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{{Infobox song |
{{Infobox song |
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| name = Earth Angel |
| name = Earth Angel |
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| cover = Earth |
| cover = Earth angel by the penguins 1954 original US single black side-B (copy 2).png |
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| alt = |
| alt = |
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| caption = One of side-B labels of original US single |
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| border = |
| border = no |
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| type = single |
| type = single |
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| artist = [[The Penguins]] |
| artist = [[The Penguins]] |
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"'''Earth Angel'''", occasionally referred to as "'''Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)'''", is a song by American [[doo-wop]] group [[the Penguins]]. Produced by [[Dootsie Williams]], it was released as their debut single in October 1954 on [[Dootone Records]]. The Penguins had formed the year prior and recorded the song as a demo in a garage in [[South Los Angeles|South Central Los Angeles]]. The song's origins lie in multiple different sources, among them songs by [[Jesse Belvin]], [[Patti Page]], and [[the Hollywood Flames]]. Its authorship was the subject of a bitter legal dispute with Williams in the years following its release. |
"'''Earth Angel'''", occasionally referred to as "'''Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)'''", is a song by American [[doo-wop]] group [[the Penguins]]. Produced by [[Dootsie Williams]], it was released as their debut single in October 1954 on [[Dootone Records]]. The Penguins had formed the year prior and recorded the song as a demo in a garage in [[South Los Angeles|South Central Los Angeles]]. The song's origins lie in multiple different sources, among them songs by [[Jesse Belvin]], [[Patti Page]], and [[the Hollywood Flames]]. Its authorship was the subject of a bitter legal dispute with Williams in the years following its release. |
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Although the song was going to be overdubbed with additional instrumentation, the original demo version became an unexpected hit, quickly outstripping its A-side. The song grew out of |
Although the song was going to be overdubbed with additional instrumentation, the original demo version became an unexpected hit, quickly outstripping its A-side. The song grew out of Southern California and spread across the United States over the winter of 1954–55. "Earth Angel" became the first independent label release to appear on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'s}} national pop charts, where it peaked within the top 10. It was a big hit on the magazine's R&B charts, where it remained number one for several weeks. A cover version by white vocal group [[the Crew-Cuts]] peaked higher on the pop charts, reaching number three. More cover versions followed, including recordings by [[Gloria Mann]], [[Tiny Tim (musician)|Tiny Tim]], and [[Johnny Tillotson]]. |
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The Penguins' only hit, it eventually sold in excess of ten million copies. The original recording of the song remained an enduring hit single for much of the 1950s, and it is now considered to be one of the definitive doo-wop songs. In 2005, it was one of |
The Penguins' only hit, it eventually sold in excess of ten million copies. The original recording of the song remained an enduring hit single for much of the 1950s, and it is now considered to be one of the definitive doo-wop songs. In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the [[Library of Congress]] to be added to the [[National Recording Registry]], deeming it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important." |
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In 1998, [[the Penguins]]' 1954 recording of "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" on [[Dootone Records]] was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GRAMMY HALL OF FAME AWARD |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#e |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=www.grammy.com}}</ref> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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|description = "Earth Angel" is largely composed of elements from earlier doo-wop songs, among them "[[Blue Moon (1934 song)|Blue Moon]]" and "Dream Girl". |
|description = "Earth Angel" is largely composed of elements from earlier doo-wop songs, among them "[[Blue Moon (1934 song)|Blue Moon]]" and "Dream Girl". |
