Lyr Req: Kansas City (Leiber & Stoller)

Subject: Kansas City here I come
From:
Date: 07 Sep 98 - 09:09 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to this song, Kansas City, Kansas City here I come. They got some crazy little women there and I'm gonna get me one. I believe Fats Domino recorded it , but I can't find it in the Mudcat Archives.

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Roger Himler
Date: 07 Sep 98 - 09:37 PM

Anon,

You did not find your song on the Mudcat because most people would not consider it a folk song. It's only rock and roll, but I like it.

If you Click Here you will find the lyrics. Don't be put off by the fact that Ann Margaret is listed as the artist. I believe it is the song you want.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Earl
Date: 08 Sep 98 - 08:39 AM

Written by Leiber and Stoller, originaly recorded by Wilbert Harrison.

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 08 Sep 98 - 11:14 PM

If "Kansas City" isn't blues I don't know what is. (It's quite possible that I don't know what is.)

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Sir
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 08:57 AM

There has been some debate on the authorship of 'Kansas City'. Some believe Leiber and Stoller only wrote it down. So with it's hazy authorship one might call it folk, with it's V, IV, I cadence one might call it blues, and with it's tradition one might call it early rock and roll.

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Earl
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 09:51 AM

Sir, Is that debate in print anywhere? I've never heard the authorship questioned.

Subject: Lyr Add: KANSAS CITY (Leiber & Stoller)
From: Paul
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 01:04 PM

That's a twelve-bar blues if I ever heard one. You can hear it on Muddy Waters: The Woodstock Recordings, or Hound Dog Taylor: Genuine Houserockin' Music, and just about any "1950's Golden Oldies Hits" tape that you can buy at truck stops. I was always of the opinion that it was Leiber & Stoller. Some lyrics off the tops of my head:

KANSAS CITY
(Leiber & Stoller)

I'm going to Kansas City. Kansas City, here I come. (repeat)
They got some crazy women there and I'm a-gonna get me one.

I'm going to stand on the corner of Twelfth Street and Young, (repeat)
And watch those Kansas City women soaking up the Kansas City sun.

I'm going to stand on the corner of Queen Street and Main. (repeat)
You know I love my baby. Why'd she leave me for another man?

Well I might take a train. I might take a plane
But if I have to walk I'm going there just the same

I'm going to Kansas City. Kansas City, here I come.
They got some crazy women there and I'm a-gonna get me one.

Well I might have to walk there. I can't afford to fly;
But if I don't get there, I think I might die.

I'm going to Kansas City. Kansas City, here I come.
They got some crazy women there and I'm a-gonna get me one


Hope that helps.

Subject: RE: Kansas City here I come
From: Earl
Date: 09 Sep 98 - 01:22 PM

I was only "legally accurate" about the original recording. Wilbert Harrison was the first to record it as "Kansas City." It was originally recorded as "K.C. Lovin'" by Little Willie Littlefield in 1952. (Same song though, written by Leiber & Stoller.)

It's a twelve-bar blues but the rhythm changes on the third line of the verse. The bridge, "Might take a train, might take a plane..." would not be in a traditional blues. Although it became a rock'n'roll standard it was written before there was an entity called rock'n'roll.

Subject: Kansas City
From: Peter Olofsson
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 05:53 PM

Hi,

Does anybldy know the composer, lyrics and most well-known recordings of the song

Kansas City, Kansas City here I come Kansas City, Kansas City here I come They've got some crazy little women there And I'm gonna get me one

Regards,

Peter Olofsson Houston. Texas

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: LEJ
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 05:55 PM

Penned by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller I believe.

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 06:30 PM

The version you asked about was I think adapted and performed by Wilbert Harris whose last name I probably just got wrong. :)

Mark

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 06:41 PM

From - http://www.fiftiesweb.com/lyrics/kansasct.htm

Kansas City
1959
recorded by Wilbert Harrison

Goin' to Kansas City
Kansas City here I come
Goin' to Kansas City
Kansas City here I come
Got some crazy little women there
I'm gonna get me one

Gonna be standin' on the corner
12th Street and Vine
I'm gonna be standin' on the corner
12th Street and Vine
With my Kansas City baby
And a little bit of wine

Well I might take a train
Might take a plane
But pretty little baby
Gonna get there the same

Goin' to Kansas City
Kansas City here I come
Got some crazy little women there
I'm gonna get me one

Gonna find myself a baby
And make her mine, yeah

Got some crazy little women there
I'm gonna get hold of one
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

If I be with that girl
I know I'm gonna die
Gotta find a friend
Oh god, that's the reason why

Goin' to Kansas City
Kansas here I come, oh here I come
Got some crazy little babies there
I'm gonna get me one
Oh yeah, I'm gonna get hold of one
Got some crazy little women there
And I'm gonna get me one, yeah

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: RWilhelm
Date: 18 Apr 99 - 06:03 PM

Just to be complete, it was written by Leiber and Stoller and originally recorded by Little Willie Littlefield under the title "K.C. Lovin'" Wilbert Harrison's version was a bigger hit and the one everyone learned from.

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 18 Apr 99 - 07:49 PM

This is one of those songs that has a interesting tangle of derivative versions. It may even be some kind of parallel creativity happening simultaneously in different place (but I doubt it).
My understanding is that Littlefield released his version of the blues song 'K.C. Loving' in 1952, and that Harrison often performed a cover of this tune.
Now I don't know the timing of this, but either in late '58 or early '59, Wilbert Harrison cut his calypso-esque, bluesey-rocking version with a trio in a N.Y. recording session. Either just before or just after this recording session, Leiber and Stoller "wrote" the song too (1959). I don't know whose version Harrison sang on that record: Leiber and Stoller were brilliant and prolific writers with a great deal of music-business savy, and theirs are the names legally affixed to the song. I have too much respect for Leiber and Stoller's many finger-snapping accomplishments to accuse them of ripping off a black singer, but I wish I could ask Wilbert Harrison what he thinks went down. In any case, it's all part of the derivative flow of singing and song writing.

Mark

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 18 Apr 99 - 09:10 PM

I have recordings of Albert King and David Bromberg doing this version. Both very different. It's not the same as the Kansas City Blues in the Didital Tradition. Does anyone know a source for the chords (either on the net or in print) and/or a midi file for Kansas City?

Thanks Jim in Silver Spring

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 18 Apr 99 - 09:24 PM

Hi Mark, Ten to one if Wilbert were asked, he probably wouldn't have said that Leiber and Stoller wrote the song. Although, like you, I'm a big fan of theirs.

Subject: RE: Kansas City
From: RWilhelm
Date: 19 Apr 99 - 06:00 PM

According to _The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music_ Leiber and Stoler wrote both versions.