who is your favorite doo-wop singer and songs

My favorite is Johnny Maestro-sweetest one R.I.P. Johnny

Interesting question botz. I love Doo Wop. Several come to mind: Frankie Lyman (Why Do Fools Fall In Love); Peguins (Earth Angel); The Platters are awesome (Great Pretender, Only You, My Prayer); Can't list all their songs and am not sure if they were one-hit wonders but a couple of my very favorite 50's doo-wop are: The Five Satins (In The Still Of The Night) and The Diamonds (Little Darling.) Two of my favorite Doo Wops.

Artists that went into the 60's with their music: Dion DiMucci (I Wonder Why, Runaround Sue and tons of others); Little Anthony & the Imperials (Tears On My Pillow).

TIS

Ah, brings back memories of me and Mary Lou Reidinger. She had a huge 45 record collection. I like Maestro, but also Little Anthony (Just Two Kinds of People in the World; Tears was great also). There are so many.

TIS, some say that Still of the Night was the greatest Doo-Wop song. Remember Duke of Earl?

Oli,

I sure do remember "The Duke Of Earl." Loved it.

A while back when I was in Michigan the PBS channel had a reunion Doo-Wop shows with many great acts from the 50's, as they look now, including The Diamonds, Gogi Grant, the 5 Satins and many others.

They also had the artist (forgot the name) who sang "Lollipop". Remember that song? (Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolli lollipop?) Anyway my whole family laughed at the one guy in the group who's only contribution to that song was the "pop" (inserting finger in mouth). Anyone who knows the song knows what I'm talking about.

TIS

The best white lead doo-wop vocalist ever. Hands down.



My favorite doo-wop vocal groups (aside from Johnny Maestro and the Crests) are the Duprees and the Skyliners.

The best doo-wop version of "Over the Rainbow" ever recorded was by the Mystics.

I'm an old New York doo-wop guy, veteran of every Alan Freed R&R show from '56 through '60, and an avid listener to Freed and Jocko. Two classes of favorites:

1. The smoothies: Flamingos, Harptones, Moonglows. Willie Winfield (Harptones) is my ace; my favorite is "On Sunday Afternoon."

2. The (younger) doo-woppers: Channels, Teenagers, Cleftones,Chantels, Bop Chords, Continentals, Paragons, Jesters, Billy Ward and the Dominos...the list is interminable. Channels and their lead singer, Earl Lewis, are my faves; their best is "The Gleam in Your Eye."

The best white groups were the Skyliners and Dion and the Belmonts.

Jackie Wilson was the greatest lead singer of the Fifties, with Clyde McPhatter coming in second.

Anyone else remember any of these?

Amen to that, TB .

Jackie's best ballad:

A very great and beautiful song, PB.

"To Be Loved" replaced "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" at every Italian and Jewish wedding in NYC in the Sixties. Jackie could have made a great operatic tenor if he'd gone that way.

You're creepy sometimes, TB.

My parents were married in '58 (I came along in '59). "To Be Loved" was their wedding song! That's the reason I posted it!

The song's initial release was in '57. Eddie Murphy made it a bit of a retro hit when he sang along to it in "Coming to America."

I love Jackie Wilson's voice but have to say that "To Be Loved" is only vaguely familiar to me. I don't know if it's because I wasn't listening or just waaaay too young.

And Clyde McPhatter, I had to look up cause I didn't know him by name, but of course, The Drifters I do. Another great group.

I too think that Tony Williams of The Platters had a wonderful voice as lead singer.

TIS

You'e older than me, Grandma, and I know that song all my life .

Maybe it was more popular in New York than in Detroit.

..
Yes, I'm answering your last letter that says we must part
I'm tearing it to pieces the way you tore up my heart
I smile when you kiss me and I thrill at your touch
My only sin was, I love you much too much

"Glory of Love"-The Velvetones

Good one Lilo.

How about "Stay" by Maurice Williams and how could I forget "At The Hop", by Danny & the Juniors.

Music was so "fun and innocent" back then wasn't it?




TIS

I like to watch the PBS special on Doo Wop. They have some great groups and the talent is STILL amazing. I'm always impressed at how strong their voices still are - these are not youngsters.

