Lee Dorsey
Irving Lee Dorsey (December 24, 1924 – December 1, 1986) was an African American pop and R&B singer during the 1960s. His biggest hits were "Ya Ya" (1961) and "Working in the Coal Mine" (1966). Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint with instrumental backing provided by the Meters.
Career
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dorsey was a childhood friend of Fats Domino before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was ten years old. He served in the United States Navy in World War II and then began a career in prizefighting. Boxing as a lightweight in Portland in the early 1950s, he fought under the name Kid Chocolate and was reasonably successful. He retired from boxing in 1955 and returned to New Orleans, where he opened an auto repair business as well as singing in clubs at night.
His first recording was "Rock Pretty Baby/Lonely Evening" on Cosimo Mattasa's Rex label, in 1958. This was followed by the Allen Toussaint-produced "Lottie Mo/Lover of Love", for the small Valiant label in late 1960 (picked up by ABC Paramount in 1961). These efforts were unsuccessful, but around 1960 he was discovered by A&R man Marshall Sehorn, who secured him a contract with Fury Records, owned by Bobby Robinson. After meeting songwriter and record producer Allen Toussaint at a party, he recorded "Ya Ya", a song inspired by a group of children chanting nursery rhymes. It went to number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Although the follow-up "Do-Re-Mi" also made the charts, later releases on Fury were not successful. Dorsey returned to running his repair business, but also released singles on the Smash and Constellation labels in 1963 and 1964.
Podcasts:
Lee Dorsey
ALBUMS
- Funky as I Can Be! released: 2008
- Holy Cow: The Very Best of Lee Dorsey released: 2005
- Great Googa Mooga released: 1999
- The Masters released: 1998
- Working in a Coalmine released: 1991
- Night People released: 1978
- Yes We Can released: 1970
- The New Lee Dorsey released: 1965
- Ride Your Pony released: 1965
- Ya! Ya! released: 1961
- The EP Collection...Plus released:
- Get Out of My Life Woman released:
- Yes We Can ...And Then Some released:
- Ride Your Pony released:
- The New Lee Dorsey released:
- Freedom for the Funk released:
- 20 Greatest Hits released:
Holy Cow: The Very Best of Lee Dorsey
Released 2005- Working in the Coal Mine
- Holy Cow
- Ya Ya
- Do-Re-Mi
- Ride Your Pony
- Confusion
- Get Out of My Life, Woman
- Go-Go-Girl
- My Old Car
- Love Lots of Lovin' (feat. Betty Harris)
- Can You Hear Me?
- Great Googa Mooga
- Lottie Mo
- You're Breaking Me Up
- Four Corners
- A Lover Was Born
- Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky (From Now On)
- Give It Up
- Yes We Can
- Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
- Occapella
- Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further?
- O Me-O, My-O
- Riverboat
- Freedom for the Stallion
- On Your Way Down
- Night People
- Soul Mine
Great Googa Mooga
Released 1999- Lottie Mo
- Ya Ya
- Do-Re-Mi
- Hoodlum Joe
- You're Breaking Me Up
- Messed Around (And Fell in Love)
- Ay-La-Ay
- Great Googa Mooga
- People Sure Act Funny
- Ride Your Pony
- Can You Hear Me
- Get Out of My Life Woman
- Confusion
- Working in the Coal Mine
- Holy Cow
- My Old Car
- Go-Go Girl
- Love Lots of Lovin'
- Four Corners
- A Lover Was Born
The Masters
Released 1998- Ya Ya
- Ride Your Pony
- Get Out of My Life, Woman
- Holy Cow
- Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now on)
- Yes We Can
- What You Want (Is What You Get)
- Messed Around (And Fell in Love)
- My Old Car
- Love Lots Of Lovin'
- Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
- Tears, Tears and More Tears
- Freedom for the Stallion
- When Can I Come Home
- Soul Mine
- Night People
- Can You Hear Me?
