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Gee (The Crows Song)
"Gee" is a song by American R&B and doo-wop group the Crows, released in June 1953. The song has been credited as the first rock and roll hit by a rock and roll group. It is a doo-wop song, written by William Davis and Viola Watkins, and recorded by the Crows on the independent label, Rama Records, at Beltone Studios in New York City in February 1953. It charted in April 1954, one year later. It took a year to get recognized on '' Your Hit Parade''. It landed No. 2 on the rhythm and blues chart and No. 14 on the pop chart. It was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records. Recorded on an independent label, it was one of the first such R&B records to crossover to the wider pop market. Some, including Jay Warner, consider it as the first of the "rock and roll records". Song The song starts with a few bars of wordless vocals: ::''duh-duda-duh-duda-duh-duda-duh-duh-duba'' followed by the lead vocal; ::''Oh-ho-ho-ho gee, my oh-oh gee-hee, well oh-ho gee, why ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Crows
The Crows were an American R&B vocal group formed in 1951. They achieved commercial success and popularity during the 1950s with their debut single and only hit, " Gee". The single, released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock and roll hit by a rock and roll group.Warner, Jay, ''American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today'' (2006), Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 137 It peaked at position number 14 and number 2, respectively, on the '' Billboard'' pop and R&B charts in 1954. Although Gee fell into the doo-wop genre, and "was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records" in that genre, some (including Jay Warner) consider it as the first of the "rock and roll records". History When The Crows started in 1951, practicing sidewalk harmonies, the original members were Daniel "Sonny" Norton (lead), William "Bill" Davis (baritone), Harold Major (tenor), Jerry Wittick (tenor) and Gerald Hamilton (bass). In 1952, Wittick left the group ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Musical ensemble, bands. Initiated in 1991, the database was first made available on the Internet in 1994. AllMusic is owned by RhythmOne. History AllMusic was launched as ''All-Music Guide'' by Michael Erlewine, a "compulsive archivist, noted astrologer, Buddhist scholar, and musician". He became interested in using computers for his astrological work in the mid-1970s and founded a software company, Matrix, in 1977. In the early 1990s, as compact discs (CDs) replaced LP record, LPs and cassette (format), cassettes as the dominant format for recorded music, Erlewine purchased what he thought was a CD of early recordings by Little Richard. After buying it, he discovered it was a "flaccid latter-day rehash". Frustrated with the labeling, he res ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by their vocal harmonies, adolescent-oriented lyrics, and musical ingenuity, they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era. The group drew on the music of Traditional pop, older pop vocal groups, 1950s rock and roll, and black R&B to create their unique sound. Under Brian's direction, they often incorporated classical music, classical or jazz elements and Recording studio as an instrument, unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. The Beach Boys formed as a garage band centered on Brian's songwriting and managed by the Wilsons' father, Murry Wilson, Murry. Jardine was briefly replaced by David Marks during 1962–1963. In 1963, they enjoyed their first national hit with "Surfin' U.S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Pixies Three
The Pixies Three are an American teenage vocal girl group formed in Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 1957 by schoolmates Debbie Swisher and Kaye McCool. They are known for their early 1960s hit songs “Birthday Party” and “442 Glenwood Avenue”. History Formation (1957) Having performed in local shows since 1955, the trio of Midge Bollinger (lead vocals), Kaye McCool (low vocals), and Debra Swisher (high vocals) were signed to Mercury Records in 1963 by producer-songwriters John Madara and Dave White, who had discovered the group at a show in Philadelphia (among the group’s previous successes were two appearances on the ''Ted Mack Amateur Hour''). Initial run and success (1957–1965) Their debut single, "Birthday Party" was a huge success locally and made the Top 40 nationally ( The b-side, "Our Love" was written by Kaye). After their second single, “442 Glenwood Avenue" / "Cold, Cold Winter” (in which both sides charted), Midge Bollinger left the group and was repla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012. The chart is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African-American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, rock and roll, soul, and funk, it is today dominated by contemporary R&B and hip hop. Since its inception, the chart has changed its name many times in order to accurately reflect the industry at the time. History Beginning in 1942, ''Billboard'' published a chart of bestselling African-American music, first as the Harlem Hit Parade, then as Race Records. Then in 1949, ''Billboard'' began publishing a Rhythm and Blues chart, which entered "R&B" into mainstream lexicon. These three ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Hollywood Flames
