MY FAVE 20 RECORDS BY A VOCAL GROUP
TODAY........FROM 1954
1. WORK WITH ME ANNIE – THE ROYALS (MIDNIGHTERS)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpRr1kfBsVQ
At last here’s the big one for the Royals group who have graced the r&b
scene with some splendid records over the past couple of years including “Every Beat Of My Heart”,”Moonrise” etc all done for the Federal label. “Work With Me Annie” is the real big one going to #1 on the BB r&b chart but undergoing a major change in the group’s name halfway thru this record’s run---when they become the more familiar The Midnighters!
2. ANNIE HAD A BABY – THE MIDNIGHTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iqk2rtpj0M
How do you follow a record like “Work With Me Annie”? There’s always the oft tried and usually tested sequel song route which in this case yields
the predictable-but excellent-“Annie Had A Baby” which will also turn
out to be both great to listen to—but will also return the Federal
group back to #1 BB r&b with this classic followup.The song appeared on
a 78 only UK pressing on Parlophone (b/w "Sexy Ways")--but which was
made for export overseas only. I have NEVER seen a copy
https://www.45worlds.com/78rpm/record/dp399
3. EARTH ANGEL (WILL YOU BE MINE) – THE PENGUINS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx7ibQVVzqk
We’re about to do a roll call of some of the most famous and certainly
most legendary of 1950’s r&b vocal group recordings so fasten your seat belts! What better place to start than with L.A.’s own The Penguins (led
by Cleve Duncan) with their trademark anthem “Earth Angel” recorded for Dootsie Williams’ Dootone label. Charted at #8 BB pop and #1 BB r&b.
Released in UK on London and is one of the very rarest of the rare
British releases of the 50's
4. GLORIA – THE CADILLACS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB9qghkOD4Y
Glorious “Gloria”! One of the greatest ever debuts in the vocal group
side of rock ‘n’ roll history as The Cadillacs make their first
appearance on record on the Josie label with a revival of the beautiful
ballad first recorded back in 1946 by Bob Hayward. Did not chart and no
UK release
5. THE WIND – THE DIABLOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAuPUp7joVQ
Time to hear from dazzling Detroit now as the city’s finest The Diablos fronted by Nolan Strong step forward with their best record (IMO) the
wonderful “The Wind” on the Fortune label (a song picked up later in a
good version by NYC’s The Jesters recorded partly because of increased interest in the song later on in east coast locations
6. YOUR CASH AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TRASH – THE CLOVERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uOeagMD2qg
Recorded in NYC April 16 1954 at the session for Atlantic that also
produced “In The Morning Time” and the unissued “Nobody But You”. “Your
Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash” became their second single of 1954 following “Lovey Dovey” Charted at #6 BB r&b.. Released in UK as
Atlantic single---but not till 1968 (!)
7. SINCERELY – THE MOONGLOWS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzoohKxQfZY
Here’s the song that Alan Freed sat up all night co-writing—The Moonglows’ first record for the Chess label with a splendid lead by
Bobby Lester. It reached #1 on BB r&b chart spawning a very successful
pop cover by The McGuire Sisters (#1 in BB). We only got one version
here in UK (no prizes for guessing which)
8. GOODNITE SWEETHEART GOODNITE – THE SPANIELS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhe1zoKGqFQ
One of the most famous “sign off” songs of all was recorded for Vee Jay September 23 1953 and released in March 1954.A good seller for them it
reached #5 BB r&b Again it was covered by dem same damn McGuire Sisters
who again got the big pop hit.This time neither version was issued in UK
9. BABY I NEED YOU – THE EL DORADOS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd6XFMbJt9A
Enter the El Darados as ultra-rare original copies have it (later
pressings switched to the name in the header here). Again these guys
were signed to Vee Jay in Chicago and this was their debut record. This didn’t chart (they’d have to wait till 1955 and “At My Front Door” for that). This group NEVER had a UK single released
10. WHITE CHRISTMAS – THE DRIFTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s_9bvTK0bg
Not the first version of the Christmas perennial by a blues group (that
honor goes to the Ravens in 1948). Recorded February 4 1954 the Irving
Berlin Christmas anthem ---popularized by Der Bingle of course---in this Drifters version for Atlantic utilized both Clyde McPhatter and Bill
Pinkney as shared lead. The record charted multiple times (in various
