"I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday" is a popular song written by Roy Hayes, Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. The song was first recorded by Bobby Mitchell in 1957 and released in the same year.
Origin The song's lyrics were written by factory worker and amateur songwriter Roy Hayes (b. 1935, Henderson, Louisiana), after hearing a throwaway comment by a fellow worker. He wrote the lyrics and forwarded them to Dave Bartholomew, who agreed to record the song as a demo. In 1957, Bartholomew recorded another version of the song with singer Bobby Mitchell, released as a single on Imperial Records. Though Mitchell's version was locally successful it did not reach the national charts.
Fats Domino recording When Bartholomew recorded the song again with Fats Domino in 1959 and released it as the B-side of "I Want To Walk You Home", it became a chart hit, reaching number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart. Tom Aswell (ed.), Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll, Pelican Publishing, 2010, pp.372-373
Chart history Chart (1959)PeakpositionU.S. Billboard Hot 10017U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Sides22
Cover versions "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday" was later covered by: Sandy Nelson Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders Boots Randolph Defenders Asleep at the Wheel Orion Herbie Hancock with George Porter Jr., Zigaboo Modeliste and Renard Poché Sheryl Crow Paul McCartney (1988; issued on the CHOBA B CCCP covers album) Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps
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