SB, On one of the PBS "Doo-Wop" reunion specials they had one gal (I think the one that sang "I've Told Every Little Star") who was like 12 or 15 or so when she originally had the hit. Well at roughly 60 something she was the youngster there. You're right tho, most of them do still sound pretty good.

The had the Platters as well but had Mel Carter (Hold Me, Thrill Me) take over the lead for Tony Williams.



TIS

Maurice Williams was with the Zodiacs when he made "Stay." He was with an earlier group, the Gladiolas, that made the original "Little Darling." But it was immediately "covered" by a white Canadian group, the Diamonds, and it was just about the biggest hit single in the NYC area in the summer of 1957. Both Alan Freed and Jocko had a policy of playing only the originals when a song was "covered," and their shows were where I heard the Gladiolas' version of "Little Darling."

Record producers in the Fifties and Sixties had a nasty practice: they'd con (mostly black) young singing groups into signing recording "contracts" that had them turn over the song rights to the producers. The producers then would then make the song available to (mostly white) singers and groups, and make royalties from both versions.

In an extreme case, a black group, the Rays, made a single with "Silhouettes" as the A-side and "Daddy Cool" as the B. It reached Billboard Top 10. Within a week, the Diamonds covered both sides on their single, and it reached Top 10, too.

I'm sure you remember this, TB, but "The Sopranos" tapped that storyline during the first season. I've read that the character of "Hesh" was loosely based on Herman Lubinsky, who founded Savoy Records. Lubinsky was a Newark area record producer who was almost universally hated by the African American music community.

Ironically, Herman Lubinsky was the grandfather of TJ Lubinsky, the young man who produces many of the PBS Doo Wop revival shows that we all love so much. TJ is a very young guy. Younger than 40, I think. But great music transcends age and time.

Randy and the Rainbows-Denise Denise is a great song

This is from www.bsnpubs.com:

Morris Levy ran the Roulette label from it's inception. He was born poor in the East Bronx, New York. He went into the nightclub business and eventually owned several big nightclubs in mid-town Manhattan. Levy was in business with disc jockey Alan Freed, and with Freed promoted the hugely successful Rock and Roll shows at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater. Levy's real money came from publishing copyrights that accumulated into a vast fortune over the years. It was hardly a secret that Levy had many "silent partners" in the Mafia underworld. Levy claimed he was being harassed by the government and had numerous run-ins with the law because of his association with the Genovese family, but he avoided serious prosecution for many years. Levy's luck ran out in May 1988 when he was convicted on extortion charges and drew a ten-year sentence, but he remained free on bail after an appeal, and died of cancer in 1990. The story of Morris Levy and Roulette Records is chronicled in the book Hit Men by Fredric Danner in the chapter titled "Lullaby of Gangland."

Doo Wop was on life support by 1963, but you'd never know it by this song. It's one of the great summer melodies of all time.

Way Back Then


1993

Nice Lilo. I can't say I remember that particular song but it most definitely is doo-wop. They sound pretty much the same in the newer version either.


TIS

So Much in Love is still one of my favorites. It reminded me of back in '63 of WAMO with Porky Chedwick, Pittsburgh's "platter pushin' poppa who would spliver your liver and splatter your bladder". Even then he was spinning golden oldies. WAMO was primarily a black station that now is a Catholic station.

God,if I could only have those days back again. Oh yes, "Oh what a night. Late September back in '63, what a very special time for me." I guess it was a special time for many of us.

Most Fifties doo-wop was recorded on small, independent labels that had only local or regional distribution. Result: a song could be Top 40 in New York and never be heard in, say, Atlanta, Houston or San Francisco. But, they could take a group of kids right off the street, record them the same day, and get (actually buy) airplay within a week.

After the "payola" investigations of 1959-60, most of the independent labels folded--they couldn't buy airplay anymore. The survivors all had national and even international distribution, had better-quality studios, improved marketing, etc. But they were a lot more selective in who they chose to record. Result: far fewer black singing groups made records.

Dion and the Belmonts - "Run Around Sue". Great Jitterbug song.

I was in Shop-Rite early this morning and they had an oldies station on and I heard Dion doing "Ruby".

Don't know if I'd call Jackie Wilson doo-wop, but man that guy had a voice unmatched today - "Lonely Teardrops", "Baby Workout", "That's Why I Love You So", "Reet Petite".

