THE PLATTERS–THE #1 CROSS-OVER HITS

You can write on book on the hits of The Platters.  The group from Los Angeles, California included: Tony Williams-lead, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Zola Taylor.  Their first big hit record is the classic…ONLY YOU (AND YOU ALONE) on Mercury Records (70633).  The single record became a #1 R&B hit and a #5 Pop hit.

Any artist or group would be thrilled to have one cross-over hit that became a Top 10 hit…but The Platters were not just any group…they charted 3 hit single records that became not just Top 10 hits, but #1 hits…yes 3 hit singles that became #1 Pop and R&B hits…here they are.

1—THE GREAT PRETENDER…(Mercury 70753) Charting in December of 1955…and selling over 1 million records.

2—MY PRAYER…(Mercury 70819) Charting in July of 1956…it also sold over 1 million copies.

3—TWILIGHT TIME…(Mercury 71289) Charting in April of 1958 and it also became a million-seller.

The Platters were and still remain one of the very best vocal groups from the rock era...R&B or Pop…The Platters could do it all…On Mercury Records the original group charted  17 R&B single records and 38 Billboard Pop Hits.  The Platters are the #1 vocal group of the 1950′s.

CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO LISTEN TO “THE PLATTERS”…SING THEIR #1 CROSS-VER HITS…

The Great Pretender

My Prayer

Twilight Time

Till the next time—Joe

SONG OF THE DAY–THE SCHOOLBOYS…”PLEASE SAY YOU WANT ME” / “SHIRLEY”

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).  The 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

The Schoolboys – Shirley-1957

Till the next time—Joe

CLASSIC “SONG OF THE DAY”–THE CRESCENDOS–”OH JULIE”

One of my favorite tunes from the teen years is this great classic…OH JULIE by The Crescendos on the Nasco Records label (6005).  The single record charted on January 6, 1958 and climbed the Billboard Top 100 chart to #5.  The record crossed over to the Billboard R&B chart on January 27, 1958 and became a #4 hit record.  Record sales topped 1 million and The Crescendos were awarded a gold record.

Members included…George Lanius, James Lanius, Ken Brigham, Tom Fortner and Jim Hall.  George Lanius died in 1996 at the age of 56.  The female voice on the record is Janice Green.  The flip-side of the record is…MY LITTLE GIRL, it did not chart.  The Crescendos did not chart any other hit records, but their one big hit…is a classic!!!!

CLICK THE TITLE BELOW…THE CRESCENDOS ARE SINGING…”OH JULIE”…JUST FOR YOU.

The Crescendos – Oh Julie

Till the next time—Joe

THE PENTAGONS–”TO BE LOVED (FOREVER)”

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 chart.

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

SONG OF THE DAY–THE MOONGLOWS–”TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE”

The Moonglows are one of the most famous R&B and Doo-Wop groups of all-time.  They formed in Cleveland, Ohio.  Lead singers were Bobby Lester, who died in 1980 (age 50) and Harvey Fuqua, died in 2010 (age 80), with Alexander “Pete” Graves, died in 2006 (age 76), Prentiss Barnes, also died in 2006 (age 81) and Billy Johnson, who played guitar…he died in 1987 (age 58).

The Moonglows recorded classic hits such as…SINCERELY  a #1 R&B hit in 1955…MOST OF ALL…#5 in 1955…WE GO TOGETHER…#9 in1956 and…SEE SAW…a #6 hit also in 1956.  In 1957 The Moonglows recorded the #5 R&B hit record…PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE.

One of the groups biggest hits charted in October of 1958…TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE on Chess Records, where all of the above mentioned hits were recorded.  The single record was credited as “Harvey and The Moonglows” (Harvey Fuqua on lead) as was…SEE SAW and PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE.  The single charted at #9 on the Billboard R&B chart and at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE is a classic from the GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL and is still played today on oldies radio…great music takes on a life of its own…and lives on…CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW AND LISTEN TO…HARVEY AND THE MOONGLOWS…AS THEY SING…”TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE”.

