Earth Angel

Earth Angel was the most successful doo-wop tracks of all time, sung in 1954 by the Penguins. The recording is one of the first crossover of Rhythm & Blues from an independent record label, which reached the pop charts.

Genesis

Discovered by the later Platters manager Buck Ram, started the Penguins with sample recordings in the summer of 1954 for the tiny independent record label Dootone Records, named after its owner Walter " Dootsie " Williams. Ted Brinson, the uncle of the band member Cleveland " Cleve " Duncan, had a homemade recording studio, which was located in a garage behind his house in the 2190 West 30th Street in the south Los Angeles. Taken with a single-track Ampex tape machine, production line developed under the label boss Williams some demonstration recordings, including Earth Angel. Dootone Records decided, first, the single No There Is not No News Today / When I Am Gone ( Dootone # 345) in August 1954 from the repertoire of demo recordings to publish. The plate had no particular resonance in the public.

In September 1954 it was decided, Hey Senorita / Earth Angel ( Will You Be Mine ) ( Dootone # 348) to bring to the market. Lead singer of Hey Senorita, which was selected as the A-side, was the first tenor Curtis Williams. At Earth Angel sang Cleve Duncan (tenor ) lead vocals and Dexter Tisby ( second tenor ) in the second song bridge; the piano chords come from Curtis Williams. The song is based on chord changes, as they are ( first recorded on 16 November 1934, the Casa Loma Orchestra ) heard in the Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart composition Blue Moon. It came seven or eight takes, because the recording had to be repeatedly interrupted because of disturbing outside noise.

After publication was logically the A- side, the most airplay. But then in October 1954, the radio stations focused on the B- side of Earth Angel, setting off a wave of buying from. Dootone Records could hardly meet with the record production in the pressing plant growing demand. As for the mass pressing, the pressure base for the red label went out, was further pressed in blue. On 18 December, the board listed first in the rhythm & blues charts, where it reached the top spot for three weeks on January 5, 1955. On December 25, the song also reached the pop charts, where he was able to advance to the eighth rank.

Success

By the year 1957, the song began to almost four million copies. The great success of the single was to deal with the small label and hardly had it almost ruined her. The record company had to provide continuous plate supplies from the pressing plant, while the plate wholesale not paid immediately. By the year 1983, an alleged sales to have been achieved by ten million copies worldwide. Despite the tremendous sales success, Dootone Records refused to pay the Penguins they are entitled. The constant disputes over here prompted their manager Buck Ram to negotiate with Mercury Records. There one was delighted at the prospect of being able to accommodate this group in the catalog. However, this was only possible because a change to Mercury should take place under the condition that the so far unsuccessful Platters had to be transferred. Already on February 1, 1955 took place the first recordings of the Penguins for Mercury Records, the record deal was postponed yet to be confirmed by the Guardianship Court in April 1955.

Copyright litigation

The authorship of Earth Angel has long been controversial. First, as a composer, the lead singer of the group, Curtis Williams, stated in the first edition of the song. When Jesse Belvin and Carl Green then alleged in May 1955 at the copyright process to be the composer of Earth Angel, Gaynel Hodge / Jesse Belvin / Curtis Williams were registered with the BMI. Meanwhile, there was agreement among experts that parts of the song by Jesse BelVins Dreamgirl (Specialty # 447, added on November 12, 1952) stemmed because the chord changes are very similar in both songs. This song reached the second place in the rhythm & blues charts. The final settlement came only in May 1957. The court ruled that the publication rights in Dootone Records had remained and that Jesse Belvin was regarded as the sole author of the song.

Also In May 1955 sued Dootone Records the Penguins manager Buck Ram and the record label Mercury Records, that both would move the Penguins to the label change. It turned out that the contract with Dootone was void for minority group members. At Mercury, the once successful Penguins could not prevail, while the so far unsuccessful Platters there were delivering a million-seller after another.

Cover versions

No sooner were the Penguins in the charts on track, was released in January 1955, Mercury Records, the first cover of the white Crew Cuts, the third in the pop charts make it. In the same month came out even a version of Gloria man who was listed on rank 18 on the pop charts. Over the years, appeared repeatedly versions, such as by Johnny Tillotson ( April 1960 ), The Vogues ( April 1969) or The New Edition ( August 1986 ); also because of the many versions over the years is true Earth Angel as one of the most consistent throughout the classic pop music. A total of 26 cover versions are counted.

The title ranks number 151 in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the " 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ". In March 2004 the song as one of 50 recordings per year was chosen, which became the " National Recording Registry" of the Library of Congress assigned. This archive culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant recordings are collected that reflect life in the United States. Earth Angel received a BMI Award.