Fun Facts:

The band Three Flames consisted of guitarist Tyger Haynes, pianist Roy Testamark, and bass player Averill ‘Bill’ Pollard.
The trio was a music and comedy group that formed in 1945.
They recorded for Gotham, Mayfair, Columbia and MGM record labels and were a popular nightclub attraction at the time.
The group had a 15-minute weekday program at 15.15 p.m; in New York City.
The band produced nine releases: 2 albums and seven singles.
The song falls under the Rhythm and Blues genre.
Jack McVay recorded the original version in 1946, and the song was released by Black & White Records.
RCA Victor Records released count Basie’s version with Harry Edison and Bill Johnson on vocals. It peaked at the number one spot on Billboard’s best-seller chart for seven weeks on 7th February 1947.
Dusty Fletcher recorded a version for National Records that entered the Billboard’s best-seller chart and peaked at number three for five weeks on 31 January 1974.
“Open the door, Richard” originally started as a black vaudeville routine.
Dusty Fletcher made the routine famous on stages like the Apollo theatre in New York City.
Jack McVay and Frank Clarke wrote the lyrics.

Lyrics:

Open the door, Richard,

Open the door and let me in,

Open the door, Richard,

Richard, why don’t you open the door?

Open the door, Richard,

Open the door and let me in.

Open the door, Richard,

Richard, why don’t you open the door?

I’m standing here diggin’ in my hip-pocket,

And I’m stand-in’ here scratch-in’ in my pants-pocket,

And I’m standing here grop-in’ in my coat pocket,

And I just can’t find that key.

Open the door, Richard,

Open the door and let me in,

Open the door, Richard,

Richard, why don’t you open the door?

Open the door?