Some early R&B vocal harmony group cross-over hits of the 1950s

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See also the related pages:

• Vocal harmony group interpretations of standards, 1933-1966
• My Foolish Heart: selected vocal harmony group recordings, 1956-1966
• White Christmas: selected vocal harmony group recordings, 1948-1965
• Earth Angel to Good Timin’: doc’s pick of 12/8 and 6/8 time songs, 1954-1978
  • 12/8 and 6/8 time songs: part 1, 1954-1959 – “Earth Angel” to “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”

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1953-1955

Gee (William Davis, Viola Watkins)

The Crows — issued in May 1953, according 45cat.com, on the 45 rpm single Rama Records RR-5, b/w “I Love You So” (Watkins, Davis); didn’t chart until April 1954

from Wikipedia:

The Crows were the first group signed [to Rama Records] and the first to record. The first songs they recorded were as back-up to singer and pianist Viola Watkins. The song “Gee” was the third song recorded during the first recording session, on February 10, 1953. It was put together in a few minutes by group member, William Davis, with Viola Watkins also being credited as co-writer.^[2] Watkins also played piano on and co-arranged the song.^[7] It has been suggested that the guitar break, based on the traditional Scottish tune “The Campbells Are Coming“, may have been played by session guitarist Lloyd “Tiny” Grimes.^[2]

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While “Sh-Boom” is sometimes considered to be one of the earliest R&B hits to “cross over” and become a pop hit as well, the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots had each scored numerous pop hits much earlier, many of which were also hits on charts which preceded Billboard’s earliest R&B chart (1949). Such charts included the Harlem Hit Parade: October 1942 – February 1945, and Race Records: February 1945 – June 1949.

It’s not clear why recordings by the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots that charted on both pre-R&B charts and pop charts would not correctly be treated as earlier examples of “cross over” hits.

Sh-Boom (aka “Life Could Be a Dream”)

From Wikipedia:

[“Sh-Boom] was written by James Keyes, Claude Feaster, Carl Feaster, Floyd F. McRae, and William Edwards, members of The Chords, and published in 1954. It is sometimes considered the first doo-wop or rock ‘n’ roll record to reach the top ten on the pop charts (as opposed to the R&B charts), as it was a top-10 hit that year for both the Chords (who first recorded the song) and The Crew-Cuts.^[1]

The Chords — recorded on 15 March 1954; issued in June 1954 on the 45 rpm single Cat 45-104, and in June 1954 on the 78 rpm single Cat 105, b/w “Little Maiden” in each case; peaked at #2 on the Billboard R&B charts and #9 on the pop charts

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Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine) — words and music by Curtis Williams

The Penguins — issued in October 1954 on Dootone 348 (also Doo-348), as the B-side of “Hey Señorita”

from Wikipedia:

“Earth Angel” became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard‘s national pop charts.^[2]Billboard called the record a “Best Buy” for the R&B charts, and Cashbox in Canada gave it its “Award o’ the Week”.^[12] It hit number one in New York on November 27 [1954],^[13] and by Christmas Day the song was placing on the “Best Sellers in Stores” chart for both R&B and pop, where it debuted at number 25.^[14][15] By January 15, 1955, the single had advanced to the top 20 of the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart, resulting in its addition to the “Honor Roll of Hits” chart.^[16] It also reached number one on the “Most Played in Jukeboxes” R&B chart.^[17] After seven weeks on the chart, it peaked at number eight on the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart,^[18] and by February 19 had hit number one on all the major R&B charts.^[19] It remained a number one R&B hit for three weeks, before being dethroned by Johnny Ace‘s “Pledging My Love“.^[7]

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Sincerely (Harvey Fuqua and Alan Freed)

Co-songwriter Harvey Fuqua was the founder and lead singer of the vocal harmony group The Moonglows, the group that made the original recording of “Sincerely.” The 1954 recording by the Moonglows topped the Billboard R&B chart for two weeks beginning in late January 1955. A cover by the McGuire Sisters was also extremely successful in early 1955.

The Moonglows — issued in October 1954, according to Discogs.com, on the 78 rpm single Chess 1581, and in November 1954, according to 45cat.com, on the 45 rpm single Chess 1581, b/w “Tempting” in each case

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Only You (And You Alone) – w.m. Buck Ram

The Platters — recorded on 26 April 1955; issued in June 1955 on the single Mercury 70633X45, b/w “Bark, Battle and Ball”

From Wikipedia:

The Platters first recorded the song for Federal Records on May 20, 1954, but the recording was not released. In 1955, after moving to Mercury Records, the band re-recorded the song (on April 26) and it scored a major hit when it was released in May. In November that year, Federal Records released the original recording as a single (B-side – “You Made Me Cry”) which sold poorly.^[3]

The Platters appeared in the 1956 film Rock Around the Clock, the first major motion picture focused on rock and roll, in which they performed both “Only You” and “The Great Pretender.”

“Only You” in Rock Around the Clock

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The Great Pretender (Buck Ram)

The Platters – issued 3 November 1955 on the single Mercury 70753X45, b/w “I’m Just a Dancing Partner” — The Platters recording of “The Great Pretender” topped three of the four Billboard pop singles charts in February 1956, becoming the first #1 hit for the group. It was also a #1 R&B hit for eleven weeks in 1956.

The Platters perform “The Great Pretender” in Rock Around the Clock.

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(below) colorized, AI restored