Rod Stewart has never been shy about the music that shaped him. The icon, who grew up absorbing everything from soul and R&B to blues and early rock and roll, once revealed a surprising list of his all-time favourite tracks – and among them is a song that helped ignite his lifelong love of rock.
First released in 1956 and featured in the film of the same name starring Jayne Mansfield, ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ became one of Little Richard’s most recognised hits. The track’s driving rhythm, boisterous vocal delivery, and energetic piano lines helped define the sound of 1950s rock and roll – and it made a lasting impression on a young Rod Stewart.
In a 2018 interview with BBC Radio 2’s Ken Bruce, Stewart recalled how the track came into his life thanks to his older brother. “When I was little, my brother Bob, who was a bit of a teddy boy, he brought this record [‘Little Richard’] home,” he explained. “I put it on time and time and time again – another one that was a big influence on me.”
For Stewart, it wasn’t just the music. It was also the man behind it. “Then I met him,” he added with affection. “What a sweetheart of a man. Bless him.”
Little Richard, born Richard Penniman, was one of the flamboyant pioneers of early rock music, known for his explosive performances and trailblazing influence on artists ranging from The Beatles to Prince.
‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ was a chart success in its own right, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard R&B Best Sellers chart. Its influence endured far beyond the 1950s, later being covered by British rockers The Animals and even sampled decades later in Fergie’s 2006 hit ‘Clumsy’.
Stewart’s admiration for Little Richard has echoed throughout his career, both in the rough edges of his vocal style and in the unfiltered enthusiasm that has defined his live performances.
‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ was just one of 10 tracks Stewart named as his all-time favourites, in a list that painted a vivid picture of his wide-ranging tastes and musical roots.
Among the others was Al Jolson’s ‘Sonny Boy’, a sentimental classic from 1928 that Stewart grew up hearing on his parents’ gramophone. “We all loved Al Jolson. I was made to love Al Jolson,” he said. “This man sang without a microphone, which to me is incredulous.”
He also picked Otis Redding’s emotionally charged ‘Try a Little Tenderness’, which he once saw performed live in 1967 – a moment that left him in tears. “I cried my eyes out when he sang this song,” Stewart remembered. “It was just beautiful.”
A more modern entry in the list was ‘Uptown Funk’ by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, which Stewart called “one of the best records ever made.” Though known for his own classic rock anthems, Stewart expressed deep admiration for Mars’s vocal style and Ronson’s slick production, saying: “Bruno Mars… he is doing something totally brilliant.”