DOO-WOP SONGS

Following is an alphabetical list of key doo-wop songs published by EMI. In addition to songs written in the 1950's and 1960's, there are a few titles which pre-date the doo-wop era, such as 1939's OVER THE RAINBOW from "The Wizard Of Oz" and the Rodgers & Hart classic from 1934: BLUE MOON.

This is by no means an ultimate comprehensive list (we have many other doo-wop songs)... but it does give you a sampling of standout doo-wop performances including some that enjoyed considerable chart success.

THE ABC'S OF LOVE (Barrett/Levy)
by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Gee: 1956) US #8 R&B, #77 Pop

AGAIN (Newman/Cochran)
by The Four Epics (Laurie: 1963)

AIN'T GONNA DANCE (Parris)
by The Five Satins (Roulette: 1964)

ALL WOMEN ARE THE SAME (Smith)
by The Hawks (Imperial: 1954)

ANGEL OF LOVE (Hayes)
by The Schoolboys (Juanita: 1958)

BABY IT'S YOU (Bacharach/David/Williams)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1962) US #3 R&B, #8 Pop

BABY OH BABY (Johnson/Coleman/Bouknight)
by The Shells (Johnson: 1957) (Johnson: 1961 re-issue) US #21 Pop

BAD GIRL (Robinson/Gordy)
by The Miracles (Motown: 1959)

BARBARA (Kleinhandler/Lapidus/Ripp)
by The Temptations* (Goldisc: 1960) US #20 Pop

BEEN SO LONG (DiFosco/Thomas/Willingham/Travis)
by The Pastels (Argo: 1957) US #4 R&B, #24 Pop

BLUE MOON (Rodgers/Hart)
By The Marcels (Colpix: 1961) US #1 R&B; #1 Pop

BOOK OF LOVE (Davis/Malone/Patrick)
by The Monotones (Argo: 1958) US #3 R&B, #5 Pop

BOOM BOOM (Gold)
by The Barons (Imperial: 1955)

BOYS (Dixon/Farrell)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1961)

BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ (Dolphin/Byrd)
by The Hollywood Flames (Ebb: 1957) US #5 R&B in '57; #11 Pop in '58

BYE BYE BABY (Lewis/Lewis/Levy)
by The Channels (Fury: 1958)

CAN I COME OVER TONIGHT (Haywood/Winston)
by The Velous (Onyx: 1957) US #83 Pop

CAN'T WE BE SWEETHEARTS (Cox/Levy)
by The Cleftones (Gee: 1956)

CANADIAN SUNSET (Heywood/Gimbel)
by The Impacts (RCA: 1959)

CHAINS (Goffin/King)
by The Cookies (Dimension: 1963) US #6 R&B, #17 Pop

CHERIE (Farmer)
by The Jivers (Aladdin: 1956)

CHURCH BELLS MAY RING (Craft/Davis/Martin/Martin/Middleton)
by The Willows (Melba: 1956) US #11 R&B, #62 Pop

THE CLOSER YOU ARE (Lewis/Robinson)
by The Channels (Whirlin' Disc: 1956)

COTTON PICKIN' HANDS (Durand)
by The Dukes (Imperial: 1956)

CRAZY FOR YOU (Sheppard/Miller)
by The Heartbeats (Hull: 1955)

CRYIN' FOR YOU BABY (Gold/Ray)
by The Barons (Imperial: 1954)

DADDY'S HOME (Sheppard/Miller)
by Shep & The Limelites (Hull: 1961) US #4 R&B, #2 Pop

DARLING HOW LONG (Sheppard/Miller)
by The Heartbeats (Gee: 1960)

DESERIE (Cooper/Johnson)
by The Charts (Everlast: 1957) US #88 Pop

DON'T ASK ME TO BE LONELY (Johnson/Blandon)
by The Dubs (Gone: 1957) US #72 Pop

DON'T SAY NOTHIN' BAD (ABOUT MY BABY) (Goffin/King)
by The Cookies (Dimension: 1963) US #3 R&B, #7 Pop

DOWN THE ROAD (Navarro)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1955)

ETERNALLY YOURS (Gold/Ray)
by The Barons (Imperial: 1955)

EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW (Johnson/Fisher)
by The Jay Hawks (Aladdin: 1957)

GEE (Davis/Norton/Levy)
by The Crows (Rama: 1953) US #2 R&B, #14 Pop

GET A JOB(Beal/Lewis/Edwards/Horton)
by The Silhouettes (Ember: 1957) US #1 R&B, #1 Pop

A GIRL NAMED JOE (Dolphin/Middleton)
by The Miracles (Cash: 1955)

THE GLEAM IN YOUR EYE (Lewis/Robertson)
by The Channels (Port: 1960)

GLORIA (Navarro)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1954)

