Category: LOST GOLD
The Schoolboys are an R&B / Doo-Wop vocal group from Harlem, New York. Members included Leslie Martin, James Edwards, Roger Hayes, James McKay and Renaldo Gambie.
On February 16, 1957 The Schoolboys charted one side of their double-sided hit on the Billboard Top 100…SHIRLEY, climbed the Top 100 to #91. The single record also charted on the Billboard R&B chart on February 23, 1957 and went to #15. The Schoolboys hit was recorded on the Okeh Records label (7076). Th
e ballad side of the record is…PLEASE SAY YOU WANT 
ME…it charted on March 23, 1957 on the Billboard R&B chart, peaking at #13. The song did not chart on the Top 100. The single record would become the groups only national hit record. Both sides of this classic single record are considered Doo-Wop classics.
The Golden Era Of Rock And Roll is pleased to present both sides of this wonderful record for you to enjoy…the great hits…from the greatest era in pop music…The “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
The Schoolboys – Please Say You Want Me-1957
Till the next time—Joe
One great song two very different versions, both big hits. Nat King Cole charted his classic version of…MONA LISA in 1950. His version became a #1 hit on both the Billboard R&B and Pop charts. The single record on Capitol Records (F1010) became a #1 R&B hit for 4 weeks and a #1 Pop hit for 8 weeks. Nat’s version sold over 1 million copies and was awarded a “Gold Record”. He also won a “Grammy: Hall of Fame” award. The song was featured in the movie…”Captain Carey, U.S.A. starring Alan Ladd.
Carl Mann charted a rock-a-billy version in 1959. His recording on Phillips Records (3539) became a #24 Billboard R&B hit and a #25 Billboard Hot 100 hit. Carl’s version of MONA LISA remained on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks.
Conway Twitty charted his version of MONA LISA also in 1959. Conway’s version on MGM Records (12804) charted at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on th
e chart for 12 weeks.
Three versions of one classic song…pick your favorite…all three are here for you enjoyment.
Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa-1950 #1 R&B and Pop (Capitol Records)
Conway Twitty – Mona Lisa – 1959
Till the next time—Joe
The Pentagons are an R&B/Doo-Wop group from San Bernadion, California. Members included Josephus Jones-lead vocal, half-brother Otis Munson and brothers Ken and Ted Goodloe. Ken Goodloe passed away in 2008 at the age of 60.
The groups biggest pop hit is their 1961 classic…TO BE LOVED (FOREVER) on Donna Records (1337). The record was first released on Fleetwood International (100) in 1960. The single charted on February 20, 1961, climbing the Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at #48. The Pentagons hit remained on the Hot 100 for 10 weeks. The flip-side of the single record is DOWN AT THE BEACH, it did not chart.
In October of 1961 the group charted their second single record…I WONDER (IF YOUR LOVE WILL EVER BELONG TO ME) on Jamie Records (1201). The single record charted at #84 on the Hot 100 and stayed on the pop chart for 5 weeks. The flip-side…SHE’S MINE did not c
hart.
The Pentagons did not chart any other hits, they should have, because they were that good. Their classic…TO BE LOVED (FOREVER) is an oldies and doo-wop classic that should have been even bigger in 1960 than it was. Thanks to oldies radio and internet oldies and doo-wop stations, the record has reached a new audience and lives in the ‘GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW…THE PENTAGONS ARE SINGING THEIR CLASSIC…”TO BE LOVED (FOREVER) JUST FOR YOU.
The Pentagons – To Be Loved (Forever)
Till the next time—Joe
Growing up in the 1950s it is hard not to remember the great sounds of early rock and
roll. One of the songs that became a huge hit was recorded by the legendary R&B bandleader/composer…Johnny Otis…the classic…WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE. The single record on Capitol Records (3966), made its Billboard Top 100 debut on June 23, 1958 and charted at #9. The record remained on the Top 100 for 16 weeks. WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE charted even higher on the Billboard R&B chart, reaching #3. The song is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame..
With its great rhythm and beat the record was a natural for the teen market. Johnny was born John Veliotes on December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California. In 1945 he started his own band, charting many hit records…one of his best is his version of HARLEM NOCTURNE-1951. He wrote, EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART which became a big hit for Gladys Knight and The Pips in 1961.
Johnny was known as the “Godfather of Rhythm and Blues”. Johnny’s R&B Caravan featured the top R&B artists of the 1950s. He is credited with discovering, Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard and Little Willie John to name a few. He was also a well-known DJ in Los Angeles.
Johnny charted four hit records in the rock era, the biggest of course is his classic, WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE. Others include, CRAZY COUNTRY HOP-#87 in 1958…CASTIN’ MY SPELL-#52 in 1959 and MUMBLIN’ MOSIE-#80 in 1960. All of the single records were released on Capital Records.
Johnny Otis was selected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 (non-performer). On January 17, 2012 Johnny passed away at the age of 90. His music lives on…in our hearts and minds…remembering the days of WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE…wonderful memories from
the “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL.
CLICK ON A TITLE BELOW…THE LEGENDARY JOHNNY OTIS IS WAITING TO SING FOR YOU!!!
Willie Did The Cha Cha Cha—Flip side of “Crazy Country Hop”
Till the next time—Joe
THE WORLD LOST ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED FEMALE VOCALISTS OF ALL-TIME WITH 
THE PASSING OF ETTA JAMES ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012. BORN JAMESETTA HAWKINS ON JANUARY 25, 1938 IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. SHE FOUGHT FREQUENT BOUTS 
WITH DRUG ADDICTION AND FINALLY WAS CURED IN THE LATE 1970S.
HER HIT RECORDS ARE LEGENDARY…HER FIRST IN 1955…THE WALLFLOWER ON MODERN RECORDS (947) BECAME A #1 R&B HIT. THE SONG ALSO KNOWN AS…ROLL WITH ME HENRY…IS THE ANSWER SONG TO HANK BALLARD’S…WORK WITH ME ANNIE”.
HIT AFTER HIT CHARTED ON VARIOUS RECORD LABELS THROUGHOUT THE 1960S AND 1970S. HER CLASSIC HIT…AT LAST, WON A GRAMMY AWARD IN 1961. HER LAST TOP 10 R&B HIT IS HER 1967 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME RECORDING OF…TELL MAMA. 
ETTA CHARTED 30 R&B HIT SINGLE RECORDS AND 28 BILLBOARD HOT 100 HITS.
HER WONDERFUL MUSIC WILL BE ENJOYED FOR YEARS TO COME…SHE IS TRULY A CLASSIC…THE LEGENDARY ETTA JAMES…A MUSICAL LEGACY…SHE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED IN THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
CLICK ON THE TITLE TO ENJOY…THE “LEGENDARY” ETTA JAMES…SINGING HER #1 HIT RECORD…”THE WALLFLOWER”
The Wallflower—Etta James #1 R&B hit record from 1955
TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE
HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS SONG WAS A HIT 54 YEARS AGO…A FAVORITE ON AM 
RADIO, “CLICK CLACK” CHARTED ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 100 ON FEBRUARY 10, 1958 AND CLIMBED TO #28 ON THE CHART. THE SINGLE ON SWAN RECORDS (4001) REMAINED ON THE TOP 100 FOR 14 WEEKS.
DICKY DOO AND THE DON’TS, A ROCK AND ROLL BAND WAS FOUNDED BY GERRY GRANAHAN IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. THEY WERE NAMED AFTER THE NICKNAME OF DICK CLARK’S SON…”DICKY DOO”. THE GROUP FEATURED…HARVEY DAVIS, ROY GANGI, AL WAYE AND 
DAVE ALDRED, WHO WAS THE EX-DRUMMER OF BUDDY KNOX AND JIMMY BOWEN’S “RHYTHM ORCHIDS”.
THE FLIP-SIDE OF…CLICK CLACK IS…DID YOU CRY. THE SINGLE DID NOT CHART, BUT THEIR FOLLOW-UP RECORD ON MAY 5, 1958…NEE NEE NA NA NA NA NU NU—SWAN (4006) DID. IT BECAME A #40 HIT ON THE TOP 100. THE FLIP-SIDE OF THE SINGLE…FLIP TOP BOX BECAME A RADIO HIT ALSO. THE SINGLE RECORD CHARTED ON JUNE 9, 1958 AND BECAME A #46 HIT ON THE TOP 100.
DICKY DOO AND THE DON’TS WOULD HAVE ANOTHER HIT RECORD IN SEPTEMBER OF 1958 WHEN THEIR RECORDING OF…LEAVE ME ALONE (LET ME CRY), (SWAN 4014) MADE ITS BILLBOARD HOT 100 DEBUT. THE RECORD WOULD CLIMB TO #44. THE MELODY WAS BASED ON THE “BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC”. ONE MORE SINGLE REACHED THE HOT 100. ON FEBRUARY 2, 1959…TEARDROPS WILL FALL (SWAN 4025) MADE ITS DEBUT. THE SINGLE RECORD REMAINED ON THE HOT 100 FOR 6 WEEKS AND CHARTED AT A HIGH OF #61.
DICKY DOO AND THE DON’TS CAN STILL BE HEARD ON OLDIES RADIO, SINGING THEIR BIG HIT…CLICK CLACK. IN 1958 ROCK AND ROLL WAS YOUNG…SOME SAID IT WOULD NEVER LAST…BUT LAST IT DID AND STILL CONTINUES TO FILL THE AIRWAVES ON OLDIES RADIO AND INTERNET RADIO…THE MUSIC LIVES ON, IN THE “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW…DICKY DOO AND THE DON’TS ARE SINGING THEIR 1958 HIT…”CLICK CLACK”…JUST FOR YOU.
TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE
