skeith Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 This music sounds locked in a time warp and nobody does it today, but I like a lot of it. I mean tunes such as: Why do fools fall in love? Since I don't Have you Smoke Gets in your Eyes Only You etc.,etc. It would seem antithetical to much of what I like in music, but yet when I put it on or when it happens to come on and others reach for the off switch - I practically wrestle them to the ground. Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 This might be heresy to say, but I really dig Frank Zappa's brand of Neo-Doo-Wop... Cruising With Ruben & the Jets (1968) Slightly warped lyrics, double-entendres galore, and often slightly warped harmonic changes too -- Zappa's warped Doo-Wop keeps me coming back, year after year. I haven't heard much of the real stuff, I'm afraid. Nothin' wrong with it, mind you - just other priorities I guess.... Quote
Jazzmoose Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Skeith, I'd damn well better like it, at least just a little! My wife loves the stuff, so I get to hear it quite often. I must admit that I Only Have Eyes for You by the Flamingos is a guilty pleasure. I have to be in the mood for the stuff, but when that's the case, I can enjoy a lot of it. Some of it just leaves me puzzled though... Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 I adore doo wop, maybe 'cause I don't sing much myself, but to me it's what love sounds like. I especially like soo wop renditions of standards, like the above mentioned Flamingos rendition of "I Only Have Eyes For You" and the (not yet mentioned) Belmonts version of "Where or When". Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 (edited) So Moose, have you tried playing "Cruising With Ruben & the Jets (1968)" for your wife?? Don't tell her what it is, just sneak it on, like maybe sneak it into the mix on a five-disc CD player, and put it on multi-disc shuffle-mode. Could be fun!! Edited July 24, 2003 by Rooster_Ties Quote
BruceH Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 I really like Doo-Wop, although I havn't listened to any in a long time. Favorite group: The Five Royales. Quote
JohnJ Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 I have always really liked the song "Maybe" by The Chantels. Actually, I like a lot of their stuff, AMG describes them as 'rock'n'roll's first great female group'. Quote
JSngry Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 The Moonglows RULE! If you don't yet know this, take the time to learn it, because it is true. And the Flamingos thing on "Eyes" has a groove to die for, no shit. Certain many jazz players should be able to ride the pocket like that. And that wrap-araound swath of massive reverb air-conditioning just seals the deal. Yeah, I dig doo-wop, because each night I ask the stars up above, "Why must I be a teenager in love?" 1,2,3...Look at Mr. Lee! Oh HELL yeah I love doo-wop! Quote
JSngry Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 You cannot be a Marvin Gaye completionist without certain Moonglows sides. Anybody heard how they do "Blue Velvet"? Magic. Quote
Big Al Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 (edited) Re: I Only Have Eyes For You What the heck are they saying?!?!? "Sludge-mop?" "Do whatcha want?" "Drudge Fop" Anyone ever hear Stan Freberg's version of "Sh'boom?" Dis a rhythmnblooz record, you gotta be careful somebody liable ta unnerstand what yer talkin about, you want that to happen? You guys wanna sell a few records? Well then stick some old rags in yer mouth and lets take it again from the top. Oh and one another thing: YOU NEVER GIVE ME A CHA-HA-HANCE!!! Edited July 24, 2003 by Big Al Quote
JSngry Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 When it comes to "Sh'Boom", there is The Crew Cuts version, which is a Weapon Of Mass Emasculation that needs to be totally eradicated from the American Consciousness, and The Chords' original version on Atlantic, which is sublimely swinging (you could even call it jazz in this regard), with a marvellous tenor solo by (I think) Sam Taylor, and which is welcome on my turntable ANYTIME! Quote
Harold_Z Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 I dig doo wop and basically consider a lot of the records under discussion R & B. At least that's how I think of them. The records talked about here so far are some of the earliest music I remember - and I remember digging it and seeking out the records when I was old enough. For a great site devoted to this stuff - check this out United In Group Harmony Association Quote
Big Al Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 and The Chords' original version on Atlantic, which is sublimely swinging (you could even call it jazz in this regard), with a marvellous tenor solo by (I think) Sam Taylor, and which is welcome on my turntable ANYTIME! I'm pretty sure Freberg was satirizing the Chords version; even his satire has a whale of a tenor solo on it! And while I'm at it: BOMP-B-B-BOMP-B-BOMP-B-BOMP-BOMP-DINGA-DONG-DANG BLUE MOOOOOOOON!!! Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 JSngry, I completely agree 'bout that tenor solo on the Chords "Sh-Boom"--I think the correct period lingo would be "it's gone!" How much would a person hafta pay you to get a transcription (in concert pitch please)? Your humble servant, Dana Quote
Noj Posted July 24, 2003 Report Posted July 24, 2003 I like Doo-Wop and oldies though I don't own a lot of it. I have some Brenton Wood from my old cruising the boulevard days... B) Quote
JSngry Posted July 26, 2003 Report Posted July 26, 2003 Speaking of Doo-Wop, does anybody remember a thing by a group called The Medallions called "The Letter"? Whoever that was who did the spoken part in the middle sounds like a real "uh, he was always kind of a loner" kinda guy, if you know what I mean. But OTOH, you GOT to love any record that uses a word like "pizmotology" and talks about the "pompitudes of love" (a phrase later co-opted by Steve Miller!). I came across it on a Collectors Records cassette (oh, the irony!) collection of Doo-Wop singles from the Doo-Tone label (yeah, the same label that did Redd Foxx, Curtis Counce, & Dexter Gordon). There's some GREAT stuff on there. Quote
J.A.W. Posted July 26, 2003 Report Posted July 26, 2003 (edited) Short and personal list of Doo-Wop and Vocal Group recommendations (no bootlegs) COLLECTIONS The Doo-Wop Box: 101 Vocal Group Gems from the Golden Age of Rock ´n´ Roll, Vol.1 - 4CD, Rhino The Doo-Wop Box II: 101 More Vocal Group Gems - 4CD, Rhino Rhythm & Blues, Vol.1: The End of an Era; Vol.2: Sweet 'n' Greasy - BGO (UK); 2LPs-on-1CD; former Liberty compilations The Best of Chess Vocal Groups, Vol.1 - MCA / Chess The Best of Chess Vocal Groups, Vol.2 - MCA / Chess Great Googa Moo: Rhythm & Bluesin' with King-Federal-DeLuxe Vocal Groups, Vol.1 - Sequel (UK) Don't It Sound Good: The Great Atlantic Vocal Groups - Collectors' Choice / Rhino All Night Boogie: The Great Atlantic Vocal Groups, Vol.2 - Collectors' Choice / Rhino GROUP COMPILATIONS Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - Sexy Ways: The Best of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - Rhino; King recordings Cadillacs - The Best of the Cadillacs - Rhino; Josie recordings Clovers - The Clovers / Dance Party - Collectables; 2LPs-on-1CD; Atlantic recordings Clovers - The Clovers - Sequel (UK); Atlantic recordings; differs from the original LP Clovers - Dance Party - Sequel (UK); Atlantic recordings; differs from the original LP Coasters - The Very Best of the Coasters - Atco recordings; Rhino Drifters - Rockin' & Driftin': The Drifters Box - 3CD, Rhino; Atlantic recordings Drifters - Let the Boogie-Woogie Roll: Greatest Hits, 1953-1958 - 2CD, Rhino; Atlantic recordings Drifters - All-Time Greatest Hits and More, 1959-1965 - 2CD, Rhino; Atlantic recordings Drifters - Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters / Rockin' 'n' Driftin' - Collectables; 2LPs-on1CD; Atlantic recordings Drifters - Up on the Roof / Under the Boardwalk - Collectables; 2LPs-on1CD; Atlantic recordings Drifters - Save the Last Dance for Me / The Good Life with the Drifters - Collectables; 2LPs-on1CD; Atlantic recordings Drifters - The Definitive Drifters Anthology, Vols.1-5 and 7 - 6 separate CDS, Sequel (UK); Five Keys - The Aladdin Years - EMI 5 Royales - Laundromat Blues - Relic; Apollo recordings 5 Royales - Baby Don't Do It - Relic; Apollo recordings 5 Royales - Monkey Hips and Rice: The "5" Royales Anthology - 2CD, MCA / Chess Flamingos - The Complete Chess Masters - MCA / Chess Flamingos - The Very Best of the Flamingos - Rhino; recordings for various labels Heartbeats - The Best of the Heartbeats (including Shep & the Limelites) - Rhino; recordings for various labels Larks - My Reverie - Relic; Apollo recordings Larks - When I Leave These Prison Walls - Relic; Apollo recordings Little Anthony & the Imperials - The Best of Little Anthony & the Imperials - Rhino; recordings for various labels Moonglows - Blue Velvet: The Ultimate Collection - 2CD, MCA / Chess Orioles - The Orioles Sing Their Greatest Hits - Collectables; for those who want it all there's a 6CD-set on Bear Family (Germany), entitled: The Jubilee Recordings Spiders - The Imperial Sessions - 2CD, Bear Family (Germany) Billy Ward & the Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man: The Best of Billy Ward & the Dominoes - Rhino; King recordings Otis Williams & the Charms - The Original Rockin' and Chart Masters - Ace (UK) Edited July 26, 2003 by J.A.W. Quote
John L Posted July 26, 2003 Report Posted July 26, 2003 Nice list! It would be nice to get an Orioles collection on that list. One of my favorite Doo Wop disks is The Orioles, "So Much Feeling" (Blue Moon BMCD-3054) I guess that Blue Moon might fall into the category of bootlegs, however. Fans of jazz-oriented Doo Wop should definitely check out early Four Tops recordings that were made before they were integrated into the Motown machine. Some of their earliest efforts have been included on Chess Doo Wop compilations. But I especially recommend the Tops' "Breaking Through (1963-1964)" that was released in Motown's Lost and Found series a few years back. Fantastic vocals, harmonies, and arrangements, done mostly under the leadership of the late and vastly underrated Lawrence Payton. Quote
JSngry Posted July 26, 2003 Report Posted July 26, 2003 (edited) Listening to the Moonglows set that J.A.W. so rightly recommends above, I noticed the Red Holloway makes some my-t-fine solo contributions, and that one one session, the backing is by James Moody, Dave Burns, Sadik Hakim, and whoever else was in Moody's band at the time. As well, the into to the tune "Penny Arcade" seems uncanilly like a premonition of a Brian Wilson production. The Moonglows need to be heard! Edited July 26, 2003 by JSngry Quote
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