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}} |
}} |
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The Penguins—composed of lead vocalist Cleveland Duncan, bass Curtis Williams, tenor Dexter Tisby, and baritone Bruce Tate—formed at [[John C. Fremont High School|Fremont High School]] in Los Angeles, California in 1953.<ref name="sullivan"/> The group named themselves after the [[Kool (cigarette)|Kool]] cigarette advertising mascot.<ref name="black"/> Williams and Gaynel Hodge were previously members of [[The Hollywood Flames]], where they began writing "Earth Angel" with mentor [[Jesse Belvin]], a Jefferson High graduate. Belvin had previously had a |
The Penguins—composed of lead vocalist Cleveland Duncan, bass Curtis Williams, tenor Dexter Tisby, and baritone Bruce Tate—formed at [[John C. Fremont High School|Fremont High School]] in Los Angeles, California in 1953.<ref name="sullivan"/> The group named themselves after the [[Kool (cigarette)|Kool]] cigarette advertising mascot.<ref name="black"/> Williams and Gaynel Hodge were previously members of [[The Hollywood Flames]], where they began writing "Earth Angel" with mentor [[Jesse Belvin]], a Jefferson High graduate. Belvin had previously had a hit single in "Dream Girl", a 1952 ballad credited to Jesse & Marvin (saxophonist Marvin Phillips). The song echoes "Earth Angel" in its melodic refrain: "Dream girl, dream girl..."<ref name="dawson"/> Its "why-oh" hook was adapted as a background chant within "Earth Angel".<ref name="dawson"/> The "Will you be mine?" hook was borrowed from the R&B hit of the same name by the Swallows.<ref name="dawson"/> The Hollywood Flames were hired that year by [[Jessie Mae Robinson]] to record a demo of "I Went to Your Wedding", later recorded by [[Patti Page]]. Hodge later noted that the group lifted the bridge from that song for "Earth Angel".<ref name="birnbaum"/> The song also contains elements of the Flames' 1953 recording of "I Know" in its piano introduction and chord progressions, which were closely based on the Rodgers & Hart standard "Blue Moon".<ref name=dawson>Dawson, Jim, & Steve Propes (1992). ''What Was the First Rock 'N' Roll Record?''. New York: Faber & Faber, pp. 158–64. First edition, 1992.</ref><ref name="birnbaum"/><ref name="honolulu"/> Williams reportedly wrote the song for his wife, Marlene, and Duncan rewrote the melody, as he disliked the original.<ref name="honolulu"/> |
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"Earth Angel" was recorded as a literal garage demo—it was recorded in a home garage at the Los Angeles home of Ted Brinson (a relative of Williams who had |
"Earth Angel" was recorded as a literal garage demo—it was recorded in a home garage at the Los Angeles home of Ted Brinson (a relative of Williams who had played bass for the [[Jimmie Lunceford]] and [[Andy Kirk (musician)|Andy Kirk]] bands).<ref name="sullivan"/><ref name="black"/> The home was located at 2190 West 30th Street in South Central Los Angeles.<ref name=warner>Warner, Jay (1992). ''American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today''. New York: Hal Leonard, pp. 272–75. First edition, 1992.</ref> The garage was used as the primary recording space of [[Dootsie Williams]] for all of his Dootone artists, and had been used to record demos for Jessie Mae Robinson.<ref name="sullivan"/> It was recorded on a single-track Ampex tape recorder, owned by Brinson, who performs bass on the track.<ref name="sullivan"/> The drums were muffled with pillows so as to not overwhelm the vocals.<ref name="sullivan"/> A neighbor's pet dog stopped many takes by barking. "Every time the dog barked next door, I'd have to go out and shut him up, and then we'd do another take," remembered Williams.<ref name="black"/> Curtis Williams, in addition to singing, performed piano on the track,<ref name="sullivan"/> with an unknown drummer. [[Preston Epps]] reportedly played [[bongos]] on “Hey Senorita” (though this is unconfirmed). The song is composed in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[A-flat major]] and is set in [[time signature]] of [[common time]] with a [[tempo]] of 76 [[beats per minute]]. Duncan's vocal range spans from F<sub>3</sub> to G<sub>4</sub>.<ref name=sheet>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0099221&ref=google|title=The Penguins "Earth Angel" Sheet Music|work=Music Notes|date=20 August 2012|publisher=[[EMI Music Publishing]]|access-date=August 17, 2014}}</ref> The first five seconds of the intro are cut off of the recording by accident.<ref name="warner"/> |
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==Commercial performance== |
==Commercial performance== |
