Artist:The Delltones
Song:Hangin' Five
Album:Walk Like a Man
If you're old enough, you may have heard this song in the early 60s and thought it was a lost Beach Boys song. It isn't by them or any of the popular surf music bands. The song is called Hangin' Five and it's by The Delltones and they were very popular in their native Australia. Hangin' Five did turn up on a few radio stations here so it was a cult hit. But it was never released here. The Delltones started out in 1958 in Sydney, Australia as a doo wop group. Lead singer Noel Weiderberg and bass singer Ian "Peewee" Wilson were lifeguards when they started the group. Other members were Warren Lucas and Brian Perkins. They auditioned for 2GB DJ Bob Rogers and he convinced promoter Lee Gordon to use them on some of his concerts. He signed them to his Leedon label and they had modest success on the Australian charts. They were a popular live act but couldn't get that hit single. The Delltones switched to the CBS label Coronet in 1960 and scored a top five hit with the 1961 single You're the Limit. Then they switched to EMI and then back to Leedon but didn't have success. Leedon had been sold to Festival Records. Then tragedy struck as Noel Weiderberg was killed in a July 1962 car crash. They were encouraged by friends to seek a replacement in Colin Loughnan formerly of The Crescents. He was friends with Lucas. They scored a top five hit with the 1963 single Come a Little Bit Closer. Surf music had become very popular in Australia. So as a gag, The Delltones recorded Hangin' Five. The song was written by police officer Ben Acton who was also in the police band and was into the surfing scene. Hangin' Five was a top five hit. So how did it become a cult hit in California? Usually a US tourist will hear the record, buy it and play it for a DJ when he got home. Sometimes if it becomes a hit, a US label will release it. That didn't happen in this case. But I'm sure there are some who heard Hangin' Five and can't find it. So you can get it on this comp. When their contract with Leedon ended, The Delltones continued to perform live. But they didn't record again until 1969. By that time, Lucas and Loughnan left. Loughnan went on to play sax in the band Ayers Rock. The Delltones went to England and recorded for EMI. They split up in 1973. They reformed in 1978. By 1981, Wilson was the only original member. But The Delltones continued until they disbanded for good in 2016. Here's the video for Hangin' Five by The Delltones filmed in 1963.
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