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The style was at first characterized by upbeat harmony vocals that used nonsense syllables from which the name of the style is derived. The name was later extended to group harmony ballads. Examples of doo-wop can be found in the music of The Clovers , The Ravens and The Larks . Debate continues to rage among afficiandos about the start of true doo wop - the term seems to mean all things to all fans - but while the alternating lead voices of The Ink Spots and the scat singing of the Mills Brothers undoubtedly had an influence on the form, the crucial absence of gospel inflection in the singing style of either group means that they predate the genre. The Orioles, featuring the tremulous lead of Sonny Till, and the Ravens, blessed with the fathoms-deep voice of Jimmy Ricks, are more recognisably part of the style: Ricks' intro to "Count Every Star" (1950), as though imitating the plucking of a double bass, created a template for later groups.
1951 was perhaps the year doo wop broke into the mainstream in a consistent manner. Hit songs included "My Reverie" by The Larks, "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" by The Mello-Moods , "Glory of Love" by The Five Keys, "Shouldn't I Know" by The Cardinals and "It Ain't the Meat" by The Swallows .By 1953, doo wop was extremely popular, and disc jockey Alan Freed began introducing black groups' music to his white audiences, with great success. Groups included The Spaniels , The Moonglows and The Flamingos, whose "Golden Teardrops" is a classic of the genre. Other groups, like The Castelles and The Penguins, innovated new styles, most famously uptempo doo wop , established by The Crows 1953 "Gee" and Cleftones ' 1956 "Little Girl of Mine. That same year, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers became a teen popTeen pop is a form of pop music that is light and dancey, made for and often by teens. It has always been around in one form or another, from the Phil-Spector-produced Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans to the Bubblegum Pop of the Archies, but its popularity sensation with songs like "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?". Some consider a 1956 hit by The Five Satins , "In the Still of the Night," to be the quintessential doo-wop record.
Doo wop remained popular until the British InvasionThe British Invasion was an influx of rock and roll performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States in 1964 and the years immediately afterward. Following the successful export of Elvis Presley and other rock 'n' roll acts in th in the early to mid 1960s. Dion & the BelmontsDion and the Belmonts was a musical group led by singer/songwriter Dion DiMucci. Their music was known for catchy lyrics and rhythmn. The band is named for the "Belmont" section of the Bronx, their home. Their better known tunes include: :"Runaround Sue"' "I Wonder Why" ( 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat) was a major hit that is sometimes regarded as the anthem for doo wop, while The Five Discs added a wide range of sounds and pitched vocals.
19611961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first "upside-down" year i. one that looked the same upside down since 1881, and the last until 6009. Events January January 1 The farthing coin, used since the 13th century, cease may be the peak of doo wop, with hits that include The MarcelsThe Marcels were a doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop songs into rock and roll. In 1961 many were shocked to hear a new version of the ballad Blue Moon that began with the bass going, "bomp-baba-bomp" and "dip-da-dip. Still, th', an interracial group, "Blue Moon". There was a revival of the nonsense-syllable form of doo wop in the early 1960s, with popular records by The Marcels, The Rivingtons, and Vito & the Salutations. A few years later, the genre had reached the self-referential stage, with songs about the singers ("Mr. Bass Man") and the songwriters ("Who Put the Bomp?")The genre has seen mild surges throughout the years, with many radio shows dedicated to doo wop. It has its roots in 1930s and 40s music, like songs by the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers. Its main artists are concentrated in urban areas (New York Metro Area, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles etc), with a few exceptions. Revival shows on TV, and boxed CD sets, have kept interest in the music. Groups have done remakes of doo wops with great success over the years.
It has been noted that doo wop groups tend to be named after birds an awful lot. These include The Ravens, The Cardinals , The Crows, The Wrens , The Robins, The Swallows , The Larks , The Flamingoes, The Penguins and The Feathers .
See also Scat singing, Vocalese