One of my all-time faves from the Dells' doo wop years. One of the sides on the double album of Vee-Jay material licensed by Dick James's DJM which I found in Biggars music shop in Glasgow around 1976 - and a few days ago I was surprised to find it (the shop) was still there. I think the recording on that album was an alternate take as at the end of the record I possess you can clearly hear one of the singers start to sing the wrong words ("Across the -"). This is almost witlessly simple as a piece of songwriting but the singing has a nightclub kinda feel, reminding me that they recorded with Sarah Vaughan. Or possibly Dinah Washington. I won't check, as I'm still hurting from having been told that a friend won't read my blog; I'm only sorry the rest of you out there have to suffer. Anyway, this is such a simple song that on occasion I've taped the bass part and sung over it: along with In the Still of the Night one of the doo wop numbers which feels graspable by someone who can't sing in any accepted sense of the word. But I love this song for its directness.
Oh, and for good measure, this all-time Dells classic which was discussed in one of the threads on the Kewl Steve board not, alas, preserved by me or - I presume - anyone else. I remember several of us trying to work out just what was the magical word (no, not "pismotality") enunciated near the end as the singer took off into the stratosphere. A near-perfect example of the sacredness of doo wop ballads and one of my favourite doo wops of all time. Find related posts by clicking on the label "Dells".
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