Zappa’s early influences: R&B – Doo-wop Vol. 30

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

0:00:00 – The Hearts – Lonely Nights

0:02:36 – Johnnie & Joe – Over the Mountain, Across the Sea

0:05:54 – The Royal Tones – Two in Love with One Heart

0:07:10 – The Dolls – Just Before You Leave

0:13:44 – Cellos – I Beg For Your Love

0:16:05 – The Clovers – Yes Sir, That’s My Baby

0:18:45 – The Rays – Souvenirs of Summertime

0:21:44 – Cellos – Girlie That I Love

0:26:46 – Rivileers – A Thousand Stars

0:29:53 – ?

0:32:15 – Hank Ballard – A Love In My Heart

0:35:17 – Rivileers – For Sentimental Reasons

0:41:56 – The Platters – Give Thanks

0:44:24 – The Platters – Give Thanks

0:47:16 – Sonny Til – My Prayer

0:50:23 – The Rivieras – Eleventh Hour Melody

0:55:02 – The Moonglows – Most of All

0:58:03 – The Flamingos – I’ll Be Home

1:02:45 – The Solitaires – What Did She Say

1:05:21 – Five Chances – Sugar Lips

1:08:04 – Love Notes – I’m Sorry

1:12:11 – Bobby Mathis & The Sevilles – Girl In The Drugstore

1:14:35 – Infernos – That Lady Of Mine

1:17:46 – The Capris – There’s a Moon Out Tonight

1:21:01 – Ernie – The Girl from Across the Sea

1:23:56 – The Edsels – What Brought Us Together

1:26:43 – The Five Satins – Your Memory

1:31:30 – Savannah Churchill – I’ll Never Be Free

1:34:31 – Delores Brown – Fine and Mellow

1:40:05 – Masterkeys – Mr. Blues

1:42:26 – The Mills Brothers – Till We Meet Again

1:45:03 – Moroccos – Somewhere over the Rainbow

1:50:16 – The Platters – Only You (And You Alone)

1:53:15 – Danderliers – May God Be With You

1:56:28 – The Larks – Let’s Say a Prayer