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2015

DOOWOPDefinitionoftheGenre

DOOWOP
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DefinitionoftheGenre

Doowoprepresentsasubcategoryofvocalgroupharmonythatincludesthefollowingmusical
qualities:groupharmony,awiderangeofvocalparts,nonsensesyllables,asimplebeat,light
instrumentation,andsimplemusicandlyrics.Aboveall,thefocusisonensemblesinging.Single
artistsfitonlywhenbackedbyagroup(thepossibilitythatthegroupmaynotbementionedonthe
recordlabelisimmaterial).Typicallysolobillingsimplymeansthatthisindividualismore
prominentlyplacedinthemusicalarrangement(e.g.,Dion,BobbyDay,ThurstonHarris)asopposed
totypicalgroupproductions.
GroupHarmony
Indoowopvocalharmoniesechoor,morecommonlyrununderneaththeleadvocalist.Generally,
thesecondtenorandbaritoneblendtogetherasonesound,withthehightenor(orfalsetto)running
overtheleadandthebassreverberatingonthebottomend.Thegroupharmonydoesnotusuallylead
throughouthowever,itmayoccasionallyalternatewithatenorinthiscapacity(e.g.,theChannels
"TheCloserYouAre").
Intheearly1950s,groupsliketheRavensandFiveKeyspushedvocalblendingtechniquesfromther
&brealmtodoowopwiththeuseof"blowharmonies."Thispractice,whereinsoundslike"haoo"
resultedbyabruptlyforcingairoutofthemouth,replacedhummingasthepredominantformof
backgroundsupport.
Thegenresometimesutilizedthedeviceofprogressiveentrancesbydifferentvoices.Inmostcases,
thebasswouldbegin,withothersenteringoneatatime,untilfullharmonywasachieved.Two
notable1958releases,DionandtheBelmonts'"TellMeWhy"andDannyandtheJuniors'"Atthe
Hop,"employedthistechniqueasaprimaryhook.
Inshort,doowopharmoniesevolvedtoamorecomplicatedlevelthanthatreflectedinthecalland
responseformatfoundingospel.However,thegenrelackedthemusicaldepthobtainedthroughuse
oftheminorkeystypifyingthematureworkoftheBeachBoys.
TheWideRangeOfVocalParts
Theleadsingerwasusuallyatenor,althoughsometimesahightenor(orchildcastrato,thearchtype
beingFrankieLymon).Occasionallythebasswilltaketheleadforatleastpartofasong,typically
uptemponumbers(e.g.,ElDorados"BimBamBoom").Theleadinearlydoowopballads
frequentlyemployedmelisma,agospelderivedvocaltechniqueinwhichsyllablesareelongatedtofit
themeterofthesong(e.g.,"OoonlyYou"inthePlatters'"OnlyYou").
Mostsongarrangementshadadistinctivebasspart,frequentlyitprovidedtheintroductionand/or
punctuatedthesongbetweenchoruses.Insomecases,thebasscontributedatalkingbridgeinthe
middleofasong(e.g.,theDiamonds'"LittleDarling")orapercussivebeat.Allfemalegroupswould
substituteacontrastinglowervoiceforthebasspart.
Falsettopartswereoftenused,typicallyattheendofasong,inconjunctionwiththelead'sdramatic
fadeout(e.g.,"TellMeWhy,"byNormanFoxandtheRobRoys"SinceIDon'tHaveYou,"bythe
Skyliners).Inballads,thefalsettopartechostheleadvoice,ispartofthebackgroundharmony,or
runsabovethevocalblend.Theleadsingermaymoveinandoutoffalsetto(e.g.,theChannels'"The
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CloserYouAre")oruseitthroughout(e.g.,theParagons'"Florence").

