There are few rousing rockers where I’ve heard John Lennon sound so unleashed. On Dizzy Miss Lizzy, he taps back into early rock ’n’ roll and really flexes his vocal muscles, almost shredding them in the process. So raw, man.
John decided to bring back a couple of songs The Beatles had played in their Cavern and Hamburg days but hadn’t touched in years. As it happened, the session fell on Larry Williams’s birthday, so they recorded both Bad Boy and Dizzy Miss Lizzy.
You can also hear clear similarities to Little Richard’s 1958 single Good Golly, Miss Molly.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy was written and recorded by Larry Williams in 1958. It’s well worth checking out the original – it’s a doozy too. Although now seen as a genuine rock ’n’ roll classic, it only had modest chart success, peaking at No. 69.
Dizzy Miss Lizzy is one of two non-Beatles songs on their 1965 album Help!. The other is Ringo Starr’s country-leaning Act Naturally. When sequencing the album, they didn’t want to close with Yesterday, so they finished side two with this full-throttle rocker.
For a more detailed breakdown of the song, I point you to the marvellous “everything you wanted to know” article over at Beatles Music History.
[Verse 1]
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
The way you rock and roll
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
When you do the stroll
Come on, Miss Lizzy
Love me before I grow too old
[Verse 2]
Come on, give me fever
Put your little hand in mine
You make me dizzy, dizzy Lizzy
Oh, girl, you look so fine
Just a-rocking and a-rolling
Girl, I said I wish you were mine
[Verse 3]
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
When you call my name
Ooh, baby
Say you’re driving me insane
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby
I want to be your loving man
[Verse 4]
Run and tell your mama
I want you to be my bride
Run and tell your brother
Baby, don’t run and hide
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
Girl, I want to marry you
References:
1. Dizzy, Miss Lizzy – Wikipedia
2. Dizzy Miss Lizzy – Beatles Music History
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
JOHN!!!!! Man he sounded SO sexy!!
In the bowl-cut early years, John was a good looking young lad.
He was ALWAYS good looking.
Umm, after they experimented and individualised – leading to such songs as ‘I am the Walrus’ (love that song) I wouldn’t have classed him ‘good looking’ – but hey whatever cuts your mustard. You are way better informed on the subject HaHa
Good morning, Matt! Wow, good song for early-morning bopping around the kitchen!
John was indeed shredding it there, reminiscent of his vocal in “Twist and Shout,” right down to the “come on, come on, baby!” And I did immediately hear a similarity to “Good Golly, Miss Molly.” Pretty cool to see the live colour film of the Fab Four.
Thanks for sharing Larry Williams’s original. He sure rocks it out, too, mixing that with the big band sound.
More men should be bopping around the kitchen – me thinks ;-P
I remember you said in a previous post ‘have a fab 4 weekend’ (or words to that effect) and that’s what made me recall the song. I assumed I had done a write-up on it, but lo and behold – no! Almost sacrilege, so making amends today.
The vocal comparison to ‘Twist and Shout’ is an excellent one. That song is just around the corner too. It’s just about my favourite Beatles early rocker.
Yeh Larry Wiliams’ original is fantastic and I like band sound too. I’m surprised it didn’t do much in the charts.
Great to get your feedback as always Steve. Thanks.