Lee Dorsey

Lee Dorsey's lively style captured the lively spirit of New Orleans R&B during the early 1960s. He focused on lighthearted tunes infused with a second-line groove that heightened their appeal. Though he had already cut a pair of singles, he surprised the nation in 1961 via the deceptively simple nursery-rhyme number "Ya Ya" on Bobby Robinson's Fury label. With arrangement by the busy New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint, the song topped the R&B chart and also scored a sizable pop success. Dorsey's easygoing vocal presence served him effectively on both "Ya Ya" and the Earl King-written follow-up "Do Re Mi," while the mid-1960s brought further funky hits with Toussaint—"Ride Your Pony" and "Working in a Coal Mine"—now issued on Amy Records. Few recall that Dorsey originated the 1970 reading of Toussaint's "Yes We Can," later revived with greater fanfare by the Pointer Sisters, who appended an extra "Can." By all reports Dorsey stayed a modest R&B figure who favored car repairs over extensive national touring.

Born in New Orleans on December 24, 1924 (though certain references cite 1926), he relocated to Portland, Oregon, at age ten. Following Navy service in World War II he returned to Portland and achieved success as a light heavyweight boxer under the ring name "Kid Chocolate." He stepped away from the ring in 1955 and went back to his hometown, where he eventually launched a thriving auto-body shop. Nights were spent chasing a singing career that led to singles on multiple labels, most of which attracted little attention, although "Lottie Mo" moved respectably. In 1961 he joined Bobby Robinson's Fury roster and entered the studio with producer Allen Toussaint for the first time. His playful "Ya Ya"—said to stem from a children's rhyme—became his first national success that year, climbing into the pop Top Ten while reaching number one on the R&B side. Popularity notwithstanding, follow-ups proved elusive; with a large family to support, Dorsey resumed auto work after several further singles failed.

Toussaint nevertheless admired Dorsey's voice and kept him in mind for later dates. The instinct bore fruit in 1965 when, now signed to Amy, Dorsey converted "Ride Your Pony" into a Top Ten R&B entry. The matching album sold steadily as well, prompting Dorsey to record numerous additional Toussaint pieces, frequently backed in the studio by the famed New Orleans funk unit the Meters. The New Lee Dorsey appeared later in 1966 and yielded his signature tune, the memorable "Working in a Coalmine" (co-written with Toussaint). Its metallic sound effects and Dorsey's humorous asides helped it become his second Top Ten pop hit; he subsequently toured internationally with the Meters in support. Several follow-ups, notably "Holy Cow" and "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)," enjoyed moderate traction, yet Dorsey again found it difficult to match his major success and once more stepped back to manage his business. 1970's Yes We Can, released on Polydor, marked his final album for an extended period, its title track serving as his last chart single.

After appearing as a guest on the Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes track "How Come You Treat Me So Bad?," Dorsey mounted a 1977 comeback attempt via the ABC album Night People, which garnered favorable notices without commercial payoff. The effort nonetheless secured opening slots on tours by James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even the Clash, whose 1980 outing represented his last major concert run. Meanwhile other performers revisited his catalog: Devo and country duo the Judds covered "Working in a Coalmine"; Ike & Tina Turner, John Lennon, and Buckwheat Zydeco tackled "Ya Ya"; jazzman Lou Donaldson recorded "Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On)"; and the Pointer Sisters revived "Yes We Can" under the revised title "Yes We Can Can." Dorsey continued occasional performances whenever chances arose until emphysema struck; he died in New Orleans on December 1, 1986.