As one of the earliest forms of a cappella singing every group should know at least some of the doo wop classics. "Under The Boardwalk", the 1964 hit by the Drifters, is one of the all time a cappella hits and should be in every group's repertoire. Here's a super doo-wop arrangement of Ben E King's 1961 "Stand By Me" and " In The Still Of The Night", a doo wop gem that's fun to sing. "Come Go With Me" - Put a special soloist out front with this doo-wop hit of the '50s!

Songlist: Come Go With Me, Under the Boardwalk, In the Still of the Nite, Stand By Me

Stephen Stills wrote "Find The Cost of Freedom" after visiting a Civil War battle site and the emotion is still potent today: "All the brave soldiers that cannot get older been asking after you ... Find the cost of freedom buried in the ground." The a cappella texture makes it especially moving. "Come Go With Me" - Put a special soloist out front with this doo-wop hit of the '50s! Here's a super arrangement of the top pop hit "Stand By Me" from 1961. "Sixteen Tons" - Here's a great a cappella setting of the Tennessee Ernie Ford work song from the '50s. Excellent independence of voices!

Songlist: Find The Cost of Freedom, Come Go With Me, Stand By Me

The four men and one woman of the Colorado-based 17th Avenue Allstars have been singing sweet Pop harmonies together for over a decade since their beginnings in Denver CO, and are no strangers to Harmony Sweepstakes audiences--they have won the Western Regional 3 times, and the whole enchilada, the National Championship, in 1993. Their repertoire includes 5 decades of popular music: 40's Swing, 50's Rock and Roll, 60's and 70's R&B and 80's and 90's Pop. "Doo Wop Gold," their fifth excellent CD, includes 12 classic, beautifully-arranged Doo Wop hits that would certainly rank in our top 20 of all time: "Remember When/I Wonder Why," "Sh-Boom," "I Only Have Eyes For You," "Blue Moon," "Rockin' Robin," "Come Go With Me," "Lonely Teardrops," "In The Still Of The Night," "Morse Code Of Love," "Get A Job" and "Trickle Trickle;" finishing with a tasty "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Consummate entertainers whether they are performing their award-winning show at a family concert, large scale music festival or corporate party, "Gold" is ample proof that the Allstars are still one of the best Doo Wop groups we've ever had the pleasure to hear.

Songlist: Remember Then - I Wonder Why, Sh-Boom, I Only Have Eyes for You, Blue Moon, Rockin' Robin, Come Go With Me, Lonely Teardrops, In the Still of the Night, Morse Code of Love, Get A Job, Trickle Trickle, The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Benny (Bird) Primetime Daniels, John Farrington, John Jones, Bill Keith and James (J.P.) Phillips are A Moment's Pleasure, and they sing polished, smooth, deep-bassed, close-harmony a cappella street corner doo-wop. Formed in 1982, all the group members have paid their dues (dues-wop?) big time, and it shows. 15 classic songs, from 'What's Your Name,' 'Farewell My Love,' 'Sitting In the Park' and 'Save the Last Dance for Me,' to 'Come Go with Me,' 'So Fine,' 'Sincerely' and 'Don't Leave Me Baby' - it's all great doo-wop with more of a 60s flavor without losing the vintage R&B 1950's sound!

Songlist: What's Your Name?, Could This Be Magic, Farewell My Love, Sitting in the Park, Talking To My Heart, Save The Last Dance For Me, While Walking, Lost Love, Come Go With Me, So Fine, I Do, Sincerely, Peace Of Mind, Never Let Me Go, Don't Leave Me Baby

The second CD from this Chicago foursome (plus guest percussionist), who like rock and still admit to it. In fact, they even perform rock songs on this CD! Yes, INXS, Grand Funk Railroad and Cheap Trick fall victim to the AC (pronounced "Aack") Rock onslaught. Even "Vehicle," a seventies rock anthem written by Jim Peterik (of cult favorites "Ides of March" and later of eighties AOR band Survivor), receives the AC treatment, complete with an actual guitar solo played by Jim himself! What's more, AC Rock are fine singers, they're tight, and they're in tune. To prove it, and to refute any aspersions that may exist about their musicality, the group includes Seal's "Kiss From A Rose," the Beach Boys "409" and the Hollies "Bus Stop," and even "Istanbul" for you jump swingers. (Actually, we have it on good authority that members of AC Rock received serious musical educations, but we'll never tell!) Party on!