NonsenseSyllables
Nonsensesyllableswerederivedfrombopandjazzstyles,traditionalWestAfricanchants,acappella
streetcornersinging(inplaceoftheinstrumentalbassline),anddoowopstyledr&bsongsduring
the19501951period(e.g.,theDominoes'"HarborLights").Theywerecommonlyusedinthebass
andharmonypartstheirusetendstobemorerestrained,simple,andsomberwhenemployedin
ballads("dohdohdoh,""doowah,"etc.).TheChips'"RubberBiscuit"(1956)representedavirtuostic
applicationofthistechnique:
Gowgowhoooo,
Gowgowwannadibadoo,
Chick'nhonachickholeahubba,
Hellfriedcuckaluckawannajubba,
Hilow'naywannadubbahubba,
Daydownsumwannajiggawah,
Dellrownaywannalubbahubba,
Mullanamoundchickalubbahubba,
Faydownahwannadipazipadipa,
Mmmh,dothatagain!(bassexclamation)
Gowgowlubba'nabubbalubba,
Owrownhibb'n'nahibbalu,
Howlowlubbin'nablubbalubba,
Hellfriedrickytickyhubbalubba,
Dullowdemoun'chickyhubbalubba,
Wendowntruckaluckawannadouh,
Howlowazippin'nahubbalu,
Hellfriedrickytickyblubbalu,
Howlowduhwoodywoodypeckapecka.(BMI)

Duringthedoowoprevival(19601963),nonsenselyricsbecamemorecomplicated,almostbaroque
instyle.Theselyricalcontortionssometimesbecamethemainfocuse.g.,theEdsels'"RamaLama
DingDong"(1961),theMarcels'"BlueMoon"(1961).
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SimpleBeat/LightInstrumentation
Sincedoowoprhythmswereoriginallyprovidedbythesnappingoffingersandclappingofhands,
backgroundbeatsareusuallysimpleandheavy(withanemphasisonthesecondandfourthbeats).
Instrumentssuchasthepiano,guitars,saxes,anddrumswereoftenusedtoaccompanyvocalistbut
remainedverymuchinthebackground.Aninstrumentalbreakusuallyappearedaftertwoverses.
ThoseraresongswithoutabreakincludedtheCharts'"Deserie"(1958)andtheFlamingos'"IOnly
HaveEyesForYou"(1959)inbothcases,thechorusisrepeatedthroughoutthesong.

SimpleChorusandLyrics
Doowopmusicisoftencomprisedoffourchordprogressions.Evenuptemporenditionsofold
standardsgenerallyflattenoutthemelodylinei.e.,renderingitinamoresimplifiedform(e.g.,"A
SundayKindofLove,""StormyWeather").Thelyricstendtoberepetitive,simple,dialectical,and
awkwardlyphrased.Someareevengrammaticallyincorrect.Nevertheless,manytranscendthese
limitationstoconvincinglyexpresssuchcomplexfeelingsasdisillusionment,desire,andlove.