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[[File:Hey senorita by the penguins 1954 original US single black side-A.png|thumb|alt=A black label listing "Hey Señorita" as the A-side track of the US single release|One of side-A labels of original 1954 US single]] |
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[[File:Record Shop(Inside).jpg|thumb|[[John Dolphin (music producer)|John Dolphin]] broadcasting from Dolphin's of Hollywood, where the song first found airplay.]] |
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Although it was an unfinished demo, "Earth Angel" began to see immediate success. Williams carried a rough acetate dub with him to [[John Dolphin (music producer)|Dolphin's of Hollywood]] All Night Record Shop, a local record store, to gauge shop owner [[John Dolphin (music producer)|John Dolphin]]'s opinion.<ref name="warner"/> Dolphin broadcast a late-night rhythm and blues broadcast from his store, and KGFJ disc jockey [[Dick Hugg]] was sitting in.<ref name="warner"/> Hugg played both sides of the single, and by the next morning, requests began coming in for the song.<ref name="sullivan"/><ref name="warner"/> As a result, Williams abandoned an idea to overdub additional instrumentation and began immediate manufacturing of the 7" single to issue it as soon as possible.<ref name="sullivan"/> Still convinced "Hey Señorita" would be the hit, it was pressed to the A-side;<ref name="warner"/> disc jockeys soon began flipping the record in favor of "Earth Angel".<ref name="black"/><ref name="nyt"/> The demand for "Earth Angel" nearly bankrupted Dootone; producer Walter Williams ran out of label paper, leading the single to be pressed on multiple colored labels.<ref name=black>Black, Johnnie (2006). ''Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits and Classic Cuts''. New York: Thunder Bay Press, p. 11. First edition, 2006.</ref> It made its first appearance in ''Billboard'' as a territorial hit for Los Angeles, becoming the second best-selling R&B single in Los Angeles for the second week of October 1954.<ref name="bb">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=myEEAAAAMBAJ|title=R&B Territorial Best-Sellers|date=November 6, 1954|page=51|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|The Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It climbed to number one for the city by November 13, after which it began to grow in popularity in New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.<ref name="bb1">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCEEAAAAMBAJ|title=This Week's Best Buys: "Earth Angel"|date=November 13, 1954|page=98|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
Although it was an unfinished demo, "Earth Angel" began to see immediate success. Williams carried a rough acetate dub with him to [[John Dolphin (music producer)|Dolphin's of Hollywood]] All Night Record Shop, a local record store, to gauge shop owner [[John Dolphin (music producer)|John Dolphin]]'s opinion.<ref name="warner"/> Dolphin broadcast a late-night rhythm and blues broadcast from his store, and KGFJ disc jockey [[Dick Hugg]] was sitting in.<ref name="warner"/> Hugg played both sides of the single, and by the next morning, requests began coming in for the song.<ref name="sullivan"/><ref name="warner"/> As a result, Williams abandoned an idea to overdub additional instrumentation and began immediate manufacturing of the 7" single to issue it as soon as possible.<ref name="sullivan"/> Still convinced "Hey Señorita" would be the hit, it was pressed to the A-side;<ref name="warner"/> disc jockeys soon began flipping the record in favor of "Earth Angel".<ref name="black"/><ref name="nyt"/> The demand for "Earth Angel" nearly bankrupted Dootone; producer Walter Williams ran out of label paper, leading the single to be pressed on multiple colored labels.<ref name=black>Black, Johnnie (2006). ''Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits and Classic Cuts''. New York: Thunder Bay Press, p. 11. First edition, 2006.</ref> It made its first appearance in ''Billboard'' as a territorial hit for Los Angeles, becoming the second best-selling R&B single in Los Angeles for the second week of October 1954.<ref name="bb">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=myEEAAAAMBAJ|title=R&B Territorial Best-Sellers|date=November 6, 1954|page=51|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|The Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It climbed to number one for the city by November 13, after which it began to grow in popularity in New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.<ref name="bb1">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCEEAAAAMBAJ|title=This Week's Best Buys: "Earth Angel"|date=November 13, 1954|page=98|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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"Earth Angel" became the first independent label release to appear on ''Billboard''{{'s}} national pop charts.