Sounds of The Day :: Start the day with a Blue Moon! THE MARCELS : BLUE MOON

 I attended the First Reading Festival way back [On 25th-27th June 1971, National Jazz and Blues Festival the first one at Little John’s Farm on the banks of the River Thames and stayed there ever after - with thanks to the Hells Angels who looked after me for a while] and one of the first bands we caught was the ever amazing Sha Na Na and they burst right in to The Marcels 'Blue Moon' a la fifties style doo wop and then some!

“We gots just one thing to say to you F**ckin’ Hippies! And that is that Rock ’n’ Roll is here to STAY!"

Here’s the original!

The Marcels - Blue Moon

Youtuber MANNY MORA writes:

The Marcels were an American doo-wop group known for turning popular music songs into rock and roll. The group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and signed to Colpix Records, with lead Cornelius Harp, bass Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, and Richard Knauss. The group was named after a popular hair style of the day, the marcel wave, by Fred Johnson's younger sister Priscilla. In 1961 many were surprised to hear a new version of the ballad "Blue Moon", that began with the bass singer saying, "bomp-baba-bomp" and "dip-da-dip." The record sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. It is featured in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The disc went to number one in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and UK Singles Chart.[5] In the U.S., additional revivals in the same vein as "Blue Moon" -- "Heartaches" and "Melancholy Baby" -- were less successful, although "Heartaches" peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually sold over one million copies worldwide. In August 1961, due to problems encountered in the Deep South while touring because of the group being bi-racial, the white members, Knauss and Bricker left and were replaced by Allen Johnson (brother of Fred) and Walt Maddox. Mundy left soon after, leaving the group a quartet. In 1962, Harp and Allen Johnson left, and were replaced by Richard Harris and William Herndon. There was a brief reunion of the original members in 1973. The group made several recordings in 1975 with Harp back on lead. Original member Gene Bricker died in 1983. Allen Johnson died in 1995. By the early 1990s the group included Johnson, Maddox, Harris, Jules Hopson, and Richard Merritt. The group split around 1995. Fred Johnson formed his own group with new members, while the other four members recruited new bassist Ted Smith. Maddox won a lawsuit against Sunny James Svetnic, the manager of Johnson's group, for trademark infringement in 1996. Johnson reunited with Harp, Mundy, and Knauss in 1999 for the PBS special Doo Wop 50. The Marcels were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002. Their original lead singer, Cornelius Harp, died in 2013.

Footnote: 

Reading Friday	Reading Saturday	Reading Sunday
Arthur Brown Daddy Longlegs Warm Dust Bell & Arc Ricotti/Albuquerque Armada Accrington Stanley Anno Domini	East of Eden Sha Na Na Lindisfarne Ralph McTell Hardin & York Wishbone Ash Terry Reid Stud Renaissance Audience Genesis Gillian McPherson Universe	Colosseum Rory Gallagher Al Kooper Iain Matthews Medicine Head Van Der Graaf Generator Osibisa Stray Demick & Armstrong Clark Hutchinson Storyteller Country Jug Colonel Bagshot Steel Mill

RONNIE SPECTOR & THE RONETTES with SHA NA NA!

 

Classic pop songs of all time . . . . . 

THE MARCELS

'Blue Moon'

Now I have mentioned Sha Na Na before and saw them live at the first ever Reading fesitival where they made me laugh, boogie and dance in my pants!
This is the original of the classic 'Blue Moon' which to be fair Sha Na Na did a near perfect cover version of at this gig where the only difference as I recall was the introduction for Sha Na Na of 
"We got just one thing to say to f**king Hippies! And that is that Rock 'N' Roll is Here to STAY!
Far out! Just classic!

On this day in music history: April 3, 1961 - “Blue Moon” by The Marcels hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks, also topping the R&B singles chart for 2 weeks on the same date. Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, it is the biggest hit for the Pittsburgh, PA doo wop vocal group. Originally written in 1934 by songwriting legends Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (“The Lady Is A Tramp”, “My Funny Valentine”, “Mountain Greenery”), the song makes its debut in the MGM film “Manhattan Melodrama”. “Blue Moon” goes on to become a pop vocal standard covered by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Elvis Presley. Signed to Columbia Pictures’ Colpix Records, The Marcels are paired with producer Stu Phillips for their first recording sessions for the label. “Moon” is recorded as an afterthought during the last eight minutes of studio time. A promotion man for Colpix receives a tape copy of The Marcels version from Phillips who immediately passes it on to prominent DJ Murray The K at WINS in New York City. Murray The K loves the track so much that he plays it twenty six times in one show! Public reaction is instantaneous, and Colpix rush releases it as a single. Entering the Hot 100 at #87 on March 6, 1961, it leaps to the top of the chart three weeks later. The Marcels version “Blue Moon” has a long life after its original run on the charts. The song is featured in the John Landis directed horror film “An American Werewolf In London” in 1981. “Blue Moon” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Help support the Behind The Grooves music blog with a donation by clicking on the link at: PayPal.Me/jharris1228

Following the wonderful Prairie Clams here's a way of rounding off the weekend and celebrating with a classic. I first heard this song live at the very first  Reading Festival back in 1971 by Sha Na Na! They were simply superb!