EvolutionoftheGenre
Doowopemergedintheurbanghettosfromtheblendingofrhythmandblues,gospel,andpopular
blackvocalgroupmusicinthepostWorldWarIIera.Thestylerepresentedtheculminationofmany
hoursspentbyteensusuallyblackmalespracticingvocalharmoniesinschoolgyms,streetcorners,
andsubwayentrances.TheseyounggroupssoughtapieceoftheAmericanDreamviacrossover
successinthemusicbusiness.Fromtheirperspective,themoredirectroutetosuccessmeantadapting
whitepopstandardstocontemporaryblackvocalstyles.Inotherwords,theyattemptedtoreplicate
theformulaemployedagenerationearlierbyblackgroupsliketheMillsBrothersandtheInkSpots.
Thepronouncedgospelandr&btraitswithintheirworkreflectedtheinfluencesfromchildhood
(church,socialactivities,etc.)whichformedthecoreoftheirmusiceducation.Doowopfeatures
beganemerginginAfricanAmericanpopmusicduringthe19481951period.Theycanbediscerned
inr&bhitsliketheOrioles'"It'sTooSoonToKnow"(1948)andtheDominoes'"SixtyMinuteMan"
(1951).Thedoowoperabeganaround1952atimewhenthekeymusicalqualitiesofthegenrewere
allclearlyinevidenceandremainedartisticallyandcommerciallyviableuntiltheearly1960s.This
timeframecanbesubdividedintoseveralphasesofstylisticdevelopment.
PaleoDooWop(19521954)
Thissubgenreretainsmanyvisiblefeaturesofitsstylisticancestorse.g.,r&bintheDrifters'
"MoneyHoney"gospelin"TheBellsofSt.Mary's,"byLeeAndrewsandtheHeartsblackpopvocal
groupsinthePlatters'"OnlyYou."Thesetraitshadyettobesynthesizedintoatrulysingularstyle.
OthernotablerecordsfromthisperiodincludedTheCadillacs"Gloria"(1954)TheChords"Sh
Boom"(1954thecoverbytheCrewcutsbecameoneofthebiggesthitsofthatyear),TheCrows
"Gee"(1954),TheDrifters"HoneyLove"(1954),TheHarptones"ASundayKindofLove"(1954),
TheJewels"HeartsofStone"(1954),TheOrioles"CryingintheChapel"(1953),andThe
Penguins"EarthAngel"(1954)
ClassicalDooWop(19551959)
Thisphasefeaturedtightandsweetharmonieshowever,theleadsingerslostmuchofthesmoothness
typifyingpaleodoowoprecordings.Basssingersweregivenamoreprominentroleinthepastthey
hadtendedtofunctionmerelyaspartofthebackgroundharmony.Theperformersweregenerally
quiteyoung,featuringlyricsprimarilyconcernedwithyoung,idealisticlove.Nonsensesyllableswere
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employedinthemajorityofsongs.Instrumentationremainedinthebackground,albeitwithaheavy
backbeat.KeyrecordingsincludedTheCleftones"LittleGirlofMine"(1956),TheDelVikings
"ComeGoWithMe"(1957),TheElDorados"AtMyFrontDoor"(1955),TheFiveSatins"Inthe
StilloftheNight"(1956),TheFlamingos"IOnlyHaveEyesForYou"(1959),TheHeartbeats"A
ThousandMilesAway"(1956),TheMonotones"BookofLove"(1958),TheRays"Silhouettes"
(1957),TheSilhouettes"GetaJob"(1958),andTheWillows"ChurchBellsMayRing"(1956)
Theclassicalperiodsawthedevelopmentofawidearrayofspinoffstyles,inpartaresponsetonewly
devisedmarketingstrategies.
(a)Schoolboydoowop.Thefocalpointherewasanultrahightenor,usuallyamaleinhisearly
teenageyears.WhileFrankieLymonwasthedefinitiveinterpreterfromthestandpointofboth
commercialsuccessandsingingprowess,hehasmanyimitators,includingbrotherLewisLymon(the
Teenchords),theKodaks,theSchoolboys,andtheStudents.AmongthenotablehitswereLittle
AnthonyandtheImperials"TwoPeopleintheWorld"(1958),FrankieLymonandtheTeenagers
"WhoDoFoolsFallinLove"(1956),andTheSchoolboys"Shirley"(1957).
(b)Gangdoowop.Leadsingersstudiouslyavoidedbeingsmoothrather,theyseemedtoswaggeras
theysang.Likewise,harmonies,thoughintricate,wereroughinapproach.MajorhitsincludedThe
Channels"That'sMyDesire"(1957),TheCharts"Desiree"(1958),andTheCollegians"Zoom
ZoomZoom"(1957).
(c)Italodoowop.LikeAfricanAmericans,ItalianAmericansaccordedmusicaprimeplaceintheir
upbringing(throughchurch).Althoughisolatedwhitegroupshadappearedintheearly1950s(e.g.,
theBayBops,theNeons,theThreeFriends),thefirstmajorwaveofwhitedoowopactssurfacedin
1958.Thisvariantwasdistinguishedbyeventightergroupharmonies,roughlyhewntenorspushing
theirupperregisterstoproducea"sweet"sound,andtheprominenceofbasssingers(thelattera
premonitionoftheneodoowopphase).NotablerecordingsincludedTheCapris"There'saMoon
