The Slummer the Slum

Song: The Slummer the Slum
Artist: Five Royales
Written: Obadiah "Scoop" Carter/Lowman Pauling
Year : 1958
Album/Single: King # 5153

Cobra's Version

Song: Slummer (The Slum)
Released: February 24th, 1998
Album: Mink Rat or Rabbit


Once I got hooked on the Cobra's via "Shout Bama Lama", I started to do some research on them. One of the first descriptions I read said they mostly covered obscure old R&B songs, with the occasional punk song thrown in. The first time I heard "Slummer (The Slum)" I knew I had found their rare punk rock cover.

Oops!

I once again I proved I don't know shit. Not only is it not a punk cover, it is one of the older songs the Cobras had covered.

The "5" Royales formed in 1942 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as a gospel group called Royal Suns. They changed their name to "5" Royals in 1952 when they decided to make secular recordings. Being one of four "5" Royales songs the Cobras have covered, we'll dig deeper into their history in future posts. For now I just want you to remember one name - Lowman Pauling.

Lyrics:
(Slummer the Slum)
Don't try to figure out
where I come from
Now don't try to figure out
where I come from
I could be a smart guy from Wall Street
I could be the Purple People Eater's son

But I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh, Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Oh, yeah (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Oooh (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Oooh,baby (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Oh, yeah (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Mmmmm Hmmm (Slummer the Slum, Slum)

[guitar solo 1]

Now there's only one difference
between me and you
There's only one difference
between me and you
You've got money in your pocket
And I've got a hole in my shoe

All from doing the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Ooh Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Oh, Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Mmmmm Hmmm (Slummer the Slum)
All from doing the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
All from doing the (Slummer the Slum)
Mmmmm Hmmm (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
All from doing the (Slummer the Slum, Slum)

[guitar solo 2]

I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Hey hey hey Now (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh, yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh Ooh, yeah (Slummer the Slum)
Ooh, yeah (Slummer the Slum)
I can do the (Slummer the Slum, Slum)

Lowman Pauling co wrote the song. But that was only a small part of his genius. Did you hear that blistering guitar solo? He was so proud of it he did it twice! Heady stuff for 1958. It has been said that Eric Clapton would have paid to carry Lowman's coat. Once you hear more of the '5' Royales work, however, you come to appreciate the fact that Lowman was a major influence on Steve Cropper (which subsequently meant he influenced the entire Stax sound, and subsequently Memphis soul as a genre).

Apparently "The Slummer The Slum" was intended to be a dance craze, a la "The Twist". Between this and "Stupidity" they certainly had some strange inspirations for dances back then. Makes the "Macarena" seem intelligent . . . OK, maybe not!

The Cobra's version clocks in at a very efficient 1:50, shaving 0:27 off the '5' Royale's 2:17.
Very fast, very frantic.
Cobrazized.


Download it now:
Five Royales - The Slummer The Slum - 1958 - The Five Royales Sing For You
Available on - Monkey Hips and Rice: The "5" Royales Anthology

Buy "Mink Rat or Rabbit" by the Detroit Cobras