<ref name="sullivan"/> ''Billboard'' called the record a "Best Buy" for the R&B charts, and ''Cashbox'' in Canada gave it its "Award o' the Week".<ref name="bb5">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5B0EAAAAMBAJ|title=BMI Checklist|date=January 1, 1955|page=24|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It hit number one in New York on November 27,<ref name="bb2">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LiMEAAAAMBAJ|title=R&B Territorial Best-Sellers|date=November 27, 1954|page=44|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> and by Christmas Day the song was placing on the "Best Sellers in Stores" chart for both R&B and pop, where it debuted at number 25.<ref name="bb3">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyEEAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=December 25, 1954|page=30|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref><ref name="bb4">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyEEAAAAMBAJ|title=Rhythm and Blues Records: Best Sellers in Stores|date=December 25, 1954|page=30|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> By January 15, 1955, the single had advanced to the top 20 of the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart, resulting in its addition to the "Honor Roll of Hits" chart.<ref name="bb6">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rRkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Honor Roll of Hits|date=January 15, 1955|page=46|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It also reached number one on the "Most Played in Jukeboxes" R&B chart.<ref name="bb7">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rRkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Honor Roll of Hits|date=January 15, 1955|page=60|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> After seven weeks on the chart, it peaked at number eight on the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart,<ref name="bb8">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UxkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=February 5, 1955|page=32|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> and by February 19 had hit number one on all the major R&B charts.<ref name="bb9">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5R0EAAAAMBAJ|title=Rhythm and Blues Records|date=February 19, 1955|page=52|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It remained a number one R&B hit for three weeks, before being dethroned by [[Johnny Ace]]'s "[[Pledging My Love]]".<ref name="warner"/> |
"Earth Angel" became the first independent label release to appear on ''Billboard''{{'s}} national pop charts.<ref name="sullivan"/> ''Billboard'' called the record a "Best Buy" for the R&B charts, and ''Cashbox'' in Canada gave it its "Award o' the Week".<ref name="bb5">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5B0EAAAAMBAJ|title=BMI Checklist|date=January 1, 1955|page=24|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It hit number one in New York on November 27,<ref name="bb2">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LiMEAAAAMBAJ|title=R&B Territorial Best-Sellers|date=November 27, 1954|page=44|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> and by Christmas Day the song was placing on the "Best Sellers in Stores" chart for both R&B and pop, where it debuted at number 25.<ref name="bb3">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyEEAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=December 25, 1954|page=30|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref><ref name="bb4">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyEEAAAAMBAJ|title=Rhythm and Blues Records: Best Sellers in Stores|date=December 25, 1954|page=30|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> By January 15, 1955, the single had advanced to the top 20 of the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart, resulting in its addition to the "Honor Roll of Hits" chart.<ref name="bb6">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rRkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Honor Roll of Hits|date=January 15, 1955|page=46|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It also reached number one on the "Most Played in Jukeboxes" R&B chart.<ref name="bb7">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rRkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Honor Roll of Hits|date=January 15, 1955|page=60|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> After seven weeks on the chart, it peaked at number eight on the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart,<ref name="bb8">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UxkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=February 5, 1955|page=32|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> and by February 19 had hit number one on all the major R&B charts.<ref name="bb9">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5R0EAAAAMBAJ|title=Rhythm and Blues Records|date=February 19, 1955|page=52|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It remained a number one R&B hit for three weeks, before being dethroned by [[Johnny Ace]]'s "[[Pledging My Love]]".<ref name="warner"/> |
