In fairness, they probably never stood a chance.
To this day, Sonny Burgess’ original 1956 recording of “We Wanna Boogie” is one of the hardest rocking singles I have ever heard.
Set to a boogie-woogie beat with an audacious trumpet solo and a Killer-rivaling performance by Kern Kennedy on piano, “We Wanna Boogie” shreds its rockabilly trappings at around the 1:30 mark with a down and dirty twenty-second Burgess guitar solo and pounding drums that absolutely electrify.
“We Wanna Boogie” became Burgess’ signature hit, one that he would play for the entire duration of his long career.
Shortly after the terror attacks of 2001, Burgess played “We Wanna Boogie” at the Alliance of Neighbors benefit concert for local 9/11 victims, televised on local cable channel CN8.
It was Burgess’ set, but he had a special guest on stage: Bruce Springsteen, with whom he’d just performed “Tiger Rose,” a Springsteen original that Burgess covered on his 1996 album. They’d done it the previous night as well, but this time Sonny asked Bruce to stay on stage for “We Wanna Boogie.” Bruce obliged but kept to the background except for two prominent guitar solos. (I suspect Sonny’s invitation was unplanned.)
The 72-year-old Burgess carried the song commendably, but there’s no candle held between their 2001 performance and his 1956 original with The Pacers.
Still, this was a one-time-only performance of one of the earliest hard-rocking classics, and we’re fortunate to have it captured in such great quality.
We Wanna Boogie
First performed: October 19, 2001 (Red Bank, NJ)
Last performed: October 19, 2001 (Red Bank, NJ)