- A Lover Was Born
- Candy Man
- A Place Where We Can Be Free
The EP Collection...Plus
- Ya Ya
- Do Re Mi
- Ride Your Pony
- Can You Hear Me
- Work Work Work
- The Kitty Cat Song
- Get Out Of My Life Woman
- Here Comes The Hurt Again
- Shortin' Bread
- Hello Mama
- You're Breaking Me Up
- Messed Around
- Working In The Coal Mine
- Mexico
- Confusion
- Neighbour's Daughter
- Organ Grinder's Swing
- I Gotta Find A New Love
- Holy Cow
- Rain Rain Go Away
- Gotta Find A Job
- A Mellow Good Time
- My Old Car
- Love Lots Of Lovin' (with Betty Harris)
- Everythging I Do Gohn Be Funky (From Now On)
- Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
Get Out of My Life Woman
- Ya Ya
- Do Re Mi
- Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
- Confusion
- Messed Around and Fell in Love
- My Old Car
- Give It Up
- Love Lots of Lovin'
- People Sure Act Funny
- Soul Mine
- Yes We Can
- Working in the Coal Mine
- Ride Your Pony
- What You Want (Is What You Get)
- Get Out of My Life Woman
- A Lover Was Born
- Holy Cow
- Is She Won't (Find Someone Who Will)
- Go-Go Girl
- Great Googa Mooga
- Lonely Avenue
- Freedom for the Stallion
- Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)
- Night People
Yes We Can ...And Then Some
- Yes We Can - Part I
- Sneakin' Sally Thru The Alley
- Occapella
- Riverboat
- O Me-O, My-O
- If I Were A Carpenter
- When The Bill's Paid
- A Place Where We Can Be Free
- Hello Good Looking
- As Quiet As It's Kept
- Lonely Avenue
- Games People Play
- On Your Way Down
- When Can I Come Home
- Tear, Tears And More Tears
- If She Won't (Find Someone Who Will)
- Gator Tail
- Who's Gonna Help Brother Get Further
- Yes We Can - Part II
- Freedom For The Stallion
Ride Your Pony
- Ride Your Pony
- The Kitty Cat Song
- Shortnin' Bread
- So Long
- People, I Wish You Could See
- Work, Work, Work
- Get Out of My Life Woman
- Here Comes the Hurt Again
- Hello Mamma
- Can You Hear Me
- The Greatest Love
- Feelin'
- I Can't Get Away
- Go-Go Girl
- I Can Hear You Callin'
- My Old Car
- Love Lots of Lovin'
- Take Care of Our Love
- Vista, Vista
- Cynthia
- Wonder Woman
- Four Corners, Part I
- Four Corners, Part II
The New Lee Dorsey
- Working in the Coal Mine
- Operation Heartache
- Why Wait Until Tomorrow
- A Mellow Good Time
- Mexico
- Gotta Find a Job
- Rain Rain Go Away
- Confusion
- Holy Cow
- Don't You Ever (Leave Me)
- Neighbor's Daughter
- A Little Dab a do Ya
- A Mellow Good Time, Part 2
- Little Ba-By
- I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself a Letter
- A Lover Was Born
- What Now My Love
- Lottie Mo '68
- Everything I do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)
- There Should Be a Book
- Candy Yam
- Give It Up
- What You Want (Is What You Get)
- I'm the One
Freedom for the Funk
- Yes We Can, Part 1
- Work Work Work
- Can You Hear Me?
- Occapella
- Games People Play
- When the Bill Gets Paid
- Ride Your Pony
- Wonder Woman
- Love Lots of Lovin' (feat. Betty Harris)
- Little Ba-By
- Take Care of Your Love (feat. Betty Harris)
- Neighbour's Daughter
- Confusion
- O Me-O, My-O
- Sneakin' Sally Thru the Alley
- Freedom for the Stallion
- If She Won't (Find Someone Who Will)
- Get Out of My Life, Woman
- Working in the Coal Mine
- Yes We Can, Part 2
20 Greatest Hits
- Working in the Coalmine (Blaupunkt mix)
- Working in the Coalmine
- Ya Ya Twist
- Do-Re-Mi
- Get Out of My Life Woman
- Ride Your Pony
- Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky (From Now On)
- Holy Cow
- My Old Car
- Go-Go Girl
- Lottie Mo
- Can You Hear Me?
- A Lover Was Born
- Candy Yam
- What You Want (Is What You Get)
- Yes We Can
- Who's Gonna Help
- Sneakin' Sally Thru the Alley
- A Place Where We Can Be Free
- Occapella
- Hoodlum Joe
Born: 1924-12-24
Died: 1986-12-01
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Yes We Can - Part I
by: Lee DorseyIt was a creed written into the founding documents that
declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they
blazed a trail toward freedom.
Yes we can. Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from
distant shores
and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving
wilderness.
Yes we can. Yes we can.
It was the call of workers who organized;
women who reached for the ballots;
a President who chose the moon as our new frontier;
and a King who took us to the mountain-top and pointed
the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
(yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can...)
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can. Si Se Puede
(yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can...)
We know the battle ahead will be long,
but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand
in our way,
nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions
of voices calling for change.
We want change!
(We want change! We want change! We want change...)
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of
cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant.
We've been asked to pause for a reality check.
We've been warned against offering the people of this
nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has
never been anything false about hope. We want change!
(We want change! I want change! We want change! I want
change...)
The hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling
school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy
who learns on the streets of LA;
we will remember that there is something happening in
America;
that we are not as divided as our politics suggests;
that we are one people;
we are one nation;
and together, we will begin the next great chapter in
America's story with three words that will ring from
coast to coast;
from sea to shining sea - Yes. We. Can.
(yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we can, yes we
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