OutTonight"(19581961),TheClassics"TillThen"(1963),TheElegants"LittleStar"(1958),and
TheMystics"Hushabye"(1959).
(d)Popdoowop.Heavilyinfluencedbythecommercialmainstreamgoingasfarbackasturnofthe
centurybarbershopquartets,thisstylehadlittleincommonwithclassicdoowopotherthantight
harmony.Practitionersdevelopedanumberofploysgearedtomakinginroadsintothepopmarket,
mostnotably(1)coverrecords,(2)softeningthedoowopsoundinorderthatitmightreachabroader
rangeofagegroups,and(3)jazzingupadultorientedstandardssoastoappealtoyouth.Amongthe
morepopularrecordsinthisveinwereTheDuprees"YouBelongtoMe"(1962),TheEchoes
"BabyBlue"(1961),TheFleetwoods"ComeSoftlytoMe"(1959),TheTemptations(whitegroup)
"Barbara"(1960),andTheTymes"SoMuchinLove"(1963).
NeoDooWop(19601963)
Theimpetusforthisphasewastheoldiesrevival(largelyfocusedondoowop)whichbeganin1959.
Althoughneodoowopmaintainedthesimplemelodylinesandpreoccupationwithlovelyrics
typifyingtheclassicalphase,thedistinctivefeaturesofdoowopweregreatlyexaggeratede.g.,a
greaterpreponderanceoffalsettoleads,heavierandmorepronouncedbasssinging.Instrumentsalso
figuredmoreprominentlyinsongarrangements.NotablehitsincludedGeneChandlerwiththe
Dukays"DukeofEarl"(1961),TheDevotions"RipVanWinkle"(19611964),DionwiththeDel
Satins"RunaroundSue"(1961),CurtisLeeWiththeHalos"PrettyLittleAngelEyes"(1961),The
Paradons"DiamondsandPearls"(1960),TheReflections"(JustLike)RomeoandJuliet"(1964),
TheRegents"BarbaraAnn"(1961),andTheStereos"IReallyLoveYou"(1961).
Theabsorptionofnewtalentfromavarietyofbackgroundsspurredthedevelopmentofnewstylistic
subcategories.
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(a)TinPanAlleyDooWop.Exposedtodoowopaswellasschooledinmusiccomposition,young
songwriters(e.g.,GerryGoffin/CaroleKing,BarryMann/CynthiaWeil,JeffBarry/EllieGreenwich)
andproducers(PhilSpector)createdtheirownformula.Theymeldeddoowopconventions(e.g.,
tightharmony,pronouncedbass,nonsensesyllables)withmorecomplexmelodies,augmented
instrumentation,andthoroughgoingproductionvalues.KeyrecordingsincludedTheChiffons"He's
SoFine"(1963),TheCrystals"DaDooRonRon"(1963),TheRaindrops"TheKindofBoyYou
Can'tForget"(1963),RandyandtheRainbows"Denise"(1963),andTheTokens"TonightIFellin
Love"(1961)
(b)DistaffDooWop.Withfewexceptions(e.g.,theChantels,theBobbettes,theShirelles,and
frontingmalegroupssuchasthePlatters),womendidn'tplayaprominentroleindoowopuntilthe
TinPanAlleyvariantachievedpopularity.NotablehitsincludedPattiLaBelleandtheBlueBelles
"You'llNeverWalkAlone"(1963),TheCookies"Don'tSayNothin'BadAboutMyBaby"(1963),
andReperataandtheDelrons"WheneveraTeenagerCries"(1964)
(c)GarageBandDooWop.Denotesmaterialrecordedonsubstandardequipment.Representative
examplesincludedtheLaddins'"DidIt"andtheContenders'"TheClock."
(d)NoveltyDooWop.Almostwithoutexception,thisgenreencompasseshumorous,uptempo
material.Themescoveredincludefantasy(e.g.,theEternals'"Rockin'intheJungle,"theCadets'
"StrandedintheJungle"),rebellion(e.g.,theCoasters'"YaketyYak"),fads(e.g.,theRoyalTeens'
"ShortShorts"),andmediaheroes(e.g.,DanteandtheEvergreens'"AlleyOop").
(e)PseudoDooWop.Thiscategoryreferstothedoowopstyleminusthevocalgroupformat.Major
strainshaveincludedsoloefforts(e.g.,RonHoldenandtheThunderbirds'"LoveYouSo,"Rosieand
theOriginals'"AngelBaby")andduos(e.g.,SkipandFlip's"CherryPie,"DonandJuan's"What's
YourName,"RobertandJohnny's"OvertheMountain").
PostDooWop(1964)
Forallpracticalpurposes,thegenreceasedtofunctioninacreativesenseaselementsassociatedwith
itvirtuallydisappearfromrecordings.Withfewexceptions,wordsreplacednonsensesyllablesas
backgroundresponses,harmonyrecededintothebackground,falsettoappearedlessfrequently,the
basswasusedlessasaseparatevoice,instrumentationtookonmuchgreaterimportance,and
melodiesexhibitedamuchgreaterdegreeofvariation.Anumberofgroupsmostnotablythe
Drifters,theFourSeasons,andLittleAnthonyandtheImperialscrossedoverintothepop
mainstream.Theprimaryinnovationsinvocalgroupsingingnowtookplacewithintheacappella
genre.

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