DEL VIKINGS, "I HEAR BELLS (WEDDING BELLS) C/W "DON'T GET SLICK ON ME," ABC-PARAMOUNT 45-10248 (REL. 9/1961)

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The Del-Vikings (with or without the dash) were among the most successful early purveyors of teen rock ‘n’ roll. The group’s mix of Black and white voices gave them an edge over the blander white groups (such as The Diamonds or Crew Cuts) who polluted pop charts in the latter half of the 1950s. They’re under-rated nowadays, but the earthiness and humor of their best performances places them high up the pantheon of early rock ‘n’ rollers.

Their Dot Records singles are everywhere: I encounter a copy of their 1957 “Whispering Bells” every time I dig through more than 50 unsorted records. The Dot sides sold well and gave them three Top 10 and 20 hits. They also recorded for Mercury; the story of their career is a complex, tangled mess, and I refer you, as always, to Marv Goldberg, whose carefully researched account will make your head spin but is accurate:

https://www.uncamarvy.com/DelVikings/delvikings.html

By the time they switched to ABC-Paramount, their hits had peaked; they managed #101 with 1961’s “Bring Back Your Heart.” Today we’ll hear the follow-up to that not-quite-a-smash, which captures the rowdy vibe of the group’s approach to fine effect. In a welcome move, both sides are up-tempo items; no soppy ballad.

“I Hear Bells (Wedding Bells)” is indeed a soppy title, but the group will have none of that mushy stuff. Its first moments offer a divine example of doo-wop at its wildest—simulations of bells, rapid-fire nonsense syllables and a percussive bass vocalist slinging out ‘yeps’ as lead vocalist Kripp Johnson gives with this ode to the bliss of someone head-over-heels in love.

This high-octane side fit in with a revived interest in the doo-wop sound, due to the success of The Marcels’ “Blue Moon” on the pop charts. For several months in 1961, it was 1957 all over again, and groups like the Del Vikings got a second wind. They turn it into a gale on this delightful side.

Hear it >>>>> HERE. <<<<<

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“Don’t Get Slick on Me” is an out-and-out r&b frenzy, with lead signer Ritzy Lee imparting additional soul to the D-V formula. They sound like a King Records act on this wild side—until the big-band brass out of a telethon or Las Vegas revue blurts out their bit. They’re at enormous odds with the gritty vocal blend of the group. This was typical of ABC-Paramount; they trafficked in mainstream pop that tilted towards an older demographic and had MOR backup ready at all times. It invades any number of their home-grown recordings.

In contrast, the label leased a huge amount of regional masters which were cruder, wilder and more kinetic than anything their New York producers and arrangers could achieve. This side comes somewhere in the middle, with the rough of the group’s intense performance contrasted with the smooth of the out-of-nowhere orchestral interlude. One gets the sense that they didn’t understand the impact of the rougher side of popular music, but they knew it sold.

Hear it >>>>> HERE. <<<<<

The later recordings of The Del Vikings are harder to find, and some tip towards the Northern Soul spectrum. Few groups had a more confusing discography, as Goldberg’s account demonstrates. Prepare for a deep dive if you read his article.

Tomorrow: the dawn of the stereo age, and RCA-Victor gets down to business with a series of stereo 45s. Some are plagued with technical flaws; others, such as tomorrow’s disc, show off the immaculate and rich binaural sound of Living Stereo. Two LP tracks issued under a bizarre pseudonym; one is a major piece of Space Age Pop. 1958 is the date.