5-10-15 Hours
| "5-10-15 Hours" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Ruth Brown | ||||
| B-side | "Be Anything (But Be Mine)" | |||
| Released | March 1952 | |||
| Recorded | February 13, 1952[1] | |||
| Studio | Atlantic, New York | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 2:59 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter | Rudy Toombs | |||
| Producers | ||||
| Ruth Brown singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"5-10-15 Hours" is a rhythm-and-blues song written by Rudy Toombs in 1952 for Ruth Brown and was one of several number-one R&B hits he wrote for her.[2] When Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, her induction said that "her best work was to be found on such red-hot mid-Fifties R&B sides as '5-10-15 Hours'".[3]
Background
Her recording is smooth, sophisticated blues shouting at its best, has a touch of suppleness more characteristic of the vocal qualities of popular singers than of the blues. The recording features a tenor sax solo by Willis Jackson.[4]
According to Brown, Toombs originally titled the song "5-10-15 Minutes (Of Your Love)", "until Herb [Abramson] coolly informed him that 'minutes' was no longer enough now that we were in the era of Billy Ward and the Dominoes' 'Sixty-Minute Man'. Presto, it became '5-10-15 Hours (Of Your Love)'".[5]
The reviewer for Cash Box wrote, "[a] real low down jump tune is belted out by Ruth Brown as she gives a solid set of lyrics a zestful send-off. The upper lid, titled, “5-10-15 Hours,” is a pretty thing that is treated to a dramatic arrangement. Ruth Brown’s dynamic chanting receives solid support from the ork, which features a muted trumpet in the backing. The result is an exciting etching that should make merry in the jukes".[6]
Personnel
- Ruth Brown – vocals
- Vann "Piano Man" Walls – piano
- Willis Jackson – tenor saxophone
- Connie Kay – drums
- trumpet, saxophone, guitar and bass unknown[7][1]
Charts
| Chart (1952) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Bestselling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
| US Most Played Juke Box Rhythm & Blues Records (Billboard)[8] | 1 |
References
- 1 2 3 Miss Rhythm (Greatest Hits and More) (booklet). Sequel. 1994. RSDCD 816.
- ↑ Shaw, Arnold (1978). Honkers and Shouters. New York: Macmillan. pp. 406–407. ISBN 0-02-061740-2.
- ↑ "Ruth Brown". www.rockhall.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.
- ↑ Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). New York: Da Capo Press. p. 130. ISBN 0-306-80683-5.
- ↑ Bergsman, Steve (October 30, 2023). What a Difference a Day Makes: Women Who Conquered 1950s Music. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-4968-4896-3.
- ↑ "Jazz 'N Blues Reviews". Cash Box. March 15, 1952. p. 18.
- ↑ "Atlantic Records Discography: 1952". www.jazzdisco.org. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- 1 2 "Music Popularity Charts". Billboard. May 3, 1952. p. 35.