Songlist: Istanbul, Come Go With Me, Because, Vehicle, I Want You To Want Me, Bus Stop, It's For You, Kiss From A Rose, Need You Tonight, 409, Coconut, Witch Doctor, Some Kind Of Wonderful

The enthusiasm of the Alley Cats is so infectious and their energy so buoyant that they can make you like any song they sing. It's true! Having gotten their start at Disneyland's 'Magic Kingdom,' they exhibit a merry disposition that bursts through even on CD-they cannot be contained! A host of classic tunes such as 'Book Of Love,' 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Duke Of Earl,' which could be perfunctory in lesser hands, are pounced on by the Alley Cats, and are the better for it. The arrangements are familiar but with a little added pizazz (we'd encourage more!), the intonation crisp, the rhythms fluid. A highly professional and entertaining recording.

Songlist: Rama Lama Ding Dong, Sh-Boom, Come Go With Me, Sixty Minute Man, At The Hop, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Book Of Love, Duke Of Earl, Little Darlin', In The Still Of The Night, Don't Be Cruel, Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight, Alley Cat Tag

While entertaining thousands as Disneyland's house band, (and performing a killer "Showcase Concert" at the West Coast Summit), the four-man Alley Cats, "America's Premier Doo-Wop Group," released three great studio recordings and gained many fans in concert. "Drive-In" puts us in the audience of an electric, hilarious live performance, at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center in 2003. 19 songs, like "Sh Boom," The Temptations' "My Girl," Del Shannon's "Runaround Sue," "La Bamba," "Sixteen Candles," "Don't Be Cruel," "Poison Ivy," "Stand By Me" and more. But the big fun of the Alley Cats' stage act is more than just top-drawer Doo-Wop--these guys are stone entertainers whose patter and interactions with the audience (and a great Neil Diamond impersonation) are a scream. "America's Premier Doo-Wop Group?" We'll buy that!

Songlist: Intro - Our Friend Lee Marshall, At the Hop / Jump Jive and Wail, Come Go With Me, I Wonder Why, What's Your Name, Sh Boom, Rockin' Robin, My Girl, Little Bitty Pretty One, Runaround Sue, La Bamba, Sixteen Candles, Don't Be Cruel, Poison Ivy, Stand By Me, Book of Love, Get A Job, Rama Lama Ding Dong, Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight

One of our favorite all-male Doo-Wop quartets of all time, The Alley Cats first got together for some streetcorner harmonizing at Fullerton College (CA) in 1987, were the Disney house Doo-Wop band and won the LA Harmony Sweeps Regional. So we had our chance to be blown away by their dynamic and hilarious live act at both the West Coast A Cappella Summit as well as at the Harmony Sweeps National Finals. "Greatest Hits" is of course a "Best Of," featuring winners like "Don't Be Cruel" and "Sh-Boom" from their best-selling CD "The Doo-Wop Drive-In Live;" "Remember Then" from the CD "Strike #!;" "Morse Code of Love" and "Love Potion #9" from "Cruisin';" "Little Darlin'," "Come Go With Me" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (the best we've ever heard it) from "The Cat's Meow;" plus two never released cuts, "The Longest Time" and "Unchained Melody." Also included are 5 stellar cuts from their new live show, "Bandstand Boogie," "Rock Around The Clock," "Sherry," "Higher and Higher" and Tennessee Ernie Ford's deathless top-40 hit "Sixteen Tons." And finally, the Cats' very first, very hot original Doo-Wop song, "You Make Me Weak!" "Greatest Hits" is a Doo-Wop party, Big Fun from first cut to the 17th-don't miss this one!

Songlist: You Make Me Weak, Bandstand Boogie, Rock Around the Clock, Sherry, Higher and Higher, Sixteen Tons, Come Go With Me, Little Darlin', The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Morse Code of Love, A Cappella, Love Potion #9, Remember Then, Don't Be Cruel, Sh' Boom, The Longest Time, Unchained Melody

An Octave Above : An Octave Above   

The 4 men and 4 women of An Octave Above, (named 1st runner-up at the 2005 Harmony Sweeps Chicago Regional) are a group of professional vocalists, together for only 3 years, whose repertoire includes doo-wop, jazz, standards and madrigals. This is the group's impressive debut CD of 13 songs, beginning with a jazzy, light "Chile Con Carne," a sweet Ward Swingle-arranged "All the Things You Are," and a ringingly harmonic cover of James Taylor's "That Lonesome Road." Doo-Wop classics "Come Go With Me" and "In the Still of the Night" segue nicely into Billy Joel's anthem "And So It Goes," a bluenote "There Will Never Be Another You" grows upbeat and scattish, "Tico Tico" puts a margarita in our hand and pulls us onto the dance floor, and finally we have Ward Swingle's sparkling arrangement of "Country Dances." Excellent stuff from this fast-rising Chicago octet, who we will be expecting to see at the '06 Sweeps Finals!

