Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Wednesday 45 Flashback: ‘Rama Lama Ding Dong’

Here’s a song that was a hit the year I was born (1961): “Rama Lama Ding Dong” by the Edsels.

I’m not deep into doo-wop, but I’ve liked this record ever since I stumbled upon it in the ’80s. Turns out that aficionados consider it a masterpiece of the form.

What trips me out is... doo-wop was the hip-hop of 50 years ago. This was ghetto music. Don’t-need-nothing-but-your-throat music.

Cool-guys-on-the-corner music. Male-bonding music.

Competitive music. Impress-the-ladies-with-your-tightness music.

Hope-to-get-a-record-deal music. White-guys-wanna-copy-it music.

So let’s not forget the history.

Plus, Edsels lead singer George Jones, Jr., was a bad cat by any standard.

2 comments:

  1. I wonder what the kids are gonna be listening to when Nas and Jigga are "oldies"?

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  2. ^ May we both live long enough to find out.

    I occasionally wonder about the flip side: When Kool Moe Dee and Doug E. Fresh and nem are pushing 70, will they be on public television doing nostalgia specials like the old doo-woppers do?

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