HEARTS CAN BE BROKEN (Ray/Torrance)
by The Jewels (Imperial: 1955)

HOW I LOVE YOU (Alaimo)
by The Chuck Alaimo Quartet (MGM: 1957)

HUCKLEBUCK WITH JIMMY (Pierce)
by The Five Keys (Aladdin: 1951)

I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT (Smith)
by The Spiders (Imperial: 1954) US #3 R&B

I-I-I (LOVE YOU SO-SO-SO) (Lewis/Levy)
by The Velvets (Fury: 1957)

I LOVE YOU SO (Davis/Watkins)
by The Crows (Rama: 1953)

I PROMISE TO REMEMBER (Castor/Smith)
by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Gee: 1956) US #10 R&B, #57 Pop

I REALLY LOVE YOU (Swearingen)
by The Stereos (Cub: 1961) US #15 R&B, #29 Pop

I WANT YOU TO BE MY GIRL (Barrett/Levy)
by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Gee: 1956) US #3 R&B, #13 Pop

I'LL CLOSE MY EYES (Kaye/Reid)
by The Skyliners (Colpix: 1961)

I'M NOT A JUVENILE DELINQUENT (Levy)
by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (Gee: 1956)

IT WILL STAND (Johnson)
by The Showmen (Minit: 1961) US #61 Pop in '61 ; #80 R&B in '64

JOHNNY DARLING (The Aladdins)
by The Aladdins (Aladdin: 1954)

(JUST LIKE) ROMEO AND JULIET (Gorman/Hamilton)
by The Reflections (Golden World: 1964) US #6 Pop

LET IT PLEASE BE YOU (White/Whittier/Smith/Hirston/Powell)
by The Desires (Hull: 1960)

LILY MAEBELLE (Barrett/Briggs/Vastola)
by The Valentines (Rama: 1955)

LITTLE EVA (Zober)
by The Locomotions (Gone: 1962)

LITTLE GIRL OF MINE (Cox/Levy)
by The Cleftones (Gee: 1956) US #8 R&B, #57 Pop
Also by The Cupids (Musicnote: 1963)

LITTLE STAR (Venosa/Picone)
by The Elegants (Apt: 1958) US #1 R&B, #1 Pop

LONELY GIRL'S PRAYER (Moffett/Ball)
by Connie & The Cones (Roulette: 1960)

LOVER'S ISLAND (Peels/Manigo)
by The Blue Jays (Milestone: 1961) US #31 Pop

LOVERS NEVER SAY GOODBYE (Johnson/Wilson)
by The Flamingos (End: 1958) US #25 R&B, #52 Pop

LYDIA (Robinson)
by Lewis Lymon & The Teenchords (Fury: 1957)

MARY LOU (Jessie/Ling)
by Young Jessie & The Flairs (Modern: 1955)

MAYBE (Barrett)
by The Chantels (End: 1957) US #2 R&B, #15 Pop

A MILLION TO ONE (Medley)
by Jimmy Charles & The Revelettes (Promo: 1960) US #5 Pop, #8 R&B

MINNIE (Berry/Goldner)
by The Rainbows (Rama: 1956)

MY GIRLFRIEND (Navarro/Powell)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1957)

MY LOVE WILL NEVER DIE (Lewis/Lewis/Levy)
by The Channels (Fury: 1958)

MY REVERIE (Clinton)
by The Larks (Apollo: 1951)

MY SADDEST HOUR (Robinson)
by The Five Keys (Aladdin: 1953)

MY TRUE STORY (Pitt/Waltzer)
by The Jive Five (Beltone: 1961) US #1 R&B, #3 Pop

NAG (Crier)
by The Halos (7 Arts: 1961) US #25 Pop

OH GEE OH GOSH (Lewis/Levy)
by The Kodoks (Fury: 1958)

ONCE IN A WHILE (Green/Edwards)
by The Chimes (Tag: 1960) US #11 Pop

OPEN UP YOUR HEART (AND LET ME IN) (Weisman/Schroeder)
by The Lanes (Gee: 1956)

OUR ANNIVERSARY (Sheppard)
by Shep & The Limelites (Hull: 1962) US #7 R&B, #59 Pop

OUR LOVE WILL NEVER END (Lee/Smith)
by The Avons (Hull: 1956)

OUR ROMANCE IS GONE (Nunn/Cirilo/Richards/Russell)
by The Robins (Savoy: 1950)

OVER THE RAINBOW (Harburg/Arlen)
by The Regents (Gee: 1961)

PAPA-OOM-MOW-MOW (Frazier/White/Harris/Wilson Jr.)
by The Rivingtons (Liberty: 1962) US #48 Pop

PEOPLE ARE TALKING (Miller)
by The Heartbeats (Gee: 1960)

