Saved (Leiber and Stoller song)
"Saved" is a gospel and R&B–flavored song written by Leiber and Stoller and first recorded by American singer LaVern Baker who released it in March 1961 through Atlantic Records in the US, and London Records in the UK.[1] The "tongue-in-cheek" song is written from the perspective of someone who has lived a fast, loose life but is now exclaiming that they are "saved". The song is a satire of African-American religious conversion ecstasy.[2]
On April 10, 1961, the recording first hit the US Billboard charts. It rose to number 17 on the R&B chart, and reached number 37 on the pop chart.[2][3]
Personnel
[edit]The musicians on the Baker recording include Gary Chester (drums), Dick Vance and Taft Jordan (trumpets), Rudy Powell (alto sax), Al Sears (tenor sax), Bert Keyes (piano), Lilton Mitchell (organ), Phil Spector (guitar), Abie Baker (bass), and Sticks Evans (bass drum). The arrangement was by Howard Biggs.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Crouse, Richard (2012). Who Wrote The Book Of Love?. Doubleday Canada. p. 1952. ISBN 9780385674423.
- ^ a b Reed, Teresa L. (2003). The Holy Profane: Religion in Black Popular Music. University Press of Kentucky. p. 63. ISBN 9780813127934.
- ^ ‘’The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits’’, Billboard Books, NY 1992
- ^ LaVern Baker, ‘’Soul in Fire: The Best of LaVerne Baker’’, CD, Atlantic Recording Corporation, 1991, liner notes