Zappa’s Early Influences: R&B & Doo-Wop Vol. 10

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.
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

0:05:55 – Tony & The Twilighters – Key to My Heart
0:08:03 – The Quin-Tones – Down the Aisle of Love
0:10:47 – The Continentals – My Lonely Friend
0:13:03 – Bobby Sheen – The White Cliffs Of Dover
0:19:53 – The Solitaires – I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You
0:22:57 – Curtis Lee – Gee How I Wish You Were Here
0:27:07 – The Solitaires – South of the Border
0:29:10 – A Heart Beats – One Million Years
0:34:37 – The Cubs – Why Did You Make Me Cry
0:36:52 – Little Jimmy Rivers and Tops – Puppy Love
0:39:14 – The Capris – God Only Knows
0:42:22 – The Vanguards – Moonlight
0:45:52 – The Rainbows – Shirley
0:48:21 – The Summits – Go Back To Where You Came From
0:51:04 – The Arcades – Fine Little Girl
0:53:33 – The Master-Tones – Tell Me
0:56:50 – El Chords – Peppermint Stick
1:01:48 – The Versatones – Bila
1:03:56 – Lewis Lymon & The Teenchords – I’m So Happy (Tra-La-La-La-La-La)
1:06:48 – The Willows – Church Bells May Ring
1:08:57 – The Classics – Cinderella
1:11:02 – Rocketones – Mexico
1:13:40 – The Eternals – Babalu’s Wedding Day
1:18:02 – The Fashions – Dreaming of You
1:20:20 – Five Satins – All Mine
1:22:48 – The Court Jesters – Roaches
1:24:42 – The Excellents – You Baby You
1:30:41 – The Mascots – Lonely Rain
1:35:00 – Du Mauriers – All Night Long
1:37:24 – Lewis Lymon & The Teenchords – Dance Girl
1:40:20 – The Classics – Life Is But A Dream
1:42:18 – The Willows – Little Darling
1:47:47 – The Chanters – Row Your Boat
1:50:26 – Neil Sedaka – I Love My Baby
1:52:09 – The Inspirations – Dry Your Eyes
1:54:41 – The Docanes – I’m So Happy