Among the seemingly endless parade of American singers with exotic names and distinctive voices who populated the early years of rock’n’roll, from Fats Domino with his bluesy croon on Blue Monday to Buddy Holly and his ardent hiccupping on Peggy Sue, few were more easily identifiable than Clarence “Frogman” Henry, whose nickname referred to a vocal trick he had developed in his schooldays in New Orleans. Henry, who has died aged 87, had only three big hits, but they were not easily forgotten.
The first, Ain’t Got No Home, was released in 1957 and immediately established his claim to uniqueness. Having sung the first two verses in his normal genial tenor register, he switched to a squeaky falsetto, impersonating a girl, before giving his impression of a croaking bullfrog singing the same tune. It was gimmicky, but gimmicks went a long way in the era of Purple People Eater and Monster Mash, and the song made it into the US Top 20.