On this day in music history: February 17, 1962 - “Duke Of Earl” by Gene Chandler hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks, also topping the R&B singles chart for 5 weeks on the same date. Written by Bernice Williams, Eugene Dixon and Earl Edwards, it is the biggest hit for the R&B vocalist born Eugene Dixon. The song originates as a vocal warm up exercise in the doo wop group The Dukays, in which Chandler and Edwards were both members. Chandler originally cuts “Duke Of Earl” while signed to Nat Records, who are not enthusiastic about the song at all. Instead they another song titled “Night Owl”, recorded at the same session. When Vee Jay Records A&R man Calvin Carter hears “Duke”, he immediately phones his boss label head Ewart Abner to sign Gene Chandler. Abner approves, and the single is released in December of 1961. The record is an instant smash and quickly hits the charts. Entering the Hot 100 at #93 on January 13, 1962, it leaps to the top of the chart five weeks later. “Duke Of Earl” becomes the first million selling single for Chicago-based independent label Vee-Jay Records. When Chandler performs the song live, he often appearing dressed in a black waist coat and tails with topped off with a matching black cape and top hat. “Duke Of Earl” is covered numerous times over the years, and is sampled as the basis of Cypress Hill’s “Hand On The Pump” in 1991.  Gene Chandler’s original recording is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2002. “Duke Of Earl” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Now no I didn't buy this one when it came out thank you BUT I did get turned on to Gene Chandler by seeing 'Sha Na Na' live at the Reading Festival way back when! I loved Sha Na Na and the Reading Festival in particular and their intro as they came on covered in gold lame "We got just one thing to say to you fucking Hippies! and that is that Rock 'n' Roll' is HERE TO STAY!" is one of the funniest live rock moments it has ever been my good fortune to experience! 

On this day in music history: February 17, 1962 - “Duke Of Earl” by Gene Chandler hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks, also topping the R&B singles chart for 5 weeks on the same date. Written by Bernice Williams, Eugene Dixon and Earl Edwards, it is the biggest hit for the R&B vocalist born Eugene Dixon. The song originates as a vocal warm up exercise in the doo wop group The Dukays, in which Chandler and Edwards were both members. Chandler originally cuts “Duke Of Earl” while signed to Nat Records, who are not enthusiastic about the song at all. Instead they another song titled “Night Owl”, recorded at the same session. When Vee Jay Records A&R man Calvin Carter hears “Duke”, he immediately phones his boss label head Ewart Abner to sign Gene Chandler. Abner approves, and the single is released in December of 1961. The record is an instant smash and quickly hits the charts. Entering the Hot 100 at #93 on January 13, 1962, it leaps to the top of the chart five weeks later. “Duke Of Earl” becomes the first million selling single for Chicago-based independent label Vee-Jay Records. When Chandler performs the song live, he often appearing dressed in a black waist coat and tails with topped off with a matching black cape and top hat. “Duke Of Earl” is covered numerous times over the years, and is sampled as the basis of Cypress Hill’s “Hand On The Pump” in 1991.  Gene Chandler’s original recording is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2002. “Duke Of Earl” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

BLUE MOON!

On this day in music history: April 3, 1961 - “Blue Moon” by The Marcels hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks, also topping the R&B singles chart for 2 weeks on the same date. Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, it is the biggest hit for the Pittsburgh, PA doo wop vocal group. Originally written in 1934 by songwriting legends Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (“The Lady Is A Tramp”, “My Funny Valentine”, “Mountain Greenery”), the song makes its debut in the MGM film “Manhattan Melodrama”. “Blue Moon” go on to be a pop vocal standard covered by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Elvis Presley. Signed to Columbia Pictures’ Colpix Records, The Marcels are paired with producer Stu Phillips for their first recording sessions for the label. “Moon” is recorded as an afterthought during the last eight minutes of studio time. A promotion man for Colpix receives a tape copy of The Marcels version from Phillips who immediately passes it on to prominent DJ Murray The K at WINS in New York City. Murray The K loves the track so much that he plays it twenty six times in one show! Public reaction is instantaneous, and Colpix rush releases it as a single. Entering the Hot 100 at #87 on March 6, 1961, it leaps to the top of the chart three weeks later. The Marcels version “Blue Moon” has a long life after its original run on the charts. The song is featured in the John Landis directed horror film “An American Werewolf In London” in 1981. “Blue Moon” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

another from Jeff Harris' wonderful music blog

I first heard this classic doo-wop number live by Sha Na Na at Reading Festival way back when . . .the first one? 1971 I think! And they came on stage dressed in skin tight sliver lame (some of the guys really shouldn't have!?) and said 
" We got just one thing to say to all you fuckin' hippies! That is that Rock 'n'Roll is here to stay!" 

I was hoooked! Hilarious but note perfect and practiced as any band then and more than many. Here's  an original that they made their own as a cover . . . . . . .Wunnerful stuff!