Little Darlin'
Encyclopedia
"Little Darlin'" is a popular Top 40 song.
It was written by Maurice Williams with both melody
and doo-wop
accompaniment strongly emphasizing the clave
rhythm. It was first recorded by Excello Records in January 1957 and quickly released as a rhythm-and-blues
song by Williams's R&B group, The Gladiolas. The song is noted for its spoken recitation by the lead singer ("Oh Darlin' I need you...").
It was soon covered
successfully by The Diamonds
, a pop group that had been performing the song as an encore. The Diamonds' version was number two by sales for eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
. The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley
for his final album, Moody Blue
(1977).
"The Gladiolas, featuring Williams, were from Lancaster
, South Carolina
, where they had been together since high school. Their original version of the song peaked at number 11 on the R&B charts in April of 1957, having had its thunder stolen by "The Diamonds' inferior (in the eyes of R&B lovers) cover version, but it remains an all-time R&B classic" (quotation taken from the liner notes to Excello CD 3001: The Best of Excello Records, 1994).
Excello Records is known for recording blues songs commonly called "swamp blues" because of their unique sounds and a recording studio located in Crowley
, Louisiana
. By 1959, Williams's group had morphed into "Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs" and had a R&B hit with "Stay" in 1960.
Rock-and-roll-revival
group Sha Na Na
performed "Little Darlin'" at the Woodstock Festival
, held in White Lake
, New York
, in 1969.
It was written by Maurice Williams with both melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
and doo-wop
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...
accompaniment strongly emphasizing the clave
Clave (rhythm)
The clave rhythmic pattern is used as a tool for temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, such as rumba, conga de comparsa, son, son montuno, mambo, salsa, Latin jazz, songo and timba. The five-stroke clave pattern represents the structural core of many Afro-Cuban rhythms...
rhythm. It was first recorded by Excello Records in January 1957 and quickly released as a rhythm-and-blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
song by Williams's R&B group, The Gladiolas. The song is noted for its spoken recitation by the lead singer ("Oh Darlin' I need you...").
It was soon covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
successfully by The Diamonds
The 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:...
, a pop group that had been performing the song as an encore. The Diamonds' version was number two by sales for eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
for his final album, Moody Blue
Moody Blue
Moody Blue is the final studio album by Elvis Presley. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included tracks from Presley's final studio recording sessions in 1976, including Moody Blue, a previously published hit song, and Way Down, which became a hit song after Presley's death less...
(1977).
"The Gladiolas, featuring Williams, were from Lancaster
Lancaster, South Carolina
Lancaster is a city in Lancaster County, South Carolina which is in the United States and is located 35 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina and 20 miles east of Rock Hill, South Carolina. As of the United States Census of 2010, the city population was 10,160. It is the county seat of...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, where they had been together since high school. Their original version of the song peaked at number 11 on the R&B charts in April of 1957, having had its thunder stolen by "The Diamonds' inferior (in the eyes of R&B lovers) cover version, but it remains an all-time R&B classic" (quotation taken from the liner notes to Excello CD 3001: The Best of Excello Records, 1994).
Excello Records is known for recording blues songs commonly called "swamp blues" because of their unique sounds and a recording studio located in Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. By 1959, Williams's group had morphed into "Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs" and had a R&B hit with "Stay" in 1960.
Rock-and-roll-revival
Rock and roll revival
Rock and Roll Revival was a back-to-basics musical trend of the late 1960s and early 1970s, in a sort-of backlash against the heavier and psychedelic rock sounds then in vogue....
group Sha Na Na
Sha Na Na
Sha Na Na is an American rock and roll group. The name is taken from a part of the long series of nonsense syllables in the doo-wop hit song "Get a Job", originally recorded in 1957 by the Silhouettes....
performed "Little Darlin'" at the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
, held in White Lake
White Lake, New York
White Lake is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Bethel, Sullivan County, New York on the southeast shore of a lake of the same name. It was the closest community to the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, in 1969.
In popular culture
- The recording by The Diamonds is featured in the American comedy-dramaComedy-dramaComedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film American GraffitiAmerican GraffitiAmerican Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age film co-written/directed by George Lucas starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
(1973).
See also
- 1957 in music1957 in music-Events:*January 5 – Renato Carosone and his band start their American tour in Cuba.*January 6 – Elvis Presley makes his final appearance on the The Ed Sullivan Show.*January 16 – The Cavern Club opens in Liverpool, UK....
- List of songs by Elvis Presley