years) on both BB charts peaking at #80 (in 1955 pop) and #2 (1954
r&b). No UK release
11. RIOT IN CELL BLOCK #9 – THE ROBINS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjUDbEage6M
Not only one of The Robins best but also one of Leiber & Stoller’s best numbers too and was the first release by the group on L&S‘s own Spark
record label. Because of the pretty vivid storyline the record found
itself banned on quite a few radio stations which surely affected sales
as it didn’t chart. Not released UK
12. I LIKE IT LIKE THAT – THE “5” ROYALES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLVifFQkyEk
Backed by Charlie “Little Jazz” Ferguson & his band this “highly
rhythmic effort” on the Apollo label as Billboard termed it in their
review is to my mind one of the best things the Royales ever did and
certainly one of my top favorites by them. Sadly in spite of all it had
going for it the record failed to chart
13. HEARTS OF STONE – THE JEWELS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WekSBhauyfQ
Led by Johnny Torrence here are five man Jewels outfit from Los Angeles
with their splendid original version of the much recorded “Hearts Of
Stone” song on the small R&B label. Most of the r&b sales on the song
went to the Otis Williams and his group The Charms (see below) who took
their cover version to #1 BB r&b whilst the pop sales were dominated by
the million selling Fontane Sisters version which made #1 on the BB pop
chart. There were a LOT of other versions too but I’ll stick with dem glittering Jewels
14. SH-BOOM – THE CHORDS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfoseSZtllo
Another original version here and another that spawned a whole raft of
cover versions.This time our heroes come from the Bronx with one of the earliest real true anthems of rock ‘n’ roll that again spawned a myriad
of cover versions. Signed by Atlantic their first record “Sh-Boom”
appeared on their new subsid Cat label and promptly started selling big
even crossing over to the BB pop charts where it made #5 (and #2 BB r&b) followed by other covers including The Crew Cuts #1 pop hit and a very
humorous comedy version by Stan Freberg (#14 BB pop)
15. WOMEN AND CADILLACS – THE NITE RIDERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qDAuQb8N6w
Led by “Doc” Starkes The Nite Riders enjoyed a fairly lengthy career
(right into the 60’s) starting off with the rocking “Women And
Cadillacs” recorded for the Apollo label. Cash Box in their review
called it “a quick beat r&b cutie”. As with so many vocal group items
from this era this was booted big time in the 1970’s
16. SEXY WAYS – THE MIDNIGHTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMkWkDLEC0g
The immediate followup to “Work With Me Annie” (and BEFORE “Annie Had A Baby”) on Federal which explains the notice “Formerly The Royals” under the artist credit on the record label. A good seller for the boys it sat
at #2 on the BB r&b chart. See entry #2 above re UK release
17. BIP BAM – THE DRIFTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjJl2zJbY5M
With a rockin’ Clyde McPhatter lead The Drifters show up again here with “Bip Bam” recorded November 12 1953 at a session that also produced "Don’t Dog Me”,”Such A Night” and “Warm Your Heart”. Released in October
1954 the Atlantic release coupled With “Someday You’ll Want Me To Want You” scored a #7 hit BB r&b
18. HEARTS OF STONE – THE CHARMS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O0wuGaEBkM
Tho I prefer the Jewels original version (see above) The Charms cover
for DeLuxe was certainly THE big version in the r&b market where it
spent NINE weeks at #1 in Billboard and even crossed over to their main
pop chart (#15 there). Amazingly this managed to get a UK release—but
not until well into 1955 where---coupled with “Ko Ko Mo”---it appeared
on the Parlophone label
19. WRAP IT UP – THE ROBINS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIjzweLly8g
The Robins score again here with the Carl Gardner-led “Wrap It Up”
another Leiber & Stoller anthem for their Spark label and released as
the flipside to the famous “Riot In Cell Block #9” (see above)
20. I USED TO CRY MERCY MERCY – THE LAMPLIGHTERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN5vIwAM91c
A cracking Rudolph Toombs number here for The Lamplighters with their
fourth release on Federal. A strong four man outfit featuring future
hitmaker one Thurston Harris,they should really have been much bigger
than they were. Good sellers on the West Coast but not many other places apparently.
BUBBLING UNDER
21. LOVE’S ALL I’M PUTTIN’ DOWN – THE SPIDERS (UNRELEASED)
22. LET’S MAKE UP – THE SPANIELS
23. GOD ONLY KNOWS – THE CAPRIS
24. FRAMED – THE ROBINS
25. MARY LEE – THE RAINBOWS
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