MC,

I love Dion! Runaround Sue is one of my favorites as well as Ruby and I think every other hit they had. I have the greatest hits album somewhere back in MI.

Here's The Temptations. I think they can be considered doo-wop even if from the 60's. I always loved the mellow dance routines and although not so much in this video, I loved their flashy dress style. .

Go Motown!!

TIS

TIS, I'd have to classify The Temps as soul really.

Does that mean I have to delete it?

Yea, you're right I guess. I know more about the 60's music than the 50's.

So, just enjoy the music.

TIS

Tempts had such complex dance routines that they must have had fiendish concentration to be able to sing at the same time.

My dad likes this one a lot, and he says he always thought it had a very "spooky" sound. It's haunting and pretty at the same time.

This is it, here...

Thanks for this, by the way... somehow never heard it, and I love this genre!

Some good choices here, but we'd be wrong to forget The Platters. Here's my favorite of theirs:



Two "personal" stories from the height of Doo Wop. My sister (ten years older than I) absolutely LOVED the song "Where or When" by Dion & the Belmonts. She played the record all day long (literally). My mother finally reached the breaking point, and she broke the record. My dad, who was in the jukebox business (us three kids had over 500 of the old 45s) came home the next day with five copies of the song for my sister, figuring that would last awhile before my mom went on a breaking spree again.

My brother was in a doo wop group (along with future Red Sox star, Rico Petrocelli) and they'd sing on the street corners and practice a lot. They weren't all that bad and they went on to sing on the boardwalk in Coney Island. They'd usually get mild applause when done. Their big mistake came in timing.... they performed one night to their usual mild reception and then were followed by a gangbusting group who garnered great applause. The name of this group? The Tokens (who later went on to fame with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight").

SC,

What a cool story. How nice those Doo-Wop memories must be fore you. Did your brother record (even if for personal use) any of his singing?

I too love Only You and the Platters. I also remember The Tokens mostly for The Lion Sleeps Tonight. I always thought they were pretty bold using a ethnic slur by singing "a-weina wop..a weina wop....until I looked up the lyrics and its "wimoweh"

TIS

SC - the Red Sox connection; Rico P. Forgive me if you've mentioned it before.

I always thought doo-wop was kinda cool, but I was more of an R&B guy back then. In later years, I joined the church choir and learned harmonies. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the doo-wop style and the discipline of a great harmony.

I saw the Tokens at one of those doo-wop shows about 25 years ago (SB, at the Lafayette). That one guy was hitting those falsetto, "Yeee,deee,dee,dee.....wee-oh-wimoweh". The crowd loved it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I0oG0FOxbA

Listen to this one Marty and the Symbols he sounds young.

I've posted about this before. But whenever I think of or listen to Doo Wop, I also think of Mary Lou who had one dynamite collection of those goodies. I usually don't go in for redheads, but that record collection made her an exception. You talk about golden oldies. She was a few years older than me, but in the dark with something like Only You or Smoke Gets in Your Eyes playing, it's one great memory - a series of them.

Useful business for a guy with teenagers. When I was a kid in Brownsville, there was a flea market set up in a disused trolley car barn near us. One of the booths sold used records from jukeboxes--3 for $1. Collected many that way.


Into the Sixties, I'd see guys with New York Stock Exchange linen coats gather in building entrances (for echo) singing the Channels' "The Closer You Are." Most NYers would say that Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were the quintessential NY doo wop group, but "The Closer You Are" was the quintessential doo wop song, IMO.

Can I ask if anyone listened to Lou Christie back in the 60s? I heard him on the Sopranos a couple of times, really nice music.

Sure. Lou had a whole string of pretty good singles that got tons of airplayon AM radio--"The Gypsy Cried," "Two Facees Have I," etc. The falsetto wasn't to everyone's taste, but it made his records sell.

I remember Christie well. Had a couple 45s by him (the ones TB mentioned).



TIS

Lightning is striking again ... another good ole Pittsburgh boy!

The Duprees were a great doo wop group. All paisani!

The Glory of Love.

