Clarence "Frogman" Henry's 1956 hit "Ain't Got No Home" is one of the essential classics of New Orleans rhythm and blues.
Recorded at Casimo Matassa's famed recording studio, the song glimmers with joy. The song is a tour de force, combining Henry's virtuoso vocal performance with the horn section's New Orleans rhythm that seductively turns again and again above a driving drumbeat.
Henry's deceptively simple lyrics trace classic themes of loneliness and searching for home.
The singer portrays a "lonely boy," a girl and a frog who comically lament not having a home or family, shifting from his normal voice to an exaggerated girl's falsetto and the frog's guttural growl. Henry's echoing "ooooooo" chorus delivers one of the most exciting sequences in American popular music.
One of the last members of New Orleans' influential era of rhythm and blues in the 1950s and early '60s, Henry died Sunday at age 87 from complications of back surgery. He had been scheduled to perform at the 2024 Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Henry also recorded the top 10 hits "I Don't Know Why But I Do" and "You Always Hurt the One You Love," both in 1961. He also opened for the Beatles at several stops in their 1964 U.S. tour, including an appearance at his hometown City Park Stadium, now Tad Gormley Stadium.
The British invasion led by the Beatles ended the dominance of R&B on the hit record charts. Henry remained popular performing with his band at New Orleans clubs.
"Ain't Got No Home" found a second life in movie soundtracks, including Martin Scorsese's "Casino" and Barry Levinson's "Diner."
Henry's performance gives the song the universal appeal of a folk tale or fable. The music invites listeners to laugh and dance.
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