Songlist: Chili Con Carne, When I'm Sixty-Four, All the Things You Are, Come Go With Me, That Lonesome Road, I'm With You, In the Still of the Night, And So It Goes, There Will Never Be Another You, Scat Blues, Tico Tico, A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square, Country Dances

Jack, Ed, Jack and Bobby, the Boomerz, are Barbershoppers returning to their Doo-Wop roots! They were raised on Doo-Wop, singing and lip-synching when they were as young as six. After that it was at least ten years (with Ed putting in an amazing 31 years) singing in Barbershop groups. Their love of Doo-Wop brought them together, and the Boomerz have the sweet, soulful sound (some of the best falsetto we've heard on a Doo-Wop CD) that made everyone who heard it on the radio in the 50s and 60s fall in love. 12 songs, "I Wonder Why," "That's My Desire," the excellent "Streets Of The Bronx" (a new one to us), "Come Go With Me," "One Summer Night," "Sometimes (When I'm All Alone)," "Tonight, Could Be The Night," the classic "Western Movies," "All I Have To Do Is Dream," "Barbara Ann," "Little Star" and "Gloria." Great B-shop harmonies, Doo-Wop tunes-who could ask for more?

Songlist: I Wonder Why, That's My Desire, Streets of the Bronx, Come Go With Me, One Summer Night, Sometimes (When I'm All Alone), Tonight, Could Be the Night, Western Movies, All I Have To Do Is Dream, Barabara Ann, Little Star, Gloria

Naples, Florida's own Brylcream, 'A Little Dab of Doo-Wop,' is John 'Wopp' Mina, Richie Beattie, Tom 'Cool-T' Welter, Gary 'G Man' Groneman and Ray 'Wolfman' Conklin. 'Rockin'' has 16 tight, sweet Doo-Wop standards: 'Barbara Ann,' 'Lion Sleeps Tonight,' 'Book of Love,' 'River of Dreams,' 'Teardrops,' 'Run Around Sue,' 'Mr. Blue,' 'Teenager In Love,' our personal favorite, 'Rockin' The Neighborhood,' and 'Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay'-and if anyone needs proof of that, just listen to Brylcream, some of the best Doo-Woppers we've heard. All A Cappella.

Songlist: Barbara Ann, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Book Of Love, Rockin' The Neighborhood, Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay, River Of Dreams, Teardrops, That Dream Song, Ready To Go, Run Around Sue, Blue Moon, Come Go With Me, Teenager In Love, I Wonder Why, Remember

The Del-Vikings went through more personnel changes than there are months in the year, so many that it's a labor in and of itself keeping track. A racially integrated group, they formed in 1955 from enlistees at a Pittsburgh Air Force Base. Their first hit, on Fee Bee, was called 'Come Go With Me.' Subsequent hits, such as 'Don't Be A Fool,' are every bit as melliflous and agreeable now as then: an easy tempo, the five voices balancing each other tunefully, the arrangement and orchestration in perfect compliment. This recording comprises most of their recording career, at least up to 1960, when they were dropped by Mercury (though the group continued to exist and enjoyed a modicum of success throughout the 1980's, appearing on television, recording and touring on the oldies circuit). The Del-Vikings epitomize the sound of the '50's.

Songlist: Come Go With Me, Don't Be A Fool, What Made Maggie Run, Over The Rainbow, Willette, Down In Bermuda, You Say You Love Me, Whispering Bells, How Can I Find True Love, I'm Spinning, Girl, Girl, I Want To Marry You, When I Come Home, Watching The Moon

Essentials : Oh What a Night   

From that hotbed of a cappella music to the north, Canada, comes a young, high energy quintet who are devoting their harmonious labors on this album to the art of the doo-wop, particularly the early 60's style. 'Sixteen Candles,' 'Runaround Sue,' 'So Much In Love,' 'Come Go With Me,' and 'The Way You Do The Things You Do' are a partial list of the tunes, 14 in all. You can thoroughly enjoy a moment of nostalgia or enjoy those oldies anew as the harmonies are tight and rich, the bass is solid and the tunes are all from an era of great schmaltz and great vocalization, a virtual golden age of acappella. (For spelling information see the Belmont's review) 

Songlist: I Wonder Why, Sixteen Candles, Runaround Sue, Up On The Roof, Denise, So Much In Love, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Earth Angel, Come Go With Me, Lean On Me, The Way You Do The Things You Do, Blue Moon, In The Still Of The Night

'Hotter than a drive-in on a July night, smoother than a pocketful of jello... Here are The Fabulous Delacardos' That's what it says right here on the notes!We've never had a pocket full of jello, ourselves. In 1981 for a 20th class reunion of one of the members, the five men and one woman decided to recreate the music they loved as they grew up. They sing a New York style with a distinctly southern twist for they are from Tennessee. As an aside, the fine woman's voice you will hear belongs to Christy Little who ran for a Juvenile Court Judge in 1998.The 28 tunes are those that any one who went to high school in the late fifties or early sixties will have to remember fondly, or else turn in your Baby Boomer ID.

