Little Richard Songs: 7 Iconic Tracks to Remember

The legendary Little Richard passed away on Saturday at the age of 87, ending the career of a rock and roll pioneer and influence on countless artists across decades of music. Richard was born in Macon, Georgia back in 1932 before bursting onto the music scene in 1956 with the release of "Tutti Frutti."

From there, Richard would release a string of songs that captured his energy and scared parents, making him perfect for the rebellious rock generation that would follow. Songs like "Long Tall Sally," "Lucille," "Good Golly, Miss Molly" and several others cemented Richard's legacy and became staples on rock radio and oldies stations into the modern era.

"When I started singing [rock & roll], I sang it a long time before I presented it to the public, because I was afraid they wouldn't like it. I had never heard nobody do it, and I was scared," Richard told Rolling Stone in 1990. "I was inspired by Mahalia Jackson, Roy Brown and a gospel group called Clara Ward and the Ward Singers and a guy by the name of Brother Joe May. I got the holler that you hear me do – "woo-ooh-ooh" – from a lady named Marion Williams. And this thing you hear me do – "Lucille-uh" – I got that from Ruth Brown I used to like die way she'd sing, "Mama-uh, he treats your daughter mean." I put it all together."

"I really feel from the bottom of my heart that I am the inventor. If there was somebody else, I didn't know them, didn't hear them, haven't heard them. Not even to this day. So I say I'm the architect," the singer added in the interview.

Richard's music was so powerful that it became a spark for civil rights as it couldn't be played on regular stations despite white audiences, especially younger listeners, thriving on his music. White artists like Pat Boone would re-record many of Richard's songs, like "Tutti Frutti," but it instead helped to introduce the song to a wider audience and gave Richard a chance to breakthrough with his superior energy.

Scroll down to listen to a selection of the rock pioneer's top tracks, including some later work that drew from a more funky element.