Rhythm 'n' Blues: Early Doo-wop

Read About This Recording

Doo-wop is a style of music that usually means R&Bish vocal groups that emphasizes smooth harmonies and are sometimes a capella. One could trace it back to barbershop quartets of the early 1900s, but doo-wop tends to be performed by African-Americans and falls stylistically somewhere between swing and rock & roll. Many doo-wop groups were recorded in the 1950s although most soon disappeared or, if they were lucky, had one hit for posterity. Although not receiving that much respect from the music industry, doo-wop was at the height of its popularity in the 1950s and early '60s and it is still a beloved style of music today, influencing many genres of pop music.

Many of the best doo-wop groups of the 1950s make appearances on this definitive four-CD set which contains 100 recordings. Featured along the way are such bands as The Larks, The Spaniels, The Swallows, The Hamptones, The Ravens, The Dominoes, the Crickets, The Flamingos, The Platters, The Sparrows and The Moonglows along with a couple of dozen others; even The Mills Brothers.

Fitting into its own musical category, doo-wop is easy to enjoy and this imported box has many of the highpoints from its history.

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Imported from Europe!

CD 1 (TT: 67:24): Mills Brothers: Smack Dab in the Middle; The Larks: Rockin' in the Rocket Room; The Spaniels: Baby, it's You; The Four Buddies: Ooh Oh; The Five Keys: Hucklebuck With Jimmy; The Swallows: Roll, Roll, Pretty Baby; The Harptones: A Sunday Kind of Love; Big John & The Buzzards: Your Cash Ain't Worth Nothin' but Trash; The Ravens: Midnight Blues; Little Esther & The Dominoes: The Deacon Moves In; The Crickets: Your Love; The Hawketts: Mardi Gras Mambo; The Do-Ray-Mi Trio: Saturday Night Fish Fry; The Treniers: It Rocks! It Rolls! It Swings!; Don Julian & The Meadowlarks: Heaven and Paradise; The Marigolds: Why Don't You; The Midnighters: Work With Me, Annie; The Five Crowns: I Don't Have to Hunt No More; The Ebonaires: Lawd, Lawd, Lawd; The Lamplighters: Ride, Jockey, Ride; The Flamingos: Jump Children; The Checkers: White Cliffs of Dover; The Blenders: Don't Play Around With Love; The Feathers: Love Only You; The Moonglows: Secret Love.

CD 2 (TT: 62:34): Billy Ward & The Dominoes: Can't Do Sixty No More; The Eagles: Please, Please; The Lollypoppers: A Bottle of Pop; The Goldentones: The Meaning of Love; Run, Pretty Baby; The Deep River Boys: Shake, Rattle and Roll; Lee Andrews & The Hearts: The Bells of St. Mary's; The Five Royales: Baby, Take All of Me; Baby, Don't Do It; The Penguins: Hey Senorita; The Mills Brothers: Tiger Rag; The Rockers: My Confession; The Cues: Burn That Candle; The Swallows: It Ain't the Meat; The Debs: Whaddaya Want; The Larks: How Long Must I Wait; The Platters: Voo Vee Ah Bee; The Treniers: Poon-Tang; The Crickets: I'm Not the One You Love; The Pelicans: Ain't Gonna Do It; The Midnighters: Annie Had a Baby; The Five Stars: Where Did Caldonia Go; The Ravens: You Don't Have to Drop a Heart to Break It; The Spaniels: Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight; The Royals aka The Midnighters: Every Beat of My Heart.

CD 3 (TT: 64:53): The Treniers: Hi-Yo Silver; The Chords: Cross Over the Bridge; The Penguins: Don't Do It; The Sparrows: Hey; The Ravens: Gotta Find My Baby; Fat Man Matthews & The Four Kittens: Later Baby; The Thunderbirds: Baby, Let's Play House; The Harptones: Loving a Girl Like You; The Du-Droppers: Go Back; Lee Andrews & The Hearts: Much Too Much; The Barons: Boom, Boom; The Valentines: Lily Maybelle; The Crickets: Fine As Wine; The Larks: Honey From the Bee; The Rockets: Big Leg Mama; The Lamplighters: Salty Dog; The Feathers: Why Don't You Write Me; The Platters: Hey Now; The Rockers: Angel Child; The El Dorados: At My Front Door; The Velvets: I; The Four Jacks: The Last of the Good Rocking Men; The Five Scamps: Red Hot; The Five Crowns: $19.50 Bus; The Four Buddies Featuring Dolly Cooper: I'd Climb the Highest Mountain.

CD 4 (TT: 65:44): The Five Royales: I Like it Like That; Crazy, Crazy, Crazy; The Strangers: Blue Flowers; Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters: Money Honey; The Flamingos: Golden Teardrops; The Feathers: Shake 'em Up; The Empires: Somebody Changed the Lock; The Four Tunes: Marie; The Treniers: Go, Go, Go; The Sparrows: Tell Me, Baby; The Orchids: You're Everything to Me; The Ravens: Honey, I Don't Want You; The Jumping Jacks: Pa-pa-ya Baby; The Medallions: The Letter; Eddie Jones & The Troopers: Certainly All; The Vocaleers: Is it a Dream; The Swans: Ain't Like That No More; The Lamplighters: Goody Good Thing; The Crickets: Never Give Up Hope; The Chords: Sh-boom; The Larks: Os-ca-lu-ski-o; The Moonglows: Baby Please; The Rainbows: Mary Lee; The Swallows: Good Time Girls; The Hamptones: Turkey Hop.

Includes 32-page book.