Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul
"Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul" is the eighth song in The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack and is sung by Eddie—the ex-delivery boy. It expresses Eddie's love for 'Saturday night' rock and roll and a past love that was (presumably Columbia) his girlfriend. A chorus of Transylvanians sing background vocals; Phantoms have this responsibility in the stage play.
Eddie rides out of the freezer on his frozen motorcycle to Columbia's surprise and glee while Dr. Frankenfurter stands protectively near his creation Rocky's side. It does not end well for Eddie yet he is determined to finish his ode to rock and roll.
Originally this song was intended for its author, Richard O'Brien, to sing in the original stage production, though director Jim Sharman convinced O'Brien to portray the character of Riff Raff instead of Eddie. Its high vocal range had not yet been accomplished by any other actor performing the character. The arrangement had to be altered until Meat Loaf took the part in the Los Angeles production in 1974, as well as the 1975 film.
The song also appears on Meat Loaf's Live Around the World album.
Origin
The song was written by Richard O'Brien especially for the stage play and features Meat Loaf on lead vocals. Meat Loaf reprised the role from his debut in the Roxy Theatre run of the Rocky Horror Show. In the stage play, however, the song is known as "What Ever Happened to Saturday Night?".
Progression
Meat Loaf is known for successfully including all of the lyrics in the arrangement properly. Richard O'Brien claimed that Meat wouldn't be able to achieve the feat, after the actor playing Eddie in the original London production did so clumsily enough. The verse features a classic chord progression of C#-A#m-C#-A#m-F#-G#-F#-G#, reminiscent of '50s and '60s music. The chorus features a more rock-style progression of C#-D#-F#-C#. The song modulates one half-step (one key) up after the second saxophone solo with a D-E-G-D progression in the chorus. The song features a common rock instrument arrangement with the addition of a saxophone.
Cover versions
This song was covered by the California band The Phenomenauts.
Brian May of the band Queen, also covered this song for his Another World LP, but it was not featured on the album of the same name.
In The Rocky Horror Glee Show, Dr. Carl Howell (portrayed by John Stamos) sings the song in an audition for the production of Rocky Horror. The song is featured on the Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show extended play. The song was renamed "Whatever Happened To Saturday Night?".
In Fox's 2016 televised tribute, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do The Time Warp Again, Adam Lambert performed the song, playing the part of Eddie.