What memory's loved them all but have to say the Platter's , as SC mentioned when I got a divorce after 31 years of marriage my tunes took a trip , along with my money, my shorts. But it is all good.

doo-woop

That's Terrific. What a great movie scene as well. The way that they kill off little Joe in this movie has to be one of the most brutal scenes ever put to film.I saw Lefty Rosenthal's story on biography. He was banned from Vegas, but loves to brag how he managed to sneak back in several times a year. He died in 2008.

Here's a great song that I was listening to last night with my Dad. The Mello Kings were pretty much a one hit wonder, but that one hit was a beauty. They weren't from the Bronx, but from neighboring Mount Vernon. So they're honorary New York City boys. Let's see if Turnbull remembers them.

Nice PB. I can't say I remember the song or artist off the top of my head.

Do you notice though how short songs were back then? I listen to some of my old favorites and they seem so short.



TIS

True, Tis.

Songs over 2 and a half minutes were VERY rare back then.

Maybe they were on to something .

I definitely remember it. It's one those songs that there were so many of during that era during which you could dance holding your baby so close. Oh yeah!

No two ways about it: "Tonite Tonite" is a real classic of white doo-wop. I saw them lip-synch the song on Bandstand. I thought they were Hispanic because they seemed dark-complexioned, and used prodigious amounts of Dixie Peach in their hair (they weren't). Dixie Peach was a pomade like vaseline with scent--the poor man's Alberto VO5.

I love Dion & the Belmonts. Teenager In Love, The Wanderer, Runaround Sue. Totally cool!



TIS

Dion and the Belmonts was one of the two best white doo-wop groups of that era (the other was the Skyliners of "Since I Don't Have You" fame). Lou Reed worships Dion DiMucci--he inducted Dion into the R&R Hall of Fame. You can hear Dion wailing at the end of Reed's "Dirty Boulevard."

Re: The Belmonts. Freddie Milano just passed away a couple months ago.

Here's a beauty.

Fun fact: Turnbull was still a relatively young man when it was recorded .

So when did doo wop die? Mid 60s? I wish it didnt and was still around tiday

Luckily for you my friend Doo Wop is still alive and well in a new, modern form...

NO, don't thank me. It is my pleasure to share it. NEW Doo Wop

The popular belief is that the death of Doo-Wop coincided with the arrival of The Beatles in America in '64. The whole British Invasion thing. But the truth is, times were already a changin at that point .

There were some nice Doo-Wops recorded from 61-63, but musical tastes were already shifting among young people at that point. But don't blame The Beatles. It was actually Dylan's fault .

Correct. After all he did write..."for the times, they are a changin'"

White Christmas - The Drifters

One of my favorites.

home alone!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sxnXO2RjVg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRb1-SAAIzs

One of my friends from junior high and high school, Betty Semel, still sings doo-wop. Here's a short vid:

One of my favorites SC.

I think Doo-Wop more or less ended around 62 (or early sixties anyway). Reflecting back it sure was a great sound.



TIS

From 1958 (or so), my brother (on the right) with two of his pals practicing their doo-wop:

Classic!

A piece of trivia.... the guy in the middle, Jan Jarmel, was the namesake for a character on the "Seinfeld" show. Larry David grew up in the same co-op as me, and he named a character on the show after Jan. The character was named Jake Jarmel. (Larry has an older brother, Kenny, who is my brother's age).

She's your age, SC?

Anyway, she looks great .

Can't hear "Be My Baby" without thinking of the "Mean Streets" intro.

Everyone's a comedian.

She still sings in Jersey. Doo-wop ain't dead.

Oh yes, the great voice of Ronnie Spector (once married to Phil Spector). She sang the the lines from that song in Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight."

Speaking of Eddie Money, anyone see the Geico commercial he's in? What the heck happened to him.







TIS

There are always lots of shows during the summer down the shore. Also (and no surprise here given the age demographics), there are always shows in South Florida.

I saw the Duprees and the Brooklyn Bridge together a couple of years ago in Jupiter. It was less than a year before Johnny Maestro died, but when he sang "Sixteen Candles" he still sounded like the 19 year old kid who recorded it 1958. I hate to sound gay, but that man sang like an angel.

Johnny Maestro had a GREAT voice!!

I saw Eddie Money on "The King of Queens" a few years ago. Doug and Deacon won $5000 in a sports pool but were afraid to tell their wives, so they decided to spend it all in one day. They ended up "renting out" Eddie Money to sing in the living room .

