Daddy Cool (The Rays song)
Encyclopedia
"Daddy Cool" was a song by US doo-wop
group, The Rays
and was released on Cameo Records
as the B-side of their 1957 single "Silhouettes". It became a #3 hit on the Billboard
Pop singles chart. The song was written by Bob Crewe
and Frank Slay, who had also written the A-side, "Silhouettes". The song became a #1 single on the Australian singles charts
when covered by novelty
band Drummond
in 1971, and remained there for seven weeks. UK cover band Darts
also had a hit single with the song, which reached #6 in 1977.
, from Canada, covered both sides of The Rays' single "Silhouettes"/"Daddy Cool" in the same year (1957) and saw their version reach #10. UK artists Darts
' first ever studio recording was "Daddy Cool" which they released as a 1977 single. It peaked at #6. Guy "Daddy Cool" Darrell released a single on the Warwick label in 1961 entitled "Daddy Cool, Daddy Cool (Daddy Cool, Cool, Cool)". However, it is unrelated to the Rays record except for having been inspired by the title. The Guy Darrell record was written by Gluch-D'Agostino.
n rock
band Daddy Cool
"named themselves after the song". They performed their cover version whilst touring Australia, including the Myponga Festival (60 km south of Adelaide, South Australia
). In January 1971, they recorded a studio version for their debut album Daddy Who? Daddy Cool
, which was released in July 1971. This, in turn, was covered by another Australian band, Drummond (pseudonym for Adelaide band Allison Gros), which recorded the song in a Chipmunks
style and released it as a novelty single in 1971. Already in the National Singles charts at #1 for ten weeks was Daddy Cool's record-breaking hit "Eagle Rock
", which was displaced by Drummond's tribute single "Daddy Cool". Drummond aka Allison Gros consisted of Graeham Goble
, Russ Johnson and John Mower. They moved to Melbourne and subsequently recorded their own material as Mississippi
and then, with the addition of Beeb Birtles
, evolved into Little River Band
.
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
group, The Rays
The Rays
The Rays was an American group formed in New York in 1955, and active in the 1950s. They first recorded for Chess Records. Their biggest hit single was "Silhouettes," a moderately-slow doo-wop piece of pop music that reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957, released on XYZ Records...
and was released on Cameo Records
Cameo Records
Cameo was a USA based budget record label, first flourishing in the 1920s, not connected with a later record label of the same name which was active in the 1950s and 1960s.The Cameo Record Company was based in Manhattan, New York...
as the B-side of their 1957 single "Silhouettes". It became a #3 hit on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Pop singles chart. The song was written by Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe
Bob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
and Frank Slay, who had also written the A-side, "Silhouettes". The song became a #1 single on the Australian singles charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
when covered by novelty
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
band Drummond
Mississippi (band)
Mississippi was an Australian band , which featured some big names in Australian rock music, Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Kerryn Tolhurst...
in 1971, and remained there for seven weeks. UK cover band Darts
Darts (band)
Darts were a nine-piece British doo-wop revival band that achieved chart success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The popular London-based band had a number of UK top 20 hits including three successive Number twos with revivals of early U.S...
also had a hit single with the song, which reached #6 in 1977.
Cover versions
Fellow 1950s doo-wop band The DiamondsThe Diamonds
The Diamonds are a Canadian vocal quartet who rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with sixteen Billboard hit records. The original members were Dave Somerville , Ted Kowalski , Phil Levitt , and Bill Reed .-1950s:...
, from Canada, covered both sides of The Rays' single "Silhouettes"/"Daddy Cool" in the same year (1957) and saw their version reach #10. UK artists Darts
Darts (band)
Darts were a nine-piece British doo-wop revival band that achieved chart success in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The popular London-based band had a number of UK top 20 hits including three successive Number twos with revivals of early U.S...
' first ever studio recording was "Daddy Cool" which they released as a 1977 single. It peaked at #6. Guy "Daddy Cool" Darrell released a single on the Warwick label in 1961 entitled "Daddy Cool, Daddy Cool (Daddy Cool, Cool, Cool)". However, it is unrelated to the Rays record except for having been inspired by the title. The Guy Darrell record was written by Gluch-D'Agostino.
Australian versions
1970s AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
"named themselves after the song". They performed their cover version whilst touring Australia, including the Myponga Festival (60 km south of Adelaide, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
). In January 1971, they recorded a studio version for their debut album Daddy Who? Daddy Cool
Daddy Who? Daddy Cool
Daddy Who?... Daddy Cool was the debut album by Australian rock band Daddy Cool. Released in July, 1971 it was the first on Robie Porter's Sparmac label...
, which was released in July 1971. This, in turn, was covered by another Australian band, Drummond (pseudonym for Adelaide band Allison Gros), which recorded the song in a Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
style and released it as a novelty single in 1971. Already in the National Singles charts at #1 for ten weeks was Daddy Cool's record-breaking hit "Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock (song)
"Eagle Rock" is a classic Australian song, released by Daddy Cool in May 1971 on the Sparmac Record Label. It went on to become the best selling Australian single of the year, achieving gold status in eleven weeks, and remaining at #1 on the national charts for a record ten weeks. "Eagle Rock"...
", which was displaced by Drummond's tribute single "Daddy Cool". Drummond aka Allison Gros consisted of Graeham Goble
Graeham Goble
Graeham George Goble is a musician, singer/songwriter and record producer, best known as a founding member of rock performers Little River Band ....
, Russ Johnson and John Mower. They moved to Melbourne and subsequently recorded their own material as Mississippi
Mississippi (band)
Mississippi was an Australian band , which featured some big names in Australian rock music, Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Kerryn Tolhurst...
and then, with the addition of Beeb Birtles
Beeb Birtles
Beeb Birtles , is a Dutch / Australian musician, one of the founding members of the Little River Band....
, evolved into Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
.