Ruth Brown performs "If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin on It" from BLACK AND BLUE followed by a short interview with Phil Donahue. Live on DONAHUE circa 1990.
I am a 74 year old female, I am greatly astounded to be able to hear this Ruth Brown sing “Lucky Lips!” I was around the age of 5when my Godmother’s sister sung it to me.
As for African American music, I'd like to see a return to music like Ruth Browns from the 1950's brought back. All of the current music with Beyounce, and other female singers all now sound alike, the beat is the same, and nothing is original.....
She was very kind to me. I was on a movie set where she was a featured player. My dad asked her if his daughter (me) could ask a few questions because I sang. She immediately asked us to join us in her trailer. Hundreds of extras were outside and she was such a kind host. We spoke about her life. Then it was time for all of us to shoot the scene. I was blown away by her performance singing about a chair. I have been a big fan of hers ever since. Wow what a great woman
The visible blown minds, enchantment, the lust, the empowerment, the proud, the double meaning shock, the bars.... She created a multi faceted atmosphere and gave sunshine while playing with ⚡. Love Ruth Brown!
one of the 'architects' of what we call "popular music''...she was AWESOME. As Stevie Wonder, said "if there aint no Ruth Brown...there aint no Aretha Franklin". Ms Brown was THAT important to music. I regret that I never saw her live, in the last several yrs that she was active and traveling, mostly on the East Coast.
At first, I was asking, "What's up with the bass?" As the bass was clearly acoustic, although it sounded very electronic/synthesizerish. But then once Phil started talking in his lower range, I kinda figured it out.
its always a wrong feeling to put legends into tv sterility in the modern idiom . the singer feels at a loss because of no atmos and audience cant connect...but...if you watch professionalism of the artiste and inner joy of the audience can be seen so somewhat like a birthday party in a nursing home. people will always be individuals
i suppose its like going face off with god , unreal and you have to bare your soul emotions, anything else and people who know will see straight through you. wonderful and precious
birthday party in a nursing home...you know what i mean...some there because they feel they have to be there and some who have no choice and live there ...but Ruth and her music connect and thats what the special thing is, bringing folks together through music soul, its our first language shown by expression and immediate reaction
SOME of them- oh, yeah! But there was that older lady (or was it two?). She knew exactly what she was singing about, and lived through the jazz age. I saw her smiling, not batting a single eye.
If I'd been in the audience, I'd have been removed for squealing with glee! I adore Ruth Brown, and she killed it here! She was a gorgeous young woman, and an elegant queen as a senior. She never lost her sass or talent!
It's like the audience are Amish or Quakers. Either they don't understand or they're shocked and offended. The occasional one daring to smile. What a great performance though.
![Ruth Brown - "If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin on It" [Donahue 1990]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