PICTURE IN MY WALLET (Mitchell/Mann)
by Darrell & The Oxfords (Roulette: 1959)

PLEASE SAY YOU WANT ME (Hayes)
by The Schoolboys (Okeh: 1956) US #13 R&B

PRETTY LITTLE GIRL (Allen/Galloway/Kemp/Wells/White)
by The Monarchs (Neil: 1956)

RENDEZVOUS WITH YOU (White/Mack/Smith/Hirston/Powell)
by The Desires (Hull: 1960)

RINK-A-DIN-KI-DO (Jones/March)
by The Edsels (Roulette: 1959)

RUBBER BISCUIT (Johnson/Epps/Fulton/Lincoln/Strain)
by The Chips (Josie: 1956)

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR (Briggs/Raysor)
by The Cleftones (Gee: 1957)

SORRY (I RAN ALL THE WAY HOME) (Zwirn/Giosasi)
by The Impalas (Cub: 1959) US #14 R&B, #2 Pop

SPEEDOO (Navarro)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1955) US #3 R&B, #17 Pop

THAT'S MY DESIRE (Loveday/Kresa)
by The Channels (Gone: 1957)

THESE GOLDEN RINGS (Pitt/Rene)
by The Jive Five (Beltone: 1962) US #27 R&B

A THOUSAND MILES AWAY (Sheppard/Miller)
by The Heartbeats (Rama: 1957) US #5 R&B, #53 Pop

A THOUSAND STARS (Pearson)
by The Rivileers (Baton: 1954)

THREE STEPS FROM THE ALTAR (Sheppard)
by Shep & The Limelites (Hull: 1961) US #58 Pop

TO THE AISLE (Smith/Wiener)
by The Five Satins (Ember: 1957) US #5 R&B, #25 Pop

TONIGHT (COULD BE THE NIGHT) (Johnson)
by The Velvets (Monument: 1961) US #26 Pop

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT (Dixon/Owens)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1960) US #14 R&B, #39 Pop

TRAVELING STRANGER (Wright/Gourdine)
by Little Anthony & The Imperials (End: 1961)

TWO PEOPLE IN THE WORLD (Barrett/Wright)
by The Imperials (End: 1958)

TWO THINGS I LOVE (Dolphin/Freeman)
by The Voices (Cash: 1955)

UP UP AND AWAY (Blaylock)
by The Daybreakers (Aladdin: 1958)

VALARIE (Lewis/Rue/Levy)
by The Starlites (Fury: 1960)

A WALKIN’ MIRACLE (Peretti/Creatore/Levy/Weiss)
by The Essex (Roulette: 1963) US #11 R&B, #12 Pop

WE BELONG TOGETHER (Mitchell/Carr/Weiss)
by Robert & Johnny (Old Town: 1957) US #12 R&B, #32 Pop

WHAT IS LOVE (Quattlebaum)
by The Fi-Dells (Imperial: 1961)

WHAT TIME IS IT (Feldman/Gottehrer/Goldstein)
by The Jive Five (Beltone: 1962) US #67 Pop

WHEN WE GET MARRIED (Hogan)
by The Dreamlovers (Heritage: 1961) US #10 Pop

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE (Lymon/Levy)
by The Teenagers feat.Frankie Lymon (Gee: 1955) US #1 R&B, #6 Pop

WHY DO YOU DO ME LIKE YOU DO (Patterson/Patterson)
by The Cleftones (Gee: 1957)

WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW (Goffin/King)
by The Shirelles (Scepter: 1961) US #2 R&B, #1 Pop

THE WOO WOO TRAIN (Barrett/Goldner)
by The Valentines (Rama: 1956)

WRITTEN IN THE STARS (Myers)
by The Four Jokers (Sue: 1958)

YOU ARE (Navarro/Seabrook)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1956)

YOU BABY YOU (Patterson/Vastola/Corbin)
by The Cleftones (Gee: 1955) US #78 Pop

YOU STOLE MY HEART AWAY (Di Minno)
by Jerry Hayward & The Everglades (Symbol: 1963)

YOU'RE THE ONE (Smith)
by The Spiders (Imperial: 1954) US #8 R&B

YOUR WAY (Sheppard/Miller)
by The Heartbeats (Gee: 1960)

ZOOM (Navarro)
by The Cadillacs (Josie: 1956)

*Not the famous Motown Temptations, but a white vocal group from New York.

I hope you find this list both helpful and interesting. Virtually no alternate versions are listed though obviously they exist. And, as I did include The Shirelles' original of BOYS which came out on the flipside of WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW, don't forget The Beatles' version on their "Please Please Me" album... Ringo sang the lead with John, Paul & George chanting "Bop shoo-wop, bop bop shoo-wop" behind him.

ROCK ON !
Alan Warner