The Hollywood Flames were an United States, American Rhythm and blues, R&B human voice, vocal group in the 1950s, best known for their No. 11 hit record, hit "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz" in 1957. Early years They formed as The Flames in 1949, in the Watts, Los Angeles, California, Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, at a talent show where members of various high school groups got together. The original members were Bobby Day, Bobby Byrd (lead), David Ford, Curlee Dinkins and Willie Ray Rockwell. Rockwell was replaced by Clyde Tillis, and Ford sometimes sang lead. Their first paying concert, gig was at Johnny Otis's Barrelhouse Club. They first sound recording and reproduction, recorded in 1950 for the Selective record label, label, and the following year, billed as The Hollywood Four Flames, released "Tabarin", a song written by Murry Wilson (father of The Beach Boys). They later recorded another Wilson song, "I'll Hide My Tears". Bands and recordings Over the years the group, under va ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan And Dean
Jan and Dean were an American rock music, rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles later popularized by the Beach Boys. Among their most successful songs was 1963's "Surf City (song), Surf City", the first surf song ever to reach the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the US. Their other charting top 10 singles were "Baby Talk (Jan and Dean song), Baby Talk" (1959), "Drag City (song), Drag City" (1963), "Dead Man's Curve (song), Dead Man's Curve" (1964; inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008,) and "The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)" (1964). In 1972, Torrence won the Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Recording Package, Best Album Cover for the psychedelic rock band Dobie Gray, Pollution's first eponymous 1971 album, and was nominated three other times in the same catego ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surf Music
Surf music (also known as surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental surf, distinguished by reverb-heavy electric guitars played to evoke the sound of crashing waves, largely pioneered by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. The second is vocal surf, which took elements of the original surf sound and added vocal harmonies, a movement led by the Beach Boys. Dick Dale developed the surf sound from instrumental rock, where he added Middle Eastern and Mexican influences, a spring reverb, and rapid alternate picking characteristics. His regional hit " Let's Go Trippin', in 1961, launched the surf music craze, inspiring many others to take up the approach. The genre reached national exposure when it was represented by vocal groups such as the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. Dale was quoted on such groups: " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crying In The Chapel
"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn and recorded by his son Darrell Glenn. The song was released in 1953 and reached number six on the ''Billboard'' chart. The song has also been recorded by many artists including the Orioles and June Valli, but the most successful version was by Elvis Presley, whose recording reached number three in the US, and number one in the UK in 1965. Background According to Artie Glenn's youngest son, Larry, the song was inspired by a personal experience his father had, and the chapel in the title was the Loving Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. By this account, Glenn had suffered a serious back problem, and while in hospital, he bargained with God that he would become a better person if God helped him recover. He recuperated from a successful spinal surgery, and when he was released from hospital, he went to pray at the nearest chapel he could find. While in the chapel, he started shedding tears of joy, which was wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Orioles
The Orioles were an American R&B group in the late 1940s and early 1950s. One of the first vocal groups in R&B, they were early pioneers of the doo-wop sound. Dubbing themselves after Maryland's state bird, the Orioles started the trend of bird groups (The Cardinals, The Crows, The Flamingos, The Larks, The Penguins, The Ravens, The Wrens, etc.). They brought their winning formula to their first charted hit " It's Too Soon to Know"; a #1 record in November 1948, soon followed by the group's second hit, " (It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas", in December that same year. Original members * Sonny Til (born Earlington Carl Tilghman, August 18, 1928, Baltimore, Maryland — died December 9, 1981, Washington, D.C.) (lead tenor) *Alexander Sharp (born December 1919, Baltimore — died January 3, 1970) (high tenor) *George Nelson (born 1925, Baltimore — died June 30, 1959) (baritone) *Johnny Reed (born August 16, 1923, Baltimore — died June 18, 2005) (bass vocals and double b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
One-hit Wonder
A one-hit wonder is any entity that achieves mainstream popularity, often for only one piece of work, and becomes known among the general public solely for that momentary success. The term is most commonly used in regard to music performers with only one hit single that overshadows their other work. Some artists dubbed "one-hit wonders" in a particular country had achieved success in other countries. Music artists with subsequent popular albums and hit listings are not properly considered a one-hit wonder, although artists with multiple hits have sometimes been erroneously labelled as "one-hit wonders" if one particular hit has become much more well-remembered years or decades later than their other hits. One-hit wonders usually see their popularity decreasing after their hit listing, and most often never return to hit listings with other songs or albums. Music industry In ''The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders,'' music journalist Wayne Jancik defines a one-hit wonder as "an ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
