What Is Your Top 3 50's Background Harmony Songs ?

[protectionist]

Here's mine, or at least it's the first 3 that come to my mind. There really are lots of others that could be in this list.

1. Dion & the Belmonts - Teenager in Love - 4 young Italian guys from the Bronx, NY produced the song that every young couple called the radio station from pay phones (no cell phones or CD players then) to play, as we sat in our lovers lane convertibles on moonlit nights. We simply couldnt hear this song enough times.

2. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love

3. The Fleetwoods - Mr Blue

Honorable mention - The Platters - My Prayer

 

[protectionist]

Serious replies only, please.

 

[protectionist]

Since everybody is busy slamming each other on politics, I'll drop a few more very nice songs in here >>

Bye Bye Love - the Everly Brothers

Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presly

When I Fall In Love - the Lettermen

 

[Addy]

These are the first two songs, that came to my mind... I am not sure they are the first to record the cute songs.

 

[Addy]

Another oldie...

 

[Jack4freedom]

Here's mine, or at least it's the first 3 that come to my mind. There really are lots of others that could be in this list.

1. Dion & the Belmonts - Teenager in Love - 4 young Italian guys from the Bronx, NY produced the song that every young couple called the radio station from pay phones (no cell phones or CD players then) to play, as we sat in our lovers lane convertibles on moonlit nights. We simply couldnt hear this song enough times.

2. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love

3. The Fleetwoods - Mr Blue

Honorable mention - The Platters - My Prayer

I have always loved Dion and The Belmonts…..Runaround Sue….Abraham, Martin and John as a solo artist…First rate talent, first rate voice…Italian kid from the Bronx…

 

[protectionist]

Nothing against the groups I mentioned in the OP and in post # 3, but I really have to correct myself. Since about 1960, there has been just ONE all time greatest harmony singing group. Here's the story and the goosebump video/audio that goes with it >>

Since I was a member of a 50s "doo wop" singing group in the early 60s, we used to meet with people from other groups and sing together. I remember how we used to discuss the professional groups and their songs.
It takes an awful lot to be # 1, with something that has hundreds of competitors.

I've never forgotten though that there was ONE GROUP that stood alone, above all the others, who almost everybody thought was the best - in harmonizing, arranging songs,and just sheer beauty of their voices. Their songs were impeccable, and overpowering. >>
The Lettermen.

Don't miss this video/audio - it is harmony singing in a class by itself, so astoundingly excellent, it is stunning ..amazing.

 

[protectionist]

I once heard the McGuire Sisters sing the song "Danny Boy", total a capella, no music at all - on the Dick Cavett Show in the 1990s. It is one of the best I've ever heard. If anybody can find a video/audio of it, please post it.

 

[Jack4freedom]

I once heard the McGuire Sisters sing the song "Danny Boy", total a capella, no music at all - on the Dick Cavett Show in the 1990s. It is one of the best I've ever heard. If anybody can find a video/audio of it, please post it.

All those 50s harmony groups were great but The Beach Boys took it to a new level in the 60s and 70s. Their beautiful vocal harmonies mixed with the greatest studio musicians of all time, The Wrecking Crew and absolute genius of Brian Wilson producing created a body of music equal to any musical genre in history….Don’t Worry Baby, Surfer Girl, In My Room, Sloop John B.,Good Vibrations, God Only Knows, Caroline No and others are among the greatest compositions ever written, performed and produced. Brian and the boys credit all of those you mentioned earlier. Dion, The Lettermen, The Everly Brothers, The Platters and others are who they listened to as kids. Timeless classics for sure.