The Vocal Sound

Minor ranting....no, major ranting ahead. 

Nothing irks me more than people who ruin music. For example: Doo Wop/Group Vocal Harmony music. Yes it is a very racially one-sidedly sung and created music and should mostly stay that way (yes there are some white members in groups and white dominated groups that knew how to produce the amazing sound.) I don't know what it is but black vocalists have something in their soul/voices that just can take a random set of notes and turn them in something so beautiful. Artists that come to mind that is on the same level are Beethoven and Mozart to name a few. But they are in their own genre so I'll move on.

The Crests - a mixed race (two guys are white!) quartet from Brooklyn - that actually in my opinion are great. Doesn't help that the following is a song that is played on my birthday every year since I was 1 (Im in my mid-30s now, so you can guesstimate the math for yourself.)

16 Candles

The origins of Doo Wop come from vocal harmony groups - whether that be from church gospel groups -many amazing groups (The Dominoes, The Orioles, etc) started in these (which while not religious, I love the music so much because it moves me to feel spiritual listening to it,) also from a groups of boys singing on the corner and very rarely barbershop like quartets like the Inkspots. There was either nothing musically backing (accapella) or if there was there was the basic: drums, piano, guitar, base violin, the random bells (an added dimension that did not take away), and actual hand claps. The saxophone was added later for more upbeat/uptempo music (I wanted to learn this instrument when I was growing up listening to this music). Speaking of the sax, I actually heard that someone recorded all the uses of a sax in the song in to one recording. Instruments added from Jazz, Jive, Blues and other "Race" music of the time. The really sound came from the backing bass with the thrills, doo's, "doo wops, etc.

Such a prime example on how the Saxophone upgraded a song with the Teenagers.

Why Do Fools Fall In Love

The strings were added later to make the songs more contemporary to the times as they were used by white artists and groups. Therefore bringing it from "Race" music that was played on "unknown" black stations and back alley clubs to popular white stations. The Platters where actually one of the groups that crossed over.

If you listen to the music through out the time you can hear the shift from crude basement/hallway recordings to more cleanly produced records done in studios. It also shows the shift in musical accompaniments. In regards to this, there were many different recordings of the same song, one for the blacks and one for the whites. The Platters themselves had songs in the beginning that were not popular for whites because it was their old sound. They were able to change their format to be more popular, later songs were so infiltrated with strings I want to plug up my ears because of them. I myself loved the black versions for their grittiness and soulful sound. It wasnt appealing to the whites for some strange reason (my guess is that most whites can't get deep with the music)

Listen to this head scratcher song by the Platters. Please put me in a rubber room.

Only You. 

Did you even know they could do gems like this? So bluesy - so beautifully clean. 

I'll Cry When You're Gone (1953)

Two versions of the same song done by members of the broken up Dominoes that came together and formed The Drifters.

Gone - a slower and unpopular version.

Gone - a later version

Much later the Drifters reformatted to be popular to "White" stations with songs like this over produced and stuffed with musical instruments that are icky to the ears - what was the need for the scratchy thing? I won't even subject myself to "This Magic Moment" to put it here.

Under the Boardwalk

Now while I may not like the strings, more power to you if you do, I will not tear the songs in to pieces. I actually do love strings in classical music, modern ballads, movie soundtracks, etc. I think it adds something where as in "Doo Wop" it takes away from what is important "The Vocal Sound."

Now this is just music I've been talking about. I won't even start getting into about how poorly paid these groups were, even when their popularity and record sales surpassed Elvis, Buddy Holly, and Frank Sinatra. I am talking percentages of pennies vs dollars for the more well know white singers.

Welcome and Introductions

Welcome readers!

If you have found this blog because you have searched for Doo Wop you have come to the right place. Doo Wop has been a passion for me and I wanted to share my passion with those who know the music and possibly bring the music back by introducing the music to new people. I always wish that the music could have lasted to current time, unfortunately it only lasted at the most 40 years. But the genre has its influences in modern music and media, with movies like A Bronx Tale, Goodfellas, Why Do Fools Fall in Love and few others bringing the music of the Doo Wop era back to life.

But before I begin I should give you some background on myself. I have been listening to the music since I was old enough to appreciate it so give or take 30 something years. It was played constantly by my father who grew up in the neighborhoods where some of the groups would practice in the stairways of the projects and street corners in New York City. My father knew some of the singers from the neighborhood and learned about the history of the groups and he passed that info to me, which I will pass on to you with this blog.

My dream is to one day have Doo Wop back on the regular airwaves instead of played by obscure radio stations around the US or mixed in as oldies here and there on regular and satellite radio. I just the younger generation will appreciate it soon before it is lost to history.

For now I leave you with one of the popular groups originally from Harlem, The Harptones with the song Life is But a Dream.