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At the time, it was a rare achievement for an R&B song to chart within the top echelons of the pop chart.<ref name="nyt"/> The Penguins were the first West Coast R&B group to dent the pop top ten.<ref name="warner"/> In May 1955, Dootsie Williams was presented with a gold record to celebrate the record selling |
At the time, it was a rare achievement for an R&B song to chart within the top echelons of the pop chart.<ref name="nyt"/> The Penguins were the first West Coast R&B group to dent the pop top ten.<ref name="warner"/> In May 1955, Dootsie Williams was presented with a gold record to celebrate the record selling 1 million copies (it was reported that nearly 200,000 copies of "Earth Angel" were sold in Southern California alone).<ref name="sullivan"/> With the popularity of the song "[[The Flying Saucer (song)|The Flying Saucer]]", the single saw revived sales in summer 1956.<ref name="flying">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iwoEAAAAMBAJ|title='Earth Angel' Flies Again|date=August 18, 1956|page=39|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> When the Penguins switched to Mercury Records, the label reissued "Earth Angel" in September 1956 with string accompaniment.<ref name="sullivan"/><ref name="warner"/> The following July, ''Billboard'' reported that the single was again breaking out in certain markets, remarking, "This wax breaks out every summer."<ref name="sullivan"/> It made another appearance at #101 in late December 1959.<ref name="bubbling"/> Indeed, ''Billboard'' confirmed the single's enduring popularity in 1960: "The original version of 'Earth Angel,' for example, is still known to be a heavy traffic item in many areas."<ref name="1960bb">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ch8EAAAAMBAJ|title=Col. Sets Literary Section|date=January 4, 1960|volume=75|issue=34|page=6|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> By 1963, Williams had told ''Billboard'' the single had passed the 2,000,000 mark, and it was reported to be the top-selling single of Dootone Records (at this period renamed Dooto).<ref name="2mil">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBcEAAAAMBAJ|title=Dooto Plans Move to New Quarters Outside Hollywood|date=June 30, 1962|volume=74|issue=26|page=52|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> The same year, it was reported that thousands of bogus copies of "Earth Angel" were attempted to be sold by an unidentified counterfeiter.<ref name="counterfeit">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VgsEAAAAMBAJ|title=Dooto Reward for 45 Counterfeiters|date=August 24, 1963|page=10|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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The song has continued to sell multiple decades after its release;<ref name="lat"/> in 1983, for example, it was still selling thousands of copies per week around the world.<ref name="warner"/> According to '' |
The song has continued to sell multiple decades after its release;<ref name="lat"/> in 1983, for example, it was still selling thousands of copies per week around the world.<ref name="warner"/> According to ''The New York Times'', the Penguins' recording of "Earth Angel" has sold over 10 million copies.<ref name="nyt"/> Its exact figures are uncertain; the ''Honolulu Star-Bulletin'' wrote that the single has sold "perhaps as many as 20 million records, remaining one of the more popular records of all time."<ref name="honolulu">{{cite news|url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2001/09/14/features/story8.html|title='Earth Angel' still flying high|author=Ryan, Tim|date=September 14, 2001|newspaper=[[Honolulu Star-Bulletin]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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==Legal issues== |
==Legal issues== |
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Group members later engaged in a dispute with Dootsie Williams regarding royalties.<ref name="birnbaum"/> By mid-January 1955, the Penguins reportedly did not receive advances from Dootone, and problems began to arise.<ref name="warner"/> They hired [[Buck Ram]], a big band-era veteran, to manage the group; he |
