Sea Cruise is a song that was originally written by Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns. Huey “Pianoâ€? Smith was a popular New Orleans Piano player who wrote the popular song “Rockin’ Pneumonia.â€? The original version of Sea Cruise was recorded in New Orleans with Gerri Hall. While Sea Cruise was well written and it appealed to some, the blues-based tune lacked commercial appeal.
Ace Records decided to have the vocals rerecorded. They were rerecorded using 19-year-old Frankie Ford. The younger sounding version was an instant hit, but not with Huey Smith. When Huey Smith and the Clowns were on tour, Frankie Ford’s lead vocal replaced Huey Smith’s. What added even more fuel to the fire was the songs credit. Sea Cruise was credited to Frankie Ford with Huey “Piano” Smith and The Clowns. When all was said and done, the truth remained that Frankie Ford actually re-wrote some of the lyrics so he could get a songwriter credit.
He created the tag line, “ooh-wee, ooh-wee, baby,” which is one of the most recognizable lines in popular music. He even has the tag line “ooh-wee,” on all of his cars. Today, Frankie Ford is known all over the world as the “New Orleans Dynamo,â€? and it all began in 1959 with the mega hit Sea Cruise. Frankie Ford is a legendary rock n’ roll pianist and he is on the road performing at nightclubs, casinos, concerts and festivals, roughly 200 days a year.
Frankie Ford has performed on some of the world’s greatest stages including: Royal Albert Hall in London, The Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Hollywood’s Universal Amphitheatre, The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom in New York, 100 Club in London, and The Lincoln Centre in New York, to name a few.
If you want to hear Sea Cruise, visit the Frankie Ford website. You can also purchase Sea Cruise: The Very Best of Frankie at Amazon.com. Check out the lyrics below:
Old Man Rhythm is in my shoes
It’s no use sittin’ here cryin’ the blues
So be my guest you got nothing to lose
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
I said
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
I feel like jumping baby won’t you join me please
oh babe please
I don’t like beggin’ but now I’m on my bended knees
I gotta keep a-rockin’, get my hat off the rack
I gotta boogie woogie like a knife’s in my back
I said be my guest you got nothing to lose
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
I said
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
I gotta keep rockin’, mama, I ain’t lyin’
My heart is beating rhythm and it’s right on time
Be my guest you got nothing to lose
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
Come on
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise
I feel like jumping baby won’t you join me please
Come on please
don’t like beggin’ but now I’m on bended knees
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Oo-ee, oo-ee baby
Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise