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{{Infobox song
| name
| cover
| alt
| caption
| type
| artist
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| released = {{Start date|1946}}
|
| genre =
*[[Rhythm and blues]]
*[[novelty song]]
| length
| label
|
*John Mason
*Don Howell
| lyricist =
*Jack McVea
*Frank Clarke
}}
"'''Open the Door, Richard'''" is a song first recorded by the [[tenor saxophone|saxophonist]] [[Jack McVea]] for [[Black & White Records]] at the suggestion of [[A&R]] man [[Ralph Bass]]. In 1947, it was the number
==Origin==
"Open the Door, Richard"
The routine was made famous by [[Dusty Fletcher]] on stages such as the [[Apollo Theater]] in New York City and in a short film. Dressed in rags, drunk, and with a ladder as his only prop, Fletcher would repeatedly plunk the ladder down stage center, try to climb it to knock on an imaginary door, then crash sprawling on the floor after a few steps while shouting, half-singing "Open the Door, Richard". After this, he would mutter a comic monologue, then try the ladder again and repeat the process, while the audience was imagining what Richard was so occupied doing.{{sfn|Fox|1993|p=96}}
Jack McVea was responsible for the musical [[riff]] associated with the phrase "Open the Door, Richard",{{sf|Smith|2004|p=76}} which became familiar to radio listeners.
==Composition==
Line 60 ⟶ 35:
Open the door and let me in
Open the door, Richard
Richard, why don't you open that door!<ref name=pc19/>}}
The spoken dialogue makes humorous references to negative aspects of urban [[African-American culture|African-American]] life, including poverty and police brutality. The narrator explains: "I know he's in there, 'cause I got on the clothes." He also says "I was on [[welfare|relief]], but they got short of help and you had to go downtown to pick up the checks, so I gave it up." Later, when a policeman tells him to come down from the ladder and begins hitting his feet, the narrator protests: "You act like one of them police that ain't never arrested nobody before." Although the neighbors are being disturbed, McVea continues knocking as the song fades away.
==Charting versions==
*[[Jack McVea]] recorded the original "Open the Door, Richard" in October 1946{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=76}} and it was released by [[Black & White Records]].<ref>[[Black & White Records]] number 792</ref> It entered the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on February 14, 1947 and lasted two weeks there, peaking at number seven.{{sfn|Whitburn|1988|p=285}} It ends with a [[fade-out]] instead of the "cold" or final note ending that had previously been employed on commercial records.
*[[Count Basie]]'s version was released by [[RCA Victor Records]]<ref>[[RCA Records]] number 20-2127</ref> with vocals by [[Harry "Sweets" Edison]] and [[The Funk Brothers#Detroit musicians|Bill Johnson]].<ref name=pc19>{{Gilliland |year=197X |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1633223/m1/#track/5 |title=Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #19 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library |publisher=Digital.library.unt.edu |date=March 23, 2020 |accessdate=January 26, 2021}}</ref> It entered the ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' Best Seller chart on February 7, 1947, and lasted four weeks there, peaking at number one.{{sfn|Whitburn|1988|p=36}}
*[[Dusty Fletcher]] recorded it for [[National Records]].<ref>[[National Records]] number 4012</ref> It entered the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on January 31, 1947 and lasted five weeks there, peaking at number three.{{sfn|Whitburn|1988|p=152}}
*The Three Flames's version was released by [[Columbia Records]].<ref>[[Columbia Records]] number 37268</ref> It entered the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on February 14, 1947 and lasted three weeks there, peaking at number four.{{sfn|Whitburn|1988|p=412}}
*[[Louis Jordan]] recorded it for [[Decca Records]].<ref>[[Decca Records]] number 23841</ref> It entered the ''Billboard'' Best Seller chart on March 7, 1947 and lasted two weeks there, peaking at number seven.{{sfn|Whitburn|1988|p=229}}
==Copyright dispute==
The origins of the piece in a vaudeville routine led to there being several claimants to the copyright. Russell was no longer alive, but both Mason and Fletcher came forth claiming to have written it; Fletcher even claimed that he had written the tune. By the time the dust settled, the official credits read "Words by Dusty Fletcher and John Mason, music by Dusty Fletcher and Don Howell". Howell appears to have been an entirely fictional front through which someone managed to pocket some of the royalties at McVea's expense.{{sfn|Smith|2004|pp=81–82}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
*{{cite book
| first1 = Jim
| last1 = Dawson
| author-link1=Jim Dawson
| first2 = Steve
| last2 = Propes
| author-link2=Steve Propes
| year = 1992
| title = What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record
| location = Boston, London
| publisher = [[Faber and Faber]]
| isbn=0-571-12939-0}}
*{{cite book
| first = Ted
| last = Fox
| year = 1993
| title = Showtime at the Apollo
| edition = 2nd
| location = New York City
| publisher = [[Da Capo Press]]
| isbn = 0-306-80503-0}}
*{{cite book
| first = Arnold
| last = Shaw
| year = 1978
| title = Honkers and Shouters
| publisher = Macmillan
| location = New York
| isbn = 0-02-061740-2}}
*{{cite book
| last = Smith
| first = R. J.
| year = 2004
| title = Richard Speaks! Chasing a Tune from the Chitlin Circuit to the Mormon Tabernacle
| section = This is Pop
| publisher = [[Harvard University Press]]
| isbn = 0-674-01321-2}}
*{{cite book
| last = Whitburn
| first = Joel
|
| title = Top R&B Singles 1942–1988
| year = 1988
| location = Menomonee
| publisher = [[Record Research]]
| isbn = 0-89820-068-7}}
{{The Charioteers}}
{{Louis Jordan}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1947 songs]]
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