Clarence "Frogman" Henry - I Don't Know Why I Love You But I Do

With guest appearance by The Blues Brothers.
Clarence Henry was born in New Orleans in 1937, moving to the Algiers neighborhood in 1948. He started learning piano as a child, with Fats Domino and Professor Longhair being his main influences. When Henry played in talent shows, he dressed like Longhair and wore a wig with braids on both sides. He joined Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers in 1952, playing piano and trombone, before leaving when he graduated in 1955 to join saxophonist Eddie Smith's band.
He used his trademark croak to improvise the song "Ain't Got No Home" one night in 1955. Chess Records' A&R man Paul Gayten heard the song, and had Henry record it in Cosimo Matassa's studio in September 1956. Initially promoted by local DJ Poppa Stoppa, the song eventually rose to number 3 on the national R&B chart and number 20 on the US pop chart. The gimmick earned Henry his nickname of 'Frogman' and jump-started a career that endures to this day.
He toured nationally with a six-piece band until 1958, and continued to record. A cover of Bobby Charles' hit "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do", and "You Always Hurt the One You Love", both from 1961, were his other big hits.
Henry opened eighteen concerts for the Beatles across the US and Canada in 1964, but his main source of income came from the Bourbon Street strip in New Orleans, where he played for nineteen years.His name could still draw hordes of tourists long after his hit-making days had ended. He still plays at various conventions, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Honors
Henry's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In April 2007, Henry was honored for his contributions to Louisiana music with induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Secondary references and re-use of hits
The Band recorded a version of Henry's trademark song "Ain't Got No Home" for their 1973 album Moondog Matinee. Henry's original of the song was later featured on the soundtrack of the 1982 film Diner. It was used in a famous bathtub scene in the cult movie The Lost Boys with actor Corey Haim singing along to it. Rod Stewart uses the chorus of "Ain't Got No Home" in his 1984 single "Some Guys Have All the Luck". It achieved fresh notoriety in the 1990s through its use as the "Homeless Update" theme music on The Rush Limbaugh Show, and is still used as recently as December 7, 2017. The song is in the movie Casino playing in the background as Joe Pesci asks Robert De Niro for a 50K chip marker. Jimmy Buffett referenced Henry in his song "Saxophones". Henry made a cameo appearance on the third season opening episode of the HBO series Treme.
On his Live/Indian Summer album, Al Stewart introduced his song "Year of the Cat" with an odd anecdote about a mistaken-identity encounter involving Henry, Audrey Hepburn, and G. Gordon Liddy.

[@lena-mariag.louis-charles3579]

Heard it on the radio for the first time while driving down the New Jersey Turnpike (at around 1AM in the morning, in 1988...) - and I was hooked... It took another 4 years before I heard it again - at a friend's house. I literally freaked out, and my friend's father made a 60 minute cassette tape with ONLY this song playing on repeat for 30 minutes, on each side...
I'm not sure why this song has such a hold on me... The fact that it was released during the month and year that I was born (February, 1961...) makes it even sweeter...
I'll be listening to this GEM until my last breath - and beyond...
THANK You for the upload!💕

[@boner8764]

He was such a handsome man and great singer. I miss this kind of music, it brings a smile to my face.

[@janhammer39]

Thanks for tuning in.

[@dorisjory35]

I remember dancing to this song. He has a wonderful voice. Thanks Jan for invoking wonderful memories. Merry Christmas my friend.

[@janhammer39]

Ditto Doris. I hope the new year treats you well.

[@cryslovesmusic]

Thanks Jan: I had the great pleasure of seeing The great Frogman many times at New Orleans Jazz fests.He never disappointed

[@janhammer39]

Thanks for checking in with us.Happy Holidays.

[@efemeridesymashd2438]

Muy bien muy bien muy bien muy bien

[@cryslovesmusic]

Happy Holidays.

[@marthawelch4289]

One of the world's enduring, best performances of an incredible classic.
The clip of Aretha singing from "The Blues Brothers" is another rendition of her original, "Think". It is done in a faster tempo and I prefer it to her absolutely great 1960's version. Thanks, Jan, for this Christmas present!
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy/Healthy New Year to you and your family, Jan.
And also to all of you watching this video!!!!

[@janhammer39]

Thanks Martha for tuning in. I hope you did a couple of spins around the floor. Merry Xmas.

[@marthawelch4289]

@@janhammer39 Only when no one (including Santa) was looking.

[@janhammer39]

@@marthawelch4289 I can relate. Like my guitar playing.

[@vilstef6988]

This is a wonderful song, and oddly, the only cover I know about is by Bobby Vinton.