help! name this tune - please.

[jest3r]

I have had a song in my head for quite some time but I can;t put a finger on what it's called - what album (if any) it is on etc ..

What I can tell you is I think it is VH doing a cover of another song.

and near the end (outro) of the song the lyrics go something like:

mamma let me play .. let me play
mamma let me play .. let me play
mamma let me play .. let me play that rock and roll .. let me play some rock and roll.

Does anyone know this tune? Am I dreaming - I need some help here.

Thanks

[Glenn]

Do the lyrics go;

"Mama let that boy
play some rock n roll
jazz is much too crazy
he can play it when he's old
he's too young for the blues
he's still inside his first pair of shoes

give that boy some freedom
let him move around
don't get in his way
you'll only bring him down
Mama won't you let 'em
let him play some rock n roll"


This song is similar to the lyrics you've mentioned. Frankly, I'm not sure the name of the song I quoted, but I'll look around. I don't think VH ever played it though.

------------------
The Michael Jordan of Van Halen websites!!!
www.vhlinks.com

[jest3r]

Glenn

With those lyrics I have been able to determine the song is called 'Mama Let Him Play' and it was originally done by someone named Jerry Doucette - (1977)

However I am almost positive that Van Halen covered this song (possibly live) - and some radio stations were playing it about a year ago.

J

[jest3r]

Well I just downloaded the original off of Napster and now I am beginning to doubt myself.

Perhaps on the radio I thought it was Van Halen because it sounds alot like a Van Halen song ..

[Glenn]

First off, you beat me to the punch with who it is. Napster is helpful for stuff like this.

Like you said, it came out in 1977, so VH were pretty much on the tail end of their club days at that point. I've never heard of them doing that song, live or otherwise, but you never know I guess. Anything you can find out about it, I'd love to hear.

Was it Dave singing on this song you heard? Or Sammy? It's hard to imagine radio stations playing bootleg stuff.

------------------
The Michael Jordan of Van Halen websites!!!
www.vhlinks.com

[jaybird]

Wow, it's been ages since I heard that one. Back in my younger days, growing up in western Illinois, "Mama Let 'Em Play" was a playlist mainstay on 97X out of the Quad Cities. And, yes, it was done by one-hit-wonder Jerry Doucette. Brings back a lot of memories....

Though I heard it covered by a lot of crappy bar bands during the mid 80's, I have never heard it covered by The Dynamic Dutch Duo and friends.

[This message has been edited by jaybird (edited February 09, 2001 at 02:50 PM).]