Ruth Brown "If I Can't Sell It..." live television appearance 1990

Rhythm and blues legend Ruth Brown made a memorable appearance on this late night talk show in September of 1990. Making her first appearance of her career, Brown sang "If I Can't Sell It, I'm Going to Sit Down on It" from her Tony Award winning role in the Broadway show Black And Blue.

[@UIUC1978]

Now this brings back many fond memories.

[@stmcnally1957]

Ruth Brown was an American treasure. She was one of the main reasons Atlantic Records got off the ground

[@LazyIRanch]

Atlantic was called the "house that Ruth built" because of her talent and record sales! I love her so much

[@watergreg5836]

and was ground into dust

[@watergreg5836]

been obssessed with this womans music lately...😮

[@PamelaPitstop]

If only this play can go back on Broadway!!!! It was FABULOUS!!!!!

[@greylance473]

My favorite woman's blues song/early rap. And my mama's name was Ruth... This song is so her!!

[@philip2180parker]

Obscene yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees ,brilliant , rappers learn a lesson, no F ing and blinding just pure sexy .

[@melodysanger103]

REMEMBERING RUTH WESTON "RUTH BROWN"
(JANUARY 12, 1928 - NOVEMBER 17, 2006) [11/17/2018]

[@BOOBABYJLG]

A Facebook post about Cardi and Meg's W.A.P. bought me here. I love this💜💜💜 Im a 91' baby and have never heard this 🤷🏾

[@ILoveToScrub]

I saw her perform this at the world trade ctr in NYC. i thought i had died and gone to heaven!!!
btw check out the drummer. he was really enjoying it too ;)

[@nayymalinda]

This what our grandmothers mean when they said you bet not just be leaving with a wet behindddd 🤭

[@michaelemswiller5434]

Hell of a performer

[@elizabethdaniellesimaviggi3289]

MISS RYTHMN RUTH BROWN 🟤🤎🤎🤎 SIT 🪑 ON IT 🍯 HONEY WHEWWWWW WHAT A SUPERSTAR LEGENDARY PERFORMER PERFECTION RESTING IN MUSIC HEAVEN

[@t1o1m1]

Still a all time great song and singer .

[@larquefausse3623]

Just heard this on the radio today. Came here just to see what a live version was like. Thanks.

[@edwinajesby6985]

Love Ruth❤

[@bobsteudler1784]

THANKS FOR POSTING/RUTH BROWN WAS ONE RED HOT MAMA!

[@Msparkerforreal]

This is amazing 😊

[@davidanthonystone5165]

great singer and actress love her

[@wickedbeastroxy]

awesome. I wish I could've seen her

[@NycBeauty]

Luv this song and Ruth ! I found out about this song during a Burlesque class.

[@whatsgoinontoday2371]

i kno that's right...this my mind set

[@delethiaridley7781]

Love the song so funny that's for the note

[@donaldsmith379]

Hello delethia

[@MrDisshithere]

Girls, these days need a lesson from Ms Ruth

[@alexandramn6734]

Damn right they be giving that shit away lol

[@bhadghaddafi45yearsago89]

Period!!

[@cosmosisrose]

you guys have missed the point majorly

[@Tsumami__]

@@cosmosisroseso far over their heads lmao

[@nickiking6414]

Classic.

[@khadijaboyd6200]

Yep. 😎khadija

[@dylanm4128]

MOTHER!

[@lyntfloyd]

💍

[@elizabethdaniellesimaviggi3289]

Anyone have audio or video of LAVERN baker in black and 💙 blue she replaced Ruth on Broadway

[@carolcheny]

Pretty much all the drag queens lip sync'ed this. Ruth got rediscovered. And nobody else can ever record this song.

[@annerako]

Literally how I discovered this song, lol, saw someone perform it at a drag brunch and looked it up right away. Thank you, drag queens, for introducing me to the magic Ruth Brown!

[@auroradarienzo]

...............

[@donaldsmith379]

Hello aurora

[@auroradarienzo]

hello to you too my lady

[@donaldsmith379]

@@auroradarienzo how are you doing ? Actually I am not a lady 😆

[@auroradarienzo]

@@donaldsmith379 currently not? currently not? ok it will pass

[@donaldsmith379]

@@auroradarienzo hey!! where are you from?

[@moonpie22399]

he wanted to buy that furniture. ;)

[@drofmadness]

Is that Gaye Adegbalola on guitar, behind Ruth ?

[@GrannaLynarie]

I think you're right!!!

[@rachellegarniez9904]

I believe it's Carline Ray, playing bass...

[@jazzmanchgo]

@@rachellegarniez9904I think it is Carline, although she was born in 1925. and the bass player here looks younger than 65 (to me, anyway). Gaye is primarily an acoustic guitarist.

[@dawnsstar5918]

Oh, Ruth...😏
we know ypu're not talking about a LZboy.

[@jazzmanchgo]

"Lazy Boys" need not apply.

[@scallopohare9431]

Betcha the guitar player had some stories, too.

[@theskeptic8489]

She's bad!

[@LadyMercutia]

This is the late ‘80s version of WAP.

[@watergreg5836]

this song came out in the 50s. Ruth re-recorded it in the 80s on her 1989 album to attract a new generation at the time

[@smeredith362]

She's talking about sex

[@ethelstevenslove2957]

S Meredith More than likely......This is a great classic.........

[@TheWizardofRandR]

S Meredith Actually , she's is singing about her Rockin' or Easy Chair , depending on who sings this song ! It's called double entendre :a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.

[@GwydionStone]

+The Wizard of Rock and Roll: No, actually, she's singing about sex. There's a long tradition of "dirty blues"; double entendres were simply an cover for singing about the deed. Because let's face it, actual jelly rolls and honey holes have limited entertainment potential.
Not all dirty blues are so coy however. Look 'em up. There's some stuff that's every bit as nasty as anything you'll find in hip-hop or rap today.

[@ethelstevenslove2957]

Gwydion Stone I agree with you.....This is my chair and I'm gone sit on it, I ain't gone give it away...LoL

[@infpseduction5710]

Let the door hit ya where the dog bit ya...i'm gone. Lol!