Frank Zappa often complained by the Eighties that he found it difficult to find musicians who were familiar with the Doo-Wop and R&B records of the Fifties.
So his love of that music could not be featured in his later concerts as much as he would like.
Frank would occasionally mention that he had a sizable collection of 45s from the Fifties.
I now encounter young people who never even heard of this music, not even from their parents.
When I lived in New York City between 1993 and 2008, I would listen to WFUV, broadcasting from Fordham University in the Bronx, almost every Saturday night between midnight and 2am, and record Dan Romanello’s “GROUP HARMONY REVIEW”.
Romanello was one of the most knowledgeable DJs of the music from the Fifties and early Sixties in the world.
https://wfuv.org/content/thank-you-dan
https://wfuv.org/users/dan-romanello
We have now made 45 of his shows available – that’s approximately 90 hours of this incredible music!!!
His commentary throughout the shows is exemplary for its scholarship, including interviews with many of the musicians, who performed in those years on the street corners, since so many of them were still living in the New York City area.
This collection may not interest all Zappa enthusiasts but we are making it available to those who already enjoy this music as well as those who have never experienced it before. Frank showed me this collection occasionally and we would often listen to a few records.
Bob Dobbs
Tracks in episode:
0:00:00 – Boyd Bennett – Seventeen
0:02:14 – Gladys Caine – Please Mr. DJ Play A Song For My Love
0:04:57 – The Nutmegs – The Way Love Should Be
0:07:45 – The Nutmegs – Key to the Kingdom
0:10:12 – The Nutmegs – My Sweet Dreams
0:14:50 – The Hearts – Night Has Come
0:17:30 – The Spaniels – Jesse Mae
0:19:50 – Teen Queens – Eddie My Love
0:24:52 – The Hurricanes – Dear Mother
0:27:25 – The Continentals – Dear Lord
0:30:16 – The Continentals – Picture of Love
0:33:03 – The Continentals – Fine Fine Frame
0:37:17 – The Zircons – Your Way
0:39:36 – Morry Williams & The Kids – Are You My Girl Friend
0:42:25 – The Classics – Gosh but This Is Love
0:43:26 – The Flamingo’s – If I Could Love You
0:49:46 – The Black Harps – Beatrice My Darling
0:53:15 – The Black Harps – Love Me When I’m Old
0:59:33 – The Consorts – Please Be Mine
1:02:00 – The Orchids – I Can’t Refuse
1:04:40 – The Excels – Baby Doll
1:07:16 – The Shadows – No Use
1:11:39 – The Videos Moonglow – You Know
1:13:54 – The Olympics – Big Boy Pete
1:16:18 – The Avalons – Heart’s Desire
1:18:43 – The Mello-Kings – Chapel on the Hill
1:24:00 – Five Willows – Love Bells
1:26:42 – The Willows – White Cliffs of Dover
1:29:08 – Five Willows – My Dear, Dearest Darling
1:37:28 – Johnny Ace – Saving My Love for You
1:40:00 – The Channels – My Heart is Sad
1:43:37 – Sputniks – Johnny’s Little Lamb
1:46:10 – Morry Williams & The Kids Oh Louise
1:49:00 – Johnny Ace – My Song
1:53:29 – The Decoys – I Want Only You
1:55:40 – The Spaniels – Baby It’s You
Leave a Reply