Roger
2024-10-22 06:26:32 UTC
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PermalinkTODAY........FROM 1955
1. WHAT’CHA GONNA DO – CLYDE McPHATTER & THE DRIFTERS
Just as they did in the recent 1953 entry in this series,The Drifters
top the list again here in 1955 with the superb rockin’ “What’cha Gonna
Do” which missed the main BB chart but jumped to a healthy #2 spot on
the BB r&b chart.Again there was no UK release (they must wait another
year for that with “Soldier Of Fortune”)
2. LIFE IS BUT A DREAM – THE HARPTONES
Led by the great Willie Winfield here’s my second favorite Harptones
record (beaten only by their earlier “A Sunday Kind Of Love” classic)
now recording for Hy Weiss on his Old Town subsidiary label Paradise.
The number was used to magnificent effect much later when Martin
Scorsese chose it as the background music to Henry and Karen’s wedding
scene in his classic “Goodfellas” movie.
The Harptones never had a single released in the UK
3. THE WAY YOU DOG ME AROUND – THE DIABLOS
Absolute classic from the Detroit group that gave us the wonderful “The
Wind” ---personally I think this one is EVEN better if that’s possible.
Their fifth record on the famous Fortune label and the one that gave
them their one and only BB chart entry when it reached #12 for one week
(!) in early 1956. The Diablos never had a UK single either
4. AT MY FRONT DOOR – THE EL DORADOS
Ultra catchy classic from this five man Chicago group on Vee Jay led by
one Pirkle Lee Moses that charted big in 1955 (#17 on the BB pop chart
and #1 BB r&b). The song itself received even more publicity when Pat
Boone covered it (in an absolutely atrocious version on Dot) and The
Modernaires also came out with a lousy version on Coral. We got two of
the three versions here in UK.
I’ll leave you to guess which one missed out here ☹
5. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE – THE TEENAGERS featuring FRANKIE LYMON
Yep,that’s how they’re billed on the record that introduced this most
famous teenage act to the world (and yep again this one got issued most
everywhere). Hailing from the Bronx,NYC the boys hooked up with George
Goldner on his new Gee record label with “Why Do Fools…” being their
first release.
A smash hit in the US (#6 on the main BB chart and #1 BB r&b) it was one
of the first US rock ‘n’ roll records to make it big elsewhere in the
world—as here in UK where it made #1 in NME for 3 weeks in July 1956
released here on UK Columbia
6. SPEEDOO – THE CADILLACS
Great rockin’ entry from New York City’s finest on Josie label that I
can’t call their best (that honor goes to their fabulous 1954 debut
“Gloria”) but this one runs it close. Charted at #17 BB pop and #3 BB
r&b..Popular enough to generate several cover versions including Steve
Lawrence and The Commodores. I can but repeat my last sentence from the
El Dorados piece above.
“We got two of the three versions here in UK. I’ll leave you to guess
which one missed out here” ☹
7. NITE OWL – TONY ALLEN & THE CHAMPS**
**misprint on label – should read CHIMES.
Time we took a listen to what's happening out on the West Coast and how
better than a listen to the great “Nite Owl” courtesy of Tony
Allen---the New Orleans born vocalist who moved out west and hooked up
with The Chimes vocal group on Art Rupe’s famous Specialty label.
Although this one never charted nationally it was a big seller on the
West Coast. No release in UK
8. STORY UNTOLD – THE NUTMEGS
Hailing from New Haven Connecticut came five man The Nutmegs led by
Leroy Griffin recording for Al Silver’s Herald label where the memorable
“Story Untold” was a big seller in 1955 reaching #2 BB r&b. and spawning
alternate versions by the Du Droppers (fair),The Four Coins (dismal) and
The Crew Cuts (abysmal).
More dismal and abysmal still was the fact that that we only ever got
The Crew Cuts “A Story Untold” version here in UK in 1956 ☹
9. BLUE VELVET – THE CLOVERS
The Clovers show up again here with their best record of 1955 in “Blue
Velvet”. Recorded in NYC December 16 1954 along with “Love Bug” and “If
You Love Me”. Released on Atlantic in early 1955 it covered the original
record by Tony Bennett (who recorded it first tho Arthur Prysock claimed
first release on the song by a couple of weeks).
The #14 BB r&b song itself would stay popular over the years---enough to
generate a #1 hit later on both sides of the pond for the Bobby Vinton
version. Not released in UK but that is about to change……
10. COUNT EVERY STAR – THE ROCKERS
Originally recorded Glenn Miller-style by Ray Anthony several acts had
gotten to “Count Every Star” before The four man Rockers group added
their version to the pile (including the Ravens in 1950 voted by many
r&b vocal group fans as the best version) but the St Louis group The
Rockers have my personal favorite version waxed for the tiny Carter
label.
11. SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ – THE ROBINS
Classic Leiber & Stoller production on one of their very best songs
recorded by The Robins (just on the point of part-morphing into The
Coasters). Originally issued on L&S’s own Spark label it passed to
Atlantic in a huge deal in November 1955 involving all the Spark
masters—Atlantic promptly reissuing the record on their Atco subsid as
by “The Coasters” --where with Atlantic’s much better distribution setup
it sold many,many more copies.
12. YOU DIDN’T LEARN IT AT HOME – THE “5” ROYALES
Now established on the King label after switching from Apollo, The “5”
Royales come up with their best King record yet in the shape of the
sprightly punchy Lowman Pauling led “You Didn’t Learn It At Home” which
got a good “78” review in “Billboard”.
13. LOVE,ROCK AND THRILL – THE LAMPLIGHTERS
The four man Lamplighters r&b vocal group was formed circa 1952 in South
Central LosAngeles and comprised Willie Rockwell,Matt Nelson,Thurston
Harris and Al Frazier. Eventually signed to the Federal label by Ralph
Bass they cut a string of good—but not great selling singles over the
next few years of which “Love,Rock And Thrill” is one of my very
favorites.
The group also recorded for Federal as “The Tenderfoots” and later
morphed into the Sharps backing said Thurston Harris on his singles
output for Aladdin.
14. NIP SIP – THE CLOVERS
Catchy anthem to the demon beverage this Clovers is really extra special
over here since its the VERY first Clovers single to get UK release (on
London label here in January 1956). A good seller in their native USA
this one on Atlantic reached #10 on the BB r&b chart
15. LILY MAEBELLE – THE VALENTINES
Recorded for George Goldner at Rama Records in NYC “Lily Maebelle” comes
from The Valentines’ debut recording session for the label in August
1955. The super sax on the record is courtesy of Jimmy Wright who
thought so much of the recording he made his own instrumental version
“Lily Maebelle Mambo” later on the Gee label
16. ONE KISS – THE ROBINS
From the first session held for Jerry & Mike’s own Spark label in 1954
that gave us the classic “Riot In Cell Block #9” also arose the catchy
“One Kiss”. The band on this session included Gil Bernal (ten sx) Chuck
Norris (gtr) Ralph Hamilton (bs) Jesse Sailes (dms) and Mike Stoller
himself (pno).
“One Kiss”/I Love Paris” was released as Spark 113 in March 1955
17. DADDY ROCKIN’ STRONG – THE DIABLOS featuring NOLAN STRONG
The billing above is how the name appears of first pressings of the
record so pay no heed to the YT clip label. Revisiting the great Fortune
Records of Detroit here for the pick of great 1955 r&b vocal group
records which rarely came better that year than the fine “Daddy Rockin’
Strong”
18. THE ORIOLES – BRING THE MONEY HOME (UNRELEASED)
I’m not the biggest Orioles fan there is out here but I am a HUGE fan of
this number---which IMO is one of the VERY BEST things they ever did
(recorded March 16 1955 with Sonny Til on duty as usual for Jubilee but
unfortunately a recording which inexplicably sat in the vault unreleased
for decades). BTW the YT poster here sounds a nice guy.
19. THE CLOVERS – IF YOU LOVE ME (WHY DON’T YOU TELL ME SO)
The Buddy Bailey led “If You Love Me” comes from the same December 1954
session for Atlantic that produced the wondrous “Blue Velvet” (see #9
above and to which it is the flip) and is considered today by many as
one of the very best of their “B” sides (and they have some damn good
ones!)
20. THE DRIFTERS – STEAMBOAT
Until a few years ago I’d have named The Drifters’ cover of “Adorable”
as my favorite side on this particular record but in latter times I’ve
come round to liking the rawer “Steamboat” side just a tad better.
First recorded at an Atlantic session in NYC April 21 1955 along with
“No Sweet Lovin’” and “Honey Bee” but that version went unissued.
Recorded again in Los Angeles September 19 1955 along with “Adorable”,
”Your Promise To Be Mine”,”Ruby Baby” and “Drifting Away From You”.
“Steamboat” charted at #5 BB r&b (“Adorable” did better yet at #1 r&b)
BUBBLING UNDER
21. WHADYA WANT – THE ROBINS
22. BELLS IN MY HEART – THE SPIDERS
23. CRAZY FOR YOU – THE HEARTBEATS
24. MOST OF ALL – THE MOONGLOWS
25. CHOP CHOP BOOM – THE DANDERLIERS
