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See See Rider

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(Rainey)

Information:
This traditional song was written and originally recorded as C.C. Rider by Big Bill Broonzy (real name: William Lee Conley) on Perfect Records (Perfect PE-0313) in the early 1920s. C. C. Rider was a black expression that meant "country circuit preacher". It is perhaps Ma Rainey who is most closely identified with the song. Her See See Rider Blues was popular in 1925, as was the 1945 reissue (Paramount 12252). Louis Armstrong (on cornet) and Fletcher Henderson (on piano) played on her recording. Ray Charles recorded See See Rider (Swingtime 217) in 1949. Under the title C.C. Rider (Atlantic 1130), Chuck Willis (featuring a white female vocal group) had a #3 rhythm & blues hit in 1957. His recordings reached #12 on the Top 100 chart. Other popular recordings have included those by LaVern Baker (Atlantic 2167) in 1962, Bobby Powell (Whit 714) in 1965, and the Animals (MGM 13582) in 1966. C. C. Rider by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels served as the theme song for the 1970 Joe Namath-Ann-Margret movie, C.C. and Company.

Elvis opened many of his concerts in the 1970s with See See Rider. He based his rendition on LaVern Baker's 1962 hit. All versions of the song on record were sung in concert. An April 9, 1972, performance in Hampton Roads, Virginia, was used in the documentary Elvis On Tour. See See Rider also appears in the TV specials Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii and Elvis in Concert. Album releases of the song have credited Elvis as the arranger, but no composer is listed. However, the British single listed the title as C.C. Rider and Ma Rainey as the composer. Glenn D. Hardin was credited with the arrangement.

Lyrics:

2. Oh see, see, see, rider
Oh, see what you have done
I said see, see, see, rider
Oh, see what you have done
Girl, you made me love you
Now, now, now your lovin' man has gone

Hear what I say

1. Well, I'm going away, baby
And I won't be back to fall
Well, I'm going, going, going away baby
And I won't be back to fall
And if I find me a good girl
I won't, I won't be back at all

Hear what I say, I said

1. 2. (repeat)

Oh, I said see, see, see, rider,

Oh, I said see, see, see, rider,

Oh, I said see, see, see, rider,
Oh, I said see

Where it was released:

Released for the fist time on On Stage (1970) »

LPs/CDs:

- Elvis on Stage (1970) »

- Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite (1973) »

- Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (1974) »

- Elvis in Concert (1977) »

- Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (1977) »

- Legendary Concert Performances (1978) »

- The Legendary Recordings of Elvis (1979) »
– Elvis Aron Presley (1980) »

- The Alternate Aloha (1988)

- Walk a Mile in My Shoes – The Essential 70’s Masters (1995)

- Platinum – A Life in Music (1997)

- Elvis Aron Presley (1998)

- A Touch of Platinum, Volume 2 (1998)

- Elvis – The Concert (1999)

- Life and Unplugged (2000) – Laserlight

- Tucson ’76 (2000) - FTD »

- Dixieland Rocks (2001) – FTD »

- Elvis 6363 Sunset (2001) – FTD »

- Live in Las Vegas (2001)

- Rhythm & Blues (2001)

- Today Tomorrow and Forever (2002)

- Dinner at Eight (2002) – FTD »

- It’s Midnight (2002) - FTD »

- Dragonheart (2003) – FTD »

- New Year’s Eve (2003) – FTD »

- Takin’ Tahoe Tonight! (2003) - FTD »

- Close Up (2003)

- Polk Salad Annie (2004) - FTD »

- Closing Night (2004) – FTD »

- Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis (2004) – FTD »

- On Tour – The  Rehearsals (2004) - FTD »

- Big Boss Man (2005) – FTD »

- Summer Festival (2005) - FTD »

- Rockin' Across Texas (2005) - FTD »

- Live From Las Vegas (2005) - Capitol

- Elvis Live (2006)

- Made in Memphis (2006) - FTD »

- I Found My Thrill (2006) - FTD »

- An American Trilogy (2007) – FTD »

- Elvis Viva Las Vegas (2007)

- Viva Las Vegas (2007)

- Live in L.A. (2007) – FTD »

- America (2008) - FTD »

- Nevada Nights (2008) - FTD »

- I'll Remember You (2008) - FTD »

- New Haven '76 (2009) - FTD »

- Rockin' Across Texas (2009) - FTD »

- A Minnesota Moment (2010) - FTD »

- High Sierra (2010) - FTD »

- Showtime! Birmingham/Dallas '76 (2010) - FTD »

- Chicago Stadium (2010) - FTD »

- Live in L.A. (2011) - FTD »

– 48 Hours to Memphis (2011) - FTD »

- On Stage - February, 1970 (2012) - FTD »

- Another Saturday Night (2012) - FTD »

- Hits of the 70s (2012) - FTD »

– 3000 South Paradise Road (2012) - FTD »

– Sold Out! (2013) - FTD »

– The On Stage Season (2013) - FTD »

– Destination U.S.A. (2014) - FTD »

- Elvis in West Texas (2015) - FTD »

– Elvis in Alabama (2015) - FTD »

– Las Vegas 1975 (2016) - FTD »

- Home Town Shows (2016) - FTD »
– Spirit of Jackson, MS (2016) - FTD »

– Las Vegas '74 (2017) - FTD »

– Lake Tahoe '74 (2017) - FTD »

– The Bicentennial Show (2017) - FTD »

– Murfreesboro '74 (2018) - FTD »
– Omaha, Nebraska '74 (2018) - FTD »

– Off-On Stage (2018) - FTD »

– What Now My Love (2018) - FTD »

– Holiday Season in Vegas (2018) - FTD »

– St. Paul to Wichita, October '74 (2019) - FTD »

Bootleg Releases:

- From Las Vegas... to Niagara Falls (1974) - Live Productions

- Command Performance (1977) - ECP

- The Last Farewell (1977) - E.P. Records

- Rockin' With Elvis New Year's Eve Pittsburgh, Pa. Dec. 31, 1976 (1977) - Spirit of America Records

- The Vegas Years, 1972 - 1975 (1976) - TAKRL

- Aloha Rehearsal Show - Kui Lee Cancer Benefit (1980) - Amiga Records

- America's Own (1979) - Geneva

- Elvis on Tour (1980) - Amiga Records

- Rockin' With Elvis April Fool's Day (1980) - Live Stage Productions

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