{{Short description|American songwriter (1931–2020)}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = John Marascalco | image =File:2002-Lonnie Lee-John Marascalo (cropped).jpg | caption = | image_size = <!-- Only for images smaller than 220 pixels --> | birth_name = John S. Marascalco | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date|1931|03|27|mf=y}} | birth_place = Grenada, Mississippi, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|07|05|1931|03|27|mf=y}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | genre = Rock and roll, pop | occupation = Songwriter, record producer, arranger }}
'''John S. Marascalco''' (March 27, 1931<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p306228|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Joslyn Layne |website=AllMusic |access-date=29 December 2008}}</ref> – July 5, 2020<ref>[https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/231430370/john-s.-marascalco Find a Grave]</ref>) was an American songwriter most noted for the songs he wrote for Little Richard.<ref name="AMG"/> He was born in Grenada, Mississippi and died in Los Angeles, California.
==Career== Marascalco co-wrote several of the most seminal songs in 1950s rock and roll. Together with Robert Blackwell, he wrote the songs "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Ready Teddy", and "Rip It Up" made famous by Little Richard. Also for Little Richard, Marascalco co-wrote "Heeby Jeebies", "She's Got It", and "Groovy Little Suzy". He co-wrote the song "Goodnight My Love" with George Motola made famous by Jesse Belvin and Paul Anka. Marascalco also collaborated with Harry Nilsson and co-wrote "Be My Guest" with Tommy Boyce.<ref name="AMG"/>
Marascalco co-wrote "Send Me Some Lovin'" with Leo Price, which was recorded by Little Richard, the Crickets for their 1957 debut album ''The "Chirping" Crickets'', Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, and John Lennon. He also penned "Wouldn't You Know", which was recorded by Billy Lee Riley.
"Rip It Up" has been recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, John Lennon, Wanda Jackson, Buddy Holly, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Beatles, Scotty Moore, Cliff Richard, The Million Dollar Quartet, Ral Donner, Shaun Cassidy, Billy "Crash" Craddock, and Los Lobos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/3438/versions#nav-entity|title=Cover versions of Rip It Up written by Robert Blackwell, John Marascalco|website=Secondhandsongs.com|access-date=28 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/3924|title=Songs written by John Marascalco|website=Secondhandsongs.com|access-date=April 28, 2021}}</ref>
He wrote the lyrics to the 1956 Lloyd Price song "Rock 'n' Roll Dance" which was released as a 45 single on Specialty Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ry8hAQAAIAAJ&dq=john+marascalco+rock+and+roll+dance&pg=PA189|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series|page=189|date=April 28, 1957|access-date=April 28, 2021|via=Google Books}}</ref>
In 1961, Gene Vincent recorded his song "If You Want My Lovin'". Harry Nilsson recorded Marascalco's "Groovy Little Suzy" in 1964 under the pseudonym "Bo-Pete", which was released as a 45 single on Try Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Bo-Pete-Do-You-Wanna-Groovy-Little-Suzie/release/3015160|title=Bo-Pete – Do You Wanna/Groovy Little Suzie (1964, Vinyl)|access-date=April 28, 2021|website=Discogs.com|year=1964 }}</ref>
==Harry Nilsson songs== Marascalco and Scott Turner collaborated on songs for Harry Nilsson, such as "I Just Ain't Right" and "Building Me Up," both of which appear on the albums ''Nilsson '62: The Debut Sessions'' and ''Early Tymes''. Marascalco and Nilsson also wrote songs together, including "Baby Baby" and "Born in Grenada".
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.geocities.ws/shakin_stacks/johnmarascalco.txt John Marascalco biography] by Dik de Heer, archived at Shakin' Stacks Library, retrieved February 23, 2012
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Marascalco, John}} Category:1931 births Category:2020 deaths Category:American male songwriters Category:People from Grenada, Mississippi Category:Musicians from Mississippi Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
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