Songlist: One Fine Day, Sixteen Candles, I Go To Pieces, Stagger Lee, Love Potion #9, All I Have To Do Is Dream, Silhouettes, Dedicated To The One I Love, Sh-Boom, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, So In Love, Come Go With Me, Be My Baby, Blue Moon, Cab Driver, Runaround Sue, Rockin' Robin, The Wanderer, Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight, In The Still Of The Night, Hearbreak Hotel, What's Your Name, Sincerely, Sixteen Tons, Da Doo Ron Ron, Under the Boardwalk, Sea Of Love, Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay

When we want to hear authentic Doo Wop, we think of Indiana. That's right, Indiana-4-man, 1-woman Harbor Lights is the real deal, with the genuine New York Doo Wop sound. On "Almost" they nail Doo Wop standards like "Come Go With Me," "Little Star," "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." They add a female lead to Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," and reinterpret pop hits like the Temptations' "Just My Imagination" and Peter & Gordon's "I Go To Pieces" becomes an a cappella classic. Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" is a sweet, nostalgic winner, as is Richie Valens' "Donna." Some accompaniment. "Almost" is the soul of East Coast Doo Wop from America's heartland!

Songlist: Come Go With Me, Poor Little Fool, Gee Whiz, Little Star, Stand By Me, Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Just My Imagination, I Go To Pieces, Donna, The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Jackson, Paul, Kim, Joe, Gary, Dan and Rick have at least two things in common: they're all wonderful Doo-Wop singers, and they're earning a lot of fans in Arizona! "Burgers, Shakes Doo-Wop," contains 16 pretty straightforward covers of Doo-Wop standards like Bob Gaudio's "Sherry," Brian Wilson's "Little Deuce Coupe," Fred Parris' "In the Still of the Night," Hart & Rodgers' "Blue Moon," "The Lion Sleeps Tonight..." this album might have been called "Greatest Doo-Wop Hits of All Time!" These 7 guys (MC6 plus 1?) absolutely nail every song, and the additional voices add more richness and depth to the harmonies. Other favorites are "Up on the Roof" and "One Fine Day" by Carole King and Gerry Goffin; "Runaround Sue" by Ernie Maresca and Dion Dimucci, Al Yankovic's very silly "Since You've Been Gone," Del Shannon's "I Go to Pieces," Billy Joel's "The Longest Time" and the album closes with Harmony Sweeps audience favorite "Goodnight Sweetheart" by James Hudson and Calvin Carter. MC6 clearly loves Doo-Wop and entertaining us, and, like the burgers and shakes we remember, it's all big fun and delicious!

Songlist: Sherry, 409 / Little Deuce Coupe, Come Go With Me, In The Still Of The Night, Blue Moon, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Surfer Girl, Up On The Roof, Runaround Sue, One Fine Day, Since You've Been Gone, Teenager In Love, So Much In Love, I Go To Pieces, The Longest Time, Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight

The Tribunes give us that street corner feel with their a cappella renditions of such doo wop gems as "Story Untold", "Diamonds And Pearls" and "What Time Is It."

Songlist: Diamonds and Pearls, Story Untold, Little Darlin', If You Want To, Come Go With Me, What Time Is It?, Under The Boardwalk, Summertime, Sixteen Candles, Over The Rainbow

When we first saw the Alley Cats it was giving a "showcase concert" on a small school stage at the A Cappella Summit, singing 4 or 5 songs. What was clear was that these four young guys simply performed sweeter, better-arranged, funnier, more together Doo-Wop than anyone we had ever heard. "9 Lives" (9 "live" performances, get it?) proves that they are even more so now. Their song selection includes our very favorites: "Blue Moon," "Duke of Earl," "Come Go With Me," "Little Darlin'," "La Bamba," "Little Bitty Pretty One," "The Book of Love," "Barbara Ann," plus 3 bonus tracks, including "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Rock N Roll is Here to Stay." The DVD includes cool footage from their appearances on Arsenio Hall and other shows, and begins with live songs from an outdoor California festival, then follows the guys on their ride to Vegas for very hot performances and outtakes there. Alley Cat fans, you of course will buy this DVD because you know that the Cats are "America's Premier Doo-Wop Group." Those unfamiliar with the group, you of course will want to see how good you have to be to bill yourself as "America's Premier Doo-Wop Group," and you won't be disappointed. We love these guys, and "9 Lives" is a treat from beginning to end!

Songlist: A Cappella, Come Go With Me, The Duke Of Earl, Little Bitty Pretty One, Book Of Love, Little Darlin, La Bamba / Twist And Shout, Barbara Ann, Blue Moon, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Rock 'N Roll Is Here To Stay