So I guess that in real life things aren't that much better for poor old Eddie.

SC, if the hairdos in that photo weren't dead giveaways for 1958, the shirts were. Was Jarmel involved with a group called the Jarmels, who sang, "Little Bit of Soap?"

PB, one of the most important reasons why "Mean Streets" is such an all-time great movie is how brilliantly Scorsese selected the soundtrack. Every song works just right for every scene. What song could better set up Charlie's earnest efforts to "do good" then "Be My Baby"? Two other great ones: Chantels singing "I Love You So" when Charlie's admiring his new monogrammed shirt in the mirror; and Paragons' "Florence" when they're driving NYC streets to Joey's poolroom. Just great!

No relation there, but he was Jan Murray's nephew.

...born Murray Janowsky...

Give that man a cigar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LPzYO_ZpE4

Turnbull, I remember all of 'em. Plus The Mello-Kings-- Tonite,Tonite; The Charts, Deseriee.

...and "Zoop."

Alex, you already may know this but most of the oldies that arent' available for sale on Amazon or iTunes Store are hosted on YouTube. You can peel the audio from the videos and download to your computer by using one of several sites created for that purpose.

Some of the newer computers give you the peel option as soon as you load the video.

Hey Turnbull (and other interested parties ),

I had to revive this thread with one that I forgot about and just heard on satellite radio. This is a special doo-wop version of Sam Cooke's "Nothing Can Change This Love" that initially went unreleased because the ballad that he recorded of the same song was so popular. If you listen closely, you can really hear this song bridging the gap between doo-wop and early Motown. But that's obviously just my opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBT3oDMCWpI

I think I posted this before but don't know if I could pick a favorite, but "In The Still Of The Night" is one of my favorites, along with "Little Darlin"


TIS

Hard to choose ... so many great songs.
For me, "There's a Moon Out Tonight" by The Capris is one of my favorites.

That was very nice, PB. Thanks!

I don't know that this was recorded in the 60's but I first heard Kenny Vance do "Looking for an echo" onthe PBS show. It's as good as any of the DO Wop music I used to listen to in the 50' and 60's, and to me it hasn't died

► 6:32► 6:32


www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke1dV_IpSKA

tears on my pillow - little anthony

daddys home - shep and the limelights

so young - the students

great movie, one of my faves...got the dvd

just bought this version on ebay, great record...thanks PB

one of my all time faves

glad i found this thread LOL

There are so many great Doo-wop groups but I think perhaps it's more the sound itself. At the time, so new, so innocent and just a real new sound and today it's like a flashback in history for older people and just good fun music for all people.



TIS

one of my fathers faves, he has the 45

im 33 but my father used to play it so often that i got addicted...have most of these on vinyl, ive "borrowed' about 90% of his collection

This choice shows you to be a true man of taste, Cheech! A true classic--more heartbreak in ~2 minutes than in any 19th Century Dime Novel. I listen to it all the time, play it on my guitar and sing along.

Another feature of doo wop: excellent diction. You can hear it on "I'm So Young."

Interestingly enough, the Students originally called themselves the "D'italians" (attention: PB), but changed to the Students when they got their contract with Checker.

To avoid hijacking the Dion thread, how about this guy, TB?

One hit wonder, sure. But he can still sing it at 70 years old.

Hey TB. Just saw this post. Can't believe you knew it. Always thought it was pretty obscure. My father used to sing it around the house. And on my parents 10th anniversary he called up cousin Brucie and requested it. I still have the recording in cassettes

Ya know some people have been together a long time. This is going out to Lisa from Andy. Happy anniversary. And then the song comes on.

Gives me goose bumps thinking about it. Doo wop is such a beautiful genre.

Would u consider Frankie Lymon doo wop? He was always one of my father and mines fave

Little Anthony can still sing his ass off. Heard him live on Sirius the other day. What a voice.

Great song, Cheech. The Internet has made virtually all music easy enough to find. But it wasn't always like that.

Years ago (1989 or 1990), "I'm So Young" was finally released on a cd called "WCBS FM: For Lovers Only, Part 1." Up til that point it was impossible to find. I RAN to Sam Goody's to buy a copy for me and a copy for my Dad. And we both still have our copies (handle a cd with care and it will last you forever) .

My father may have that on cassette. He has a few best of wcbs stuff. I'll look Saturday. You guys would like each other.

Another song he loved i can't think of the title or artist. But it went some thing like

What time is it, it's....6 o'clock......something like that

Maybe Johnny maestro. On my phone now. Don't feel like you tubing it. U may kno

In the still of the night by the 5 satins is one of the best if not THE best

I thought the four tops were fantastic like can't help myself and 20 others

Jive 5 they still perform

The late great Willson Pickett some one I worked with was a good friend of his. We went out to eat together at sloppy Louie's near the Fulton fish market.

Thanks foot. Appreciate it

During the summer around here in new haven they have free concerts every Saturday on the green. We always go down to the oldies/doo wop shows. It's a lot of fun

The original singers who sang with Frankie Lymon still perform. They had a young white kid do his songs. If they are stll performing with him he must be in his 20s now.

There was a doowop group called the quotations had a hit called imagination the lead singer was a neighbor of mine until he retired to NJ. His name was Larry kassman what a ham he was.

OUTSTANDING video, PB. Thanks! Proves what I said: Italians were the only white guys who made decent doo wop (although I think Jimmy Beaumont of the Skyliners was Irish?).

Cheech, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were a quintessential NY doo-wop group. Saw them many times at the Alan Freed shows in the Fifties. Frankie was immensely popular with white kids, particularly girls--he had an angelic voice and cherubic looks [sound of wings flapping...]. He was also the first well-known R&R victim of heroin. The Teenagers still sing. A friend from work filled in with them occasionally. Two of the originals are still with us.

Another quintessential NY doo wop group was the Channels ("The Closer You Are," plus many others--attention! PB!). Into the Sixties, when I worked on Wall Street, I'd see white guys, wearing NY Stock Exchange coats, singing "The Closer You Are" in office building vestibules to get the echo effect. Another NY classic doo wop group was the Harptones. Willie Winfield, their lead singer, was truly beloved.

The Jive Five were a "neo-Doo Wop" group--their big hit, "My True Story," was early Sixties. An unforgettably great song.

Love doo-wop, I'll post some of my favorites

Earth Angel- The Penguins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJcGi4-n_Yw

The Dells - Oh What A Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ozQT8yQXA


In the Still of the Night - Fred Parris and The Satins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBT3oDMCWpI

Turnbull, really good stuff

Nicky, i love earth angel

Anyone try to look for an echo and sing those songs as a kid. I never did first cant sing but when I got high I thought I could. Now I don't get high any more.

Now I just want to celebrate another day of living remember that song. It s not doowop but it does kick ass. Song by Rare Earth

You'll get no argument from me, sir .

Although, I'd be remiss if I didn't point our that a young Jewish fella named Paul Simon was second tenor for the Mystics for about five minutes in 1960. He was quickly replaced by the late Jay Traynor (the original Jay of Jay and the Americans, and coincidentally, another young Jewish fella ).

If you listen very closely to "All Through the Night," you can can pick out Simon's not yet fully developed voice. Here's the Youtube link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6zSIZNH7G0

You guys might want to try and get tickets for Dion at the Beacon theather in two weeks.

I got mine when it went on sale. I like to sit close orchestra near the stage. You might not be able to get them now. But if you try two weeks before the performance date which is on June 14. You might be able to get pretty good seats. Ticket brokers might not be able to sell them. Then they go back to ticket office then you can get them. I have done that before.

If you can maybe we can get together before the performance.

Simon was half of Tom and Jerry (Art Garfunkel), who had a hit in 1958 with "Hey School Girl."

Wow, I don't remember that song at all. I do love Paul Simon and do remember hearing of Tom and Jerry (other than the cartoon that is) .

Btw, that record label "Laurie" sure rings a bell. I recognized it right away. I'm guessing my brother had some records in his collection with that label.


TIS

Laurie was the label that Dion was signed with, Tis.

Was your brother a famous singer, TIS?

Ha ha no but I can see by the way I typed it it sounded like it. He had a record collection and from that I remember the label. (I'll correct myself) ha ha

PB,

I did have some 45s of Dion and so it's likely that's where I remember it. However, did he switch labels eventually? I have a greatest hits album of his (in MI) and swear it's another label.



TIS

Speaking of the Mystics (Brooklyn boys, attention TB and SC!!). Their runaway hit was "Hushabye." And for some reason I always associate that song with "Little Star," by the Elegants. Same beat, almost the same song, really.

Anyway, I remember reading that the single most recorded popular song of all time is "Over the Rainbow." And the Mystics did a beautiful job.

Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soGTGi9tuN0

My brother was in a doo-wop group back in the late '50s. They were street singers (including Rico Petrocelli who would later go on to play major league baseball for the Boston Red Sox) and they'd "perform" on the boardwalk in Coney Island on Saturday nights. They weren't too bad from what I remember but their biggest mistake was performing right before another group who was better. That other group later gained fame as The Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight").

Is that how you became a Red Sox fan, SC?

I remember Rico Petrocelli very well (as a ballplayer, of course).

Vito Piccone, lead singer of the Elegants, appeared briefly in "Goodfellas." He was in the scene where Billy Batts is having his party at Henry's bar. Vito's the guy with the beard, sweater and chain.

Not to be conceited, but HOW didn't I know that?

These songs get me emotional. Reminds me of good times. Life moves fast. Where did all the years go?

Relax. You're 34. I'd give ny right nut to be 34. What will you do when you're my age?

I'm a big Paul Simon fan too, Tis. "Kodachrome" is one of the corniest songs of all time. But it's also one of my favorites. Great driving song .

I agree. I LOVE "Kodachrome" as well as another favorite, "Mother & Child Reunion" and "Slip Sliding Away." His voice is so soothing. He and Art were GREAT together, as a solo, I still prefer Simon.




TIS

Over The Mountain, Across The Sea - Johnnie & Joe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDpzLIeCYSc

The Chords - Sh-Boom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBgQezOF8kY


Come And Go With Me- The Dell Vikings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1eU_lDQaVM


THE RAYS SILHOUETTES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6uq49ueugg
I like The Four Seasons versions of Silhouettes more but wasn't sure if they're considered doo-wop or not. What do you guys think?

Good ones. I really like "Come And Go With Me"

I like both versions of SILHOUETTES. I even have a later version (mid 60s) by Herman's Hermits and I like that version as well. It's a good song.


TIS

Actually, "Silhouettes" was "covered" by another group:

It was common in the Fifties for black groups to write and record songs, but sign over the publishing rights to the record company's in-house publishing company. Then the publishing company would lease out the rights to a white group that would "cover" (release its own version) of the song(s). In the case of the Rays: Their single had "Silhouettes" as the "A" side, and "Daddy Cool" as the "B" side. "Sihouettes" got to the Top 40. Within two weeks, a white Canadian group, the Diamonds, covered both sides of the Rays' single. The Diamonds' "Silhouettes" also got into the Top 40. The Diamonds were notorious for covering black groups' hits: They had "Little Darlin" (original by the Gladiolas), and "The Stroll" (Chuck Willis), among others.

I get anxiety thinking about 40

Eh, you have a couple of good years left .

Very common, TB. There were instances of different versions of the SAME song charting at the same time back then. You'll rarely if ever see that happen today.

Wasn't Sh-Boom originaly recorded by the Crew Cuts ????
What a great thread this is- bringing back a lot of great memories. I love ALL Doo Wop. Thanks Guys (And gals)

No. The Chords and the Crew Cuts BOTH had a top ten hit with it in 1954. But the Chords version was recorded first.

Little Anthony and the Imperials: Tears on my pillow and Goin' out of my head. The best!

Mine was jay and the Americans

I see Jay and the Americans as more of an early rock and roll band, bridging the time gap between doo-wop and the British invasion.

But either way, I've always liked them too .

I agree PB. Jay was a rock musician; This Magic Moment and Cara Mia are hardly doo wop.

But Jay's voice was one of the most powerful in music then or now.

Now they must cry, cry, cry.

One of THE greatest.

Not exactly doo wop, but Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys is in theaters June 20. It's about Frakie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Four Seasons originally were the Four Lovers. Had a hit in '56 with "You're the Apple of My Eye." Great song--early Frankie falsetto.

This group was actually from the Bronx.

