Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-The Marcels

Artist:The Marcels

Song:Blue Moon

Album:The Doo Wop Box

This doo wop cover of the Richard Rodgers/Moss Hart chestnut Blue Moon topped the charts in 1961 and was The Marcels' only memorable song. The group was from Pittsburgh with lead singer Cornelius Harp along with Richard F. Knauss, Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker and Ron Mundy. The group was named after Harp's hairstyle. They sent out demos and one of them landed in the hands of Colpix Records producer Stu Phillips. He brought them to New York and Blue Moon was the only song he liked. So The Marcels took the intro from The Cadillacs hit Zoom and Blue Moon was a huge international hit. The Marcels appeared in the Chubby Checker film Twist Around The Clock and cut an album for Colpix. Allen Johnson & Walt Maddox replaced Knauss & Bricker making them an all black group. Their follow up Heartaches hit the top ten in 1961 but that was all for The Marcels. Of course Rhino's 4CD Doo Wop Box is the best place to get all the doo wop classics. Harp & Allen Johnson left in 1962 and they faded away. The Marcels reunited in 1973 and a version of the group has toured the oldies circuit over the years. Walt Maddox currently owns the rights to The Marcels and the group reformed for the PBS special Doo Wop 50. And here is The Marcels performing Blue Moon on Doo Wop 50.