Ready Teddy

Album: Here's Little Richard (1956)
Charted: 44
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Released as the flip side to "Rip It Up," this song was also written by the white songwriter Johnny Marascalco, with Little Richard's producer Bumps Blackwell also getting a composer credit. Kids didn't tell their parents, but the song is about a girl who wants sex: a "ready teddy."
  • Little Richard claims that he had a big part in writing this song, but didn't have enough business sense to claim a credit. In a 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, he said: "They brought me the words and I made up the melody, and at the time I didn't have sense enough to claim so much money, because I really made them hits. I didn't get the money, but I still have the freedom."

Comments: 2

  • Raunchy from Tulsa, OkLittle Richard released many singles during just his career at Specialty Records & during that time sold approx. 36 million units. Remarkable for those times. Back in '56, as a kid, I didn't have an inking what a ready teddy meant, until much later. Sex, sex, sex. And as the old adage goes: sex sells. Little Richard injected it into most of his hits, especially "The Girl Can't Help It!" and "Good Golly Miss Molly." Yeah.....you sure like to ball. "Ready Teddy" was a hotty on the R&B radio stations down here in '56. Being a kid then, I wasn't allowed to have a record player or records. But when all heck broke loose in 1960 with The Twist, my parents just gave up fighting against rock & roll. So I got my new record player & I hunted down old albums of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Bo Diddley. Real rock & roll.
  • Elmer H from Westville, OkWow! Little Richard's "Rip It Up" and "Ready Teddy" do bring back good memories of 1956 when rock-n-roll was young. I was just a 9 year old kid in 1956 & had recently gotten hooked on rock-n-roll on the radio and on "American Bandstand." Just a few years ago, I was fortunate to see Little Richard in concert in Fayetteville, Arkansas and was blown-away by his charisma on stage and his sound. He's still "got it!" Wow!!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."