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Post new topic Ah, memories: The Belmonts... with and without Dion.
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Author Topic:  Ah, memories: The Belmonts... with and without Dion.
Herb Steiner

 

From:
Spicewood TX 78669
Post  Posted 11 Jun 2017 7:54 pm    
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The first big hit for the group was with Dion Dimucci, "I Wonder Why" by Dion and the Belmonts. I loved it when I was 12 years old, and we all remember this one. Dig Angelo D'Aleo's falsetto singing and the choreography they did on "Bandstand."

But by 1962 I was a sophomore in high school, and the Belmonts had split from Dion. But they had this monster dance hit in Los Angeles radio. Come On Little Angel

Even though I was 15 and playing bluegrass and country, I still had a thing for doo-wop. Smile Maybe some of y'all did as well.
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 12 Jun 2017 6:35 am    
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Yeah, Herbster... I totally get it. "My True Story" by the Jive Five is my fave tune from that era.
And Dion's "The Wanderer"... is that a badass shuffle, or what?
And speaking of shuffles... I've always thought that an album of doo-wop shuffles by groups like the Platters could be redone as Ray Price type arrangements...
Think "The Great Pretender" or "It's All In The Game" done that way with steel & twin fiddles...walking bass...piano on the upbeats & a cross-stick shuffle...
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Herb Steiner

 

From:
Spicewood TX 78669
Post  Posted 12 Jun 2017 7:42 am    
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"The Wanderer," "Runaround Sue," "Ruby Baby," etc. Dion had a bunch of good ones in the 60s, culminating in "Abraham, Martin, and John," of course. He was always very hip, he left the Belmonts because he wanted to play blues like Jimmy Reed and country like Hank Williams. But his record companies wanted him to do the pop stuff. There's lots of recorded interviews with him where he discusses that time period.

Now, "My True Story," definitely. I remember that one quite well, but later than when it first came out, when I got into digging R&B in the mid-60s. As I recall KFWB played mostly white rock 'n roll in the earlier days... 58-64. The R&B was on the black stations down in South Central LA.

Greg H. says to tell you "hey" BTW, but he got totally crazed at a gig the other night. Hell, I might as well have been working in Ike Turner's band! Whoa!
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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 12 Jun 2017 8:42 am    
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I definitely have a soft spot for Doo Wop singing too, Herb. Doo Wop and melodic soul were some of the earliest music I heard wafting along the breeze from all the radios in my grandmother's West Philly neighborhood on a hot Summer night.
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Will Houston

 

From:
Tempe, Az
Post  Posted 12 Jun 2017 9:35 am    
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"I Wonder Why" doesn't get much more Doo Wop than that. I always liked "Drip Drop" too. Lots of good stuff from that boy.
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Mike Perlowin


From:
Los Angeles CA
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 4:20 am    
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I remember "Why Must I Be A Teenager In Lu-uv"
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 4:25 am    
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Doo Wop is deep in my blood. Almost the first music I can ever remember listening to. Some of my faves were The Cadillacs, The Moonglows, The Diamonds (Little darlin'!), and number one, The Platters.

I really got into collecting a lot of vocal group recordings, most of it pre-Doo Wop, like the The Five Keys and The Orioles.

The Belmonts with and without Dion were really good. And I dig Dion, too!
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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 5:35 am    
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If there's a better Doo Wop Ballad than The Flamingos "I only have eyes for you" I haven't heard it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63nlhoda2MY

And the fast stuff is fun too ...

The Cadillacs - "Speedo". This one always made me feel happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9uZvrsAoyE

The Doo Wop influence lingered a bit into the early '60s to be swept aside by rock and the British invasion.

Beach Boys "Hushabye"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kugBjlnnaA
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Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 6:41 am    
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" I Only Have Eyes..." is the ultimate classic, that sh-mom-shy-mo and dreamy arrangement." My oldest favorite. What did they use for reverb?!
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Mitch Drumm

 

From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 8:39 am    
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I don't think these 2 got any airplay in the early 60s, but they cracked me up the first time I heard them a couple of years ago. I bet Dion has heard them.

Answer songs from girl singers always attract me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2c6DHD21Ik

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fikj4yjOY_0


Regarding shuffles, I've wondered what would have resulted if Buddy Emmons had been in the studio with Wilbert Harrison when he cut "Kansas City"--instead of Jimmy Spruill. Spruill's guitar break is iconic, but I'd imagine Buddy would have done something equally flipped out.
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Herb Steiner

 

From:
Spicewood TX 78669
Post  Posted 13 Jun 2017 10:12 am    
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Buddy was 15 years old in 1952 when Wilbert Harrison recorded "Kansas City," but I'm sure you're correct about a flipped out solo.
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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 14 Jun 2017 3:22 am    
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Haven't heard those, Mitch. Great stuff. I, VI, IV, V Doo Wop grooves .... love 'em!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxOUYACKj2k

This is another pretty obscure one I've always loved ... Tonight by the (original) Supremes; cool Flamenco progression in the head and that amazing falsetto vocal with guitar noodling in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATqxcQeb7KE
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Joachim Kettner


From:
Germany
Post  Posted 14 Jun 2017 7:33 am    
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If you would check out the song "For No One But The Moon" on this playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCImk3S5lhVwE6-rWID7We1w/videos
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