Speedoo
{{Infobox song
| name = Speedoo
| type = single
| cover = Speedoo Cadillacs.jpg
| artist = The Cadillacs
| album = The Fabulous Cadillacs
| B-side = Let Me Explain
| released = {{Start date|1955|10}}
| recorded =
| genre =
- Rock and roll{{cite book|first= Bill|last= Pitzonka|editor1-first= Kim |editor1-last= Cooper|editor2-first= David|editor2-last= Smay|year= 2001|title= Bubblegum Music is the Naked Truth|chapter= Crazy Elephant|publisher= Feral House|location= Los Angeles|page= 60}}
- doo-wop
| length = {{Duration|m=2|s=27}}
| label = Josie
| writer = Esther Navarro
| producer =
| prev_title = Down the Road
| prev_year = 1955
| next_title = Zoom
| next_year = 1956
}}
"Speedoo" is a song written by Esther Navarro and performed by The Cadillacs featuring the Jesse Powell Orchestra. It reached number 3 on the U.S. R&B chart and number 17 on the U.S. pop chart in 1955.{{cite web|title=The Cadillacs, "Speedoo" Chart Positions|url=http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=Speedo+by+The+Cadillacs&id=41765|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=August 15, 2018}} The song was featured on their 1957 album, The Fabulous Cadillacs.{{cite web|title=The Cadillacs, The Fabulous Cadillacs|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Cadillacs-The-Fabulous-Cadillacs/release/977655|website=Discogs.com|access-date=August 15, 2018}} The lead vocal was by Earl Carroll.
Lyrically, the song tells of Mister Earl who acquired the nickname "Speedoo" because, when it comes to his pursuit of pretty girls, "he don't believe in wastin' time" and "he don't never take it slow".
The song was included in Robert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981).{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=0899190251|chapter=A Basic Record Library: The Fifties and Sixties|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg70/basics.php|access-date=March 16, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}
Other versions
- Steve Lawrence released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1955 single "The Chicken and the Hawk (Up Up and Away)".{{cite web|title=Steve Lawrence, "The Chicken and the Hawk (Up Up and Away)" Single Release|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/961563|website=45cat.com|access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- The Tokens released a version of the song on their 1966 album, I Hear Trumpets Blow.{{cite web|title=The Tokens, I Hear Trumpets Blow|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Tokens-I-Hear-Trumpets-Blow/release/4473650|website=Discogs.com|date=April 1966 |access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- Fred Weinberg released a version of the song on his 1970 album, The Weinberg Method of Non-Synthetic Electronic Rock.{{cite web|title=Fred Weinberg, The Weinberg Method of Non-Synthetic Electronic Rock|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-weinberg-method-of-non-synthetic-electronic-rock-mw0000219732|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- The Youngbloods released a version of the song on their 1972 album, High on a Ridgetop.{{cite web|title=The Youngbloods, High on a Ridgetop|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/high-on-a-ridgetop-mw0000023493|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- Brinsley Schwarz released a version of the song on their 1973 album, Please Don't Ever Change.{{cite web|title=Brinsley Schwarz, Please Don't Ever Change|url=https://www.discogs.com/Brinsley-Schwarz-Please-Dont-Ever-Change/release/3372497|website=Discogs.com|year=1973 |access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- Ruben and the Jets released a version of the song on their 1973 album, Con Safos.{{cite web|title=Ruben and the Jets, Con Safos|url=https://www.discogs.com/Ruben-And-The-Jets-Con-Safos/release/4656097|website=Discogs.com|year=1973 |access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- Ry Cooder released a version of the song on his 1980 album, Borderline.{{cite web|title=Ry Cooder, Borderline|url=https://www.discogs.com/Ry-Cooder-Borderline/release/1492067|website=Discogs.com|year=1980 |access-date=August 15, 2018}}
- The Persuasions released a version of the song as part of a medley on the 2011 Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention album, Carnegie Hall.{{cite web|title=Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Carnegie Hall|url=https://www.discogs.com/Frank-Zappa-The-Mothers-Of-Invention-Carnegie-Hall/release/3259908|website=Discogs.com|date=November 2011 |access-date=August 15, 2018}}
In popular culture
{{Unreferenced|section|date=April 2021}}
- The song was featured on the soundtrack of the 1990 film Goodfellas.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-08|title=Every Song in the Goodfellas Soundtrack|url=https://screenrant.com/goodfellas-movie-soundtrack-songs/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US}}
- The song was performed by The Cadillacs in the beginning of the 1998 miniseries The Temptations.
- The song was featured on the 2001 episode "Employee of the Month" of the show The Sopranos.
- The song was featured on the 2007 episode "Cadillac" of the satellite radio show Theme Time Radio Hour.
- The song's opening lyrics were referenced in the song "Was a Sunny Day" by Paul Simon, on his 1973 album, "There Goes Rhymin' Simon. In the song, Simon sings, "Her name was Lorelei/She was his only girl/She called him Speedoo, but his Christian name was Mr. Earl." Simon has often professed his affection for doo-wop music, and has acknowledged its influence on his songwriting ("I like doo-wop. I stick it in all the time," he said in a 2011 interview{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8536600/Paul-Simon-Gods-not-into-pop-he-likes-gospel.html|title=Paul Simon: 'God's not into pop - he likes gospel'|website=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=29 April 2021}}).
- Song was also included in the 2010 video game Mafia 2.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Brinsley Schwarz}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Speedo}}
Category:The Youngbloods songs
Category:Brinsley Schwarz songs
{{1950s-single-stub}}