Prentis Barnes is the brother of James “Pookie” Hudson of The Spaniels.  The Moonglows were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Harvey & The Moonglows – Ten Commandments Of Love

Till the next time—Joe

2011 In Review—Joe Troiano’s Blog…”The Golden Era Of Rock And Roll”

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 83,000 times in 2011. If it were an exhibit at the Louvre Museum, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

ANTHONY & THE SOPHOMORES–”PLAY THOSE OLDIES MR. DEE JAY”

Anthony & The Sophomores – Play Those Oldies Mr. Dee Jay

ANTHONY & THE SOPHOMORES RECORDED THIS DOO-WOP CLASSIC ON MERCURY RECORDS (72103) IN 1963.  THE SONG WAS A HUGE DISC JOCKEY FAVORITE IN NEW YORK…”PLAY THOSE OLDIES MR. DEE JAY IS STILL BEING PLAYED TODAY ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER.

THE SINGLE RECORD DID NOT CHART ON THE MAJOR NATIONAL MUSIC CHARTS, BUT IS CONSIDERED A DOO-WOP CLASSIC…AND IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST DOO-WOP HITS OF ALL TIME BY WRITERS GRIBIN AND SCHIFF IN THEIR BOOK “THE COMPLETE BOOK OF DOO-WOP”.

CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE AND ENJOY THIS DOO-WOP CLASSIC BY ANTHONY & THE SOPHOMORES.

Till the next time—Joe

MORE GREAT–”DOO-WOP” CLASSICS

Ronnie & the Hi-Lites – I Wish That We Were Married

The Drifters – There Goes My Baby

The Fascinators – Chapel Bells

Dreamlovers – Together-1964

Royal Teens – I’ll Love You-1965

The Dimensions – Over the Rainbow

The Capris – Indian Girl

The Jive Five – These Golden Rings

Till the next time—Joe

SONG OF THE DAY–THE FIESTAS–”SO FINE”

The Fiestas are a doo-wop group from Newark, New Jersey.  Members included Tommy Bullock-lead vocals, Eddie Morris-tenor, Sam Ingalls-baritone and Preston Lane-bass.

They charted their biggest hit record in 1959 with their Doo-Wop classic…”SO FINE” on Old Town Records (1062).  The single charted on March 23, 1959 on the Billboard R&B chart.  The Fiestas hit became a #3 record on the chart, a spot it held for 5 weeks.  The single remained on the chart for 19 weeks.

On April 6, 1959…SO FINE…crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed the pop chart to #11.  The single remained on the chart for 16 weeks.  The flip-side of the 45rpm is…LAST NIGHT I DREAMED…it did not chart.

The Fiestas would not chart another Top 40 pop hit, but would have another Top 20 R&B hit in 1962 with their recording of…BROKEN HEART…a #18 hit single record.  It would also chart at #81 on the Hot 100 and become the groups last hit record.  The Fiestas would continue recording into the mid 1970s.

Click on the title below and hear…THE FIESTAS…Singing their big hits…”SO FINE” and “BROKEN HEART”.  Solid-Gold from the “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.

So Fine

Broken Heart

Till the next time—Joe

“DOO-WOP GREATS” EARL LEWIS AND THE CHANNELS–”THE CLOSER YOU ARE”

One of the best doo-wop vocal groups to never have a national hit record.  Earl Lewis And The Channels have been dubbed…”New York’s Finest” because of their wonderful blend of voices and romantic songs.  Earl Lewis joined the group after they formed in 1955 and became the groups main songwriter.

Earl Lewis And The Channels have seven songs listed in the “greatest doo-wop hits” of all-time by writers Gribin/Schiff in their book “The Complete Book Of Doo-Wop”.  The songs are: NOW YOU KNOW-1956…THE CLOSER YOU ARE-1956…I REALLY LOVE YOU-1956…THE GLEAM IN YOUR EYES-1956…THAT’S MY DESIRE-1957…BYE BYE BABY-1957…AND…MY LOVE WILL NEVER DIE-1957.

Earl Lewis wrote the classic…THE CLOSER YOU ARE-1956 (Port Records 70014), a hit in the New York area and other regional markets, but the song never charted.  The record is of course a doo-wop classic, a masterpiece of vocal harmony, and a favorite on oldies radio.  The flip-side of the single record is…NOW YOU KNOW, another great song that did not chart.

The “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL” IS PROUD TO FEATURE BOTH SIDES OF THIS GREAT 1956 RECORDING…FOR SURE A CLASSIC HIT…THAT NEVER CHARTED…HOW DO YOU FIGURE!!!

The Closer You Are

Now You Know

Till the next time—Joe