines, while others can instead just play [Z] stroke for the whole verse. Thanks to Chris Hill for bringing this song to BUG!
"Rip It Up" reached the top position on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues Records chart as well as number 17 on the magazine's broader Billboard Hot 100. The version peaked at number 30 in the UK Singles Chart. Also in 1956, Bill Haley and his Comets released a version of the song. Their version reached number 25 on the Hot 100, and number four in the UK Singles Chart.
The song, which was recorded at J&M Recording Studio in New Orleans, is included as a full-length performance by Earl Palmer with guest vocalist Ivan Neville and house band in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz.