MY FAVE 20 RECORDS BY A VOCAL GROUP
TODAY........FROM 1958
1. FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LOVE - JERRY BUTLER & THE IMPRESSIONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR1dKd3vp0w
One of the greatest r&b vocal group records ever---released first on Vee
Jay then on Falcon before settling on the Abner label where 95% of its
sales occurred (a nice 45rpm copy on Vee Jay will set you back north of
$3K today). The sombre record is regarded by many today as an important
step on the gradual transition of much r&b into soul.A big hit in its
day #11 BB pop chart and #3 r&b.Released in UK on London label
2. SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES – THE PLATTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHJRJC_5gzY
This is up there with Ray’s “Georgia On My Mind” in my favorites list of revived standards (Gertrude Neisen got to the song first in 1933) and
was popular enough to give Mercury a #1 record on both sides of the
Atlantic as well as a #3 BB r&b hit.
3. DRIP DROP - THE DRIFTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g96RjcyTtMU
Here’s the Drifters with one of the most memorable songs from the Leiber
& Stoller catalog on Atlantic that was a #58 hit for the boys on the
Billboard chart (it was bigger still in the Dion revival of the song in 1963---reaching the BB Top 10). Released in UK on London
4. YAKETY YAK - THE COASTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axkdiwKgMNo
Leiber & Stoller strike again in this great number that was ABSOLUTELY
tailor made for The Coasters on Atco scoring a #1 hit on both sets of BB
charts as well as giving them a #12 hit over here in UK on London label
5. TWILIGHT TIME - THE PLATTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPucfTGeDrU
Another great revival by the Platters---this time of the Three Suns’ “Twilight Time” from 1944 ---and another #1 hit for them on both BB
charts for the group in the US and a #3 hit in UK appearing on Mercury
on both sides of the pond
6. I’M SO YOUNG – THE STUDENTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqLHT4Vo7iE
Hailing from Cincinnati,Oh this six man vocal outfit will be forever
remembered for their great “I’m So Young” number originally recorded for the small Note label in Indianapolis.The record attracted the attention
of Chess Records who took over distribution via their Checker subsid.
The record was revived in 1961 (on yet another Chess subsid label—Argo)
this time doing well enough to reach #26 on BB r&b chart. Not released
UK
7. TRICKLE TRICKLE - THE VIDEOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwgJHoO-ffk
Five man combo out of Jamaica NY on a song revived to acclaim decades
later by the 70’s/80’s hitmaking group Manhattan Transfer.After
achieving second place in an Apollo Theatre amateur contest the group’s reward was a record contract with Casino Records of Philly where they
debuted with the irresistible “Trickle Trickle” b/w a fine ballad “Moonglow You Know”. No UK issue
8. EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK - THE STUDENTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yre6EG3igLE
This was the catchy flipside to all the various incarnations of “I’m So Young” above and rated just as good (or nearly as good) by many fans (including me). It is notable today for featuring in the fifth episode
of Series 6 of “The Sopranos”---“Mr & Mrs John Sacrimoni Request…..”
9. PLEASE WAIT FOR ME - THE FLAMINGOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkS1n1zxbik
Later known much better as “Lovers Never Say Goodbye”--but their first release after switching to the End label in late 1958 was a wonderful
number featuring a twin Terry Johnson/Paul Wilson lead and initially
titled “Please Wait For Me” before a title change to the much better
known “Lovers Never Say Goodbye”. Under the latter title this one
reached #25 r&b and #52 pop on the r&b charts.No UK single release
10. ZOOM,ZOOM,ZOOM - THE COLLEGIANS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT0y_OCkAk0
I remember from my visits to the USA meeting lots of fans and collectors
of “THE” music and noting just how many rated this record as one of the best of the upbeat 50’s vocal group rock ‘n’ roll numbers. The group itself was a five man outfit recording for Paul Winley in NYC and
appearing on his self titled label together with a host of other great
vocal groups including The Paragons and The Jesters
11. I WONDER WHY – DION & THE BELMONTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ip2l9wst4
One of the most memorable—and best---white r&r vocal group records of
the 50’s has to be “I Wonder Why” the ultra-catchy debut on Laurie label of straight outa da Bronxians Dion & The Belmonts that became popular
enough to reach #22 on the Billboard best seller chart. Issued in UK
on London label
12. OH GEE OH GOSH – THE KODOKS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPo5DeLAaOo
The Kodoks (or sometimes Kodaks) hailed from Newark NJ and were slightly unusual in having a girl lead (Pearl McKinnon) fronting four other guys
with a whole slew of singles out on various NYC labels,the most
prominent being Bobby Robinson’s Fury imprint whence the ultra catchy
“Oh Gee Oh Gosh” comes
13. STORMY WEATHER – THE SPANIELS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlrckXJv1jA
And yet another great old standard revived (originally by the Leo
Reisman Orchestra vocal : Harold Arlen in 1933) but made most famous by
Ethel Waters in 1933 and even more by Lena Horne in 1942. It’s excellent
by The Spaniels on Vee Jay here of course but I wish they’d kept the
same tempo of the song a la The Five Sharps version in 1952. The
Spaniels may be the most important of the 1950’s r&b vocal groups NEVER
to have had a UK release in our time period
14. TEARDROPS ON YOUR LETTER - HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inVb2FMp-xI
Their first single issued under the “Hank Ballard &….” moniker and on
the first issue of this single in December 1958 this was the “A” side of the record (the flip being the throwaway “The Twist” number that will
never get anywhere). And of course a move to the main King label from
Federal and a chart success too (#4 BB r&b #87 pop). It was also the
very first Midnighters single to get a UK release (in May 1959) on
Parlophone.
15. SINCE I DON’T HAVE YOU – THE SKYLINERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--ws5NQgE7s
Here’s one I’ve really liked since first hearing it on radio as a kid in 1959 (released here on London) and stayed a fave ever since. White
quintet from Pittsburgh with Jimmy Beaumont (lead) and including the
girl Janet Vogel who sadly committed suicide much later.. On the Calico
label this was a big hit charting #12 BB pop and #3 r&b.
16. ALL NIGHT LONG - THE DU MAURIERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9-_1v9Y5M
Here’s a group straight out of Brooklyn that only ever had this ONE
record (I think---leastways I can trace no other) on Bobby Robinson’s
Fury label. But what a record!! Fell in love with it the first time I
ever head it (MUCH later!) at Val Shively’s I think .
17. HEART AND SOUL - THE SPANIELS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDGHrsrHQQI
Yet another old standard revived (originally by Larry Clinton/Bea Wain
in 1938) in a gorgeous bass-led version here (courtesy Gerald Gregory of course) on Vee Jay and their last single release of 1958---also notable
that it was coupled on the single by an excellent remake of their old
number “Baby It’s You” (see entry below). Meantime their version of “Heart And Soul” heads my list of favorite versions of the song which go
on to include The Cleftones and Jan & Dean
18. THERE’S A MOON OUT TONIGHT – THE CAPRIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USY2AWAbqpo
Not to be confused in any way with the much earlier Capris group of “God
Only Knows” fame this was a monster hit for this different five man
outfit from Queens NYC on Old Town in 1961 (#3 BB pop #11 r&b) it was
actually recorded In 1958 and first appeared that year on a tiny hole -in-the-wall Planet label.The history on this record is very convoluted
(for instance it also appeared on Lost Nite in 1960 BEFORE the Old Town release). Confusing enough? (Released here in UK too on Columbia)
19. YOU CHEATED - THE SHIELDS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XovMwYdCTLE
The Shields were a five man outfit formed by producer George Motola in
Los Angeles solely to record “You Cheated” and take sales away from the Slades original version on Domino.The ploy worked since too since The
Shields enjoyed much the most successful version (after Dot Records
took over distribution from the original small Tender label) reaching
#11 BB r&b and #12 BB pop Over here in UK The Shields record appeared on
London but got little airplay---certainly I never heard the song
then---not till very much later in the 60’s
20. CHAPEL BELLS - THE FASCINATORS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ9bfP6TnIg
Not to be confused with several other groups using the “Fascinators”
name this particular Fascinators group hailed from good ole Brooklyn and
were a five-man mixed race group signed by Capitol. Their first record
was the memorable “Chapel Bells” in September 1958.A couple of other singles followed (including another fave of mine “Oh Rose Marie”) before the group dissolved. Capitol here in UK released this one too
BUBBLING UNDER
Baby It’s You The Spaniels (1958 version)
One Summer Night The Dandleers*
Lama Rama Ding Dong* The Edsels
Dance Girl Lewis Lymon & The Teenchords
Crying The Versatiles
*as per original issue
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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