^^^^

Good one, Lilo. Some people find "Coney Island baby" a little corny. But I love it .

And Freddy Cannon was actually from Massachusetts, not Palisades Park . And talk about a corny song!

Back on topic. The Dubs had two hits in "Could This Be Magic," and "Don't Ask Me to Be Lonely," and I like both of those songs. But in my opinion, "Chapel of Dreams" was their finest song. I'm sure Turnbull remembers .

Found this song recently. One of my favorite doo-wop songs

Curtis Lee - Pretty Little Angel Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZT__JFMUgU

Jackie Wilson owned THE single greatest voice of the '50s and '60s. The end.

PB, I wouldn't go that far. Lonely Tear Drops is pretty good, but as I posted above, it is easily rivaled by Little Anthony and the Imperials and any number of their hits such as Tears on My Pillow.

Little Anthony is great. I love all those songs. But in my opinion Jackie Wilson had a stronger voice. No way Little Anthony could have pulled off "To Be Loved." Two different styles. Baritone vs. Soprano. Apples and oranges.

But to each his own, pally .

Are we talking artistic talent or songs. On both scores I nominate 16 Candles as the best doo-wop ever and Johnny Maestro as the best doo wop vocalist.

You'll get no argument about Johnny Maestro from me. Like I said in my post above, he sang like an angel until the day he died .

Okay, Oli. This one's for you. It's my personal favorite from Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Jimmy Beaumont's finest hour, TB .

One of my favorites PB. All Little Anthony's songs remind me of Mary Lou, the only redhead that I ever dated.

Would love to have the opportunity to see some of these groups live. Doo Wop shows are few and far between here in my neck of the woods. Really enjoying this thread, I thought I would contribute some of my favorites. The first is Maybe by The Chantels.

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/1-1JyHLiiTw[/video]

and here is Heaven & Paradise by Don Julian & The Meadowlarks

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/AA66zUMvn8Q[/video]

Not sure why the videos are not visible in my post, just the youtube links. My apologies.

And speaking of Doo wop, our local paper just ran an article about a local lady who was reflecting upon her late father, Bill Horton, one of the singers in the Silhouettes, the group who gave us "Get a job". Appears that he had died 20 years ago. His daughter is donating some of his belongings to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame

The Sixties neo-doo wop group, "Sha-Na-Nah," who appeared at Woodstock, took their name from a riff in the Silhouettes' all-time great hit, "Get a Job."

Bowzer had to be the homeliest street corner singer of all time .

What was the name of that tv show back in the 80's that Bowzer was on? I remember the the ending of the show went something like this "Goodnight sweetheart well it's time to go"

The name of the show was "Sha Na Na." Just like the group. But I think it was more like the late '70s. Although the reruns were probably on throughout the '80s.

Thanks. They had some good shows on back then. I used to like watching Uncle Flyod, guy was a straight nut job, funny tho.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rFiaBL8Skw The Continentals (feat. Johnny Dee) - Man with a broken heart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rFiaBL8Skw

The Continentals (feat. Johnny Dee) - Man with a broken heart

Ok saw the dion concert last night.

The theme was every singer on was in the rock and roll hall of fame.

There were other groups before dion. Black group that sang the song the chain gang. I said good a prison song.

Then the sherriles

Then the Drifters. The lead singer with the great voice can't sing anymore too bad.

Then Dion he sang for apx 1 hour 15 minutes.

He kicked ass he as kept himself in pretty good shape. His wife was at the concert.

Sang his hits, sang the blues brought in his own musicians instead of using the house band. Like the other groups did.

He was great and can still bring it. Get a chance to see him perform do it.

Don't know if true, but I got an e mail today which says that the father of Tom Hanks was the lead singer of the group "The Diamonds" who were famous for the song "Little Darlin" in the 50's

It's bullshit. I've seen that claim before but it's been debunked as an urban legend.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/celebrities/a/Was-Tom-Hanks-Father-In-The-Diamonds.htm

The Diamonds were a Canadian group famous for "covering" songs originally recorded by black groups. Among their hits: "The Stroll" originally by Chuck Willis. "Silhouettes" originally by the Rays. "Little Darlin" originally by the Gladiolas.

All great songs!

Thanks BB. I watched the video and can see hoe the rumor started. The lead sure looks like Hanks