Group members later engaged in a dispute with Dootsie Williams regarding royalties.<ref name="birnbaum"/> By mid-January 1955, the Penguins reportedly did not receive advances from Dootone, and problems began to arise.<ref name="warner"/> They hired [[Buck Ram]], a big band-era veteran, to manage the group; he later took partial credit for the song's success despite that he only began managing the group after its release.<ref name="sullivan"/> On April 9, 1955, the Penguins signed with [[Mercury Records]]. Ram had directed the group to Mercury, slyly using his power as a representative to get [[the Platters]], another L.A.-based vocal group, signed as well.<ref name=pc5>{{Pop Chronicles| 5| 3|Buck Ram}}</ref> Dootone had previously confirmed to trades that their recording contract with the Penguins spanned three years. A court decision found this contract was invalid as three of the four members of the group were minors at the time of their signing.<ref name="warner"/> Curtis Williams sued Dootone for $100,000, claiming damages as a result of his underage signing. Dootone countersued, claiming Mercury induced the group to break their Dootone contract and for taking the publishing rights of "Earth Angel".<ref name="warner"/> [[Jesse Belvin]] and supposed co-writer Johnny Green sued the group the same week for not receiving credit for writing the song;<ref name="warner"/> all early versions of "Earth Angel" (including the covers by the Crew Cuts and others) showed Curtis Williams as the sole author. |
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Dootsie Williams sued and was awarded the rights to the song in 1957 by the Los Angeles Superior Court "on the ground that Belvin and Hodge had written most of it."<ref name=sullivan>Sullivan, Steve (2013). ''Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings''. New York: Scarecrow Press, pp. 382–84. First edition, 2013.</ref> BMI officially lists the writers of "Earth Angel" as Jesse Belvin, Gaynel Hodge and Curtis Williams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://repertoire.bmi.com/Main/NotFound|title=BMI | Songview Search|website=Repertoire.bmi.com|access-date=5 May 2021}}</ref> |
Dootsie Williams sued and was awarded the rights to the song in 1957 by the Los Angeles Superior Court "on the ground that Belvin and Hodge had written most of it."<ref name=sullivan>Sullivan, Steve (2013). ''Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings''. New York: Scarecrow Press, pp. 382–84. First edition, 2013.</ref> BMI officially lists the writers of "Earth Angel" as Jesse Belvin, Gaynel Hodge and Curtis Williams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://repertoire.bmi.com/Main/NotFound|title=BMI | Songview Search|website=Repertoire.bmi.com|access-date=5 May 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506230459/https://repertoire.bmi.com/Main/NotFound|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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==Cover versions and in popular culture== |
==Cover versions and in popular culture== |
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"Earth Angel" has been |
"Earth Angel" repeatedly has been covered in popular culture.<ref name="lat"/> As was a common occurrence at the time,<ref name="nyt"/> there were a number of cover versions released upon the record's immediate success.<ref name="black"/> Many white artists covered the song, including Gloria Mann, Pat O'Day, and Les Baxter.<ref name=birnbaum>Birnbaum, Larry (2013). ''Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll''. New York: Scarecrow Press, pp. 316–18. First edition, 2013.</ref> The most notable of these was performed by a vocal group from Canada named [[the Crew-Cuts]], signed to [[Mercury Records]]. Their version peaked at number three on the pop charts, higher than the original.<ref name="nyt"/> Their version also reached British charts, a feat the original was unable to achieve.<ref name="black"/> [[Elvis Presley]] recorded an informal cover during an army stint in Goethestrasse, Germany.<ref name="birnbaum"/> "[[The Flying Saucer (song)|The Flying Saucer]]" (1956), widely considered one of the early [[mashup (music)|mashup]] songs,<ref name=play>Plasketes, George (2010). ''Play it Again: Cover Songs in Popular Music''. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, p. 210. First edition, 2010.</ref><ref name="nyt1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/01/09/magazine/mashup-timeline.html?ref=magazine|title=The Recombinant DNA of the Mash-Up|date=January 6, 2011|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> sampled the song without permission.<ref name="flying"/> Other cover versions include those by [[The Southlanders]], [[Johnny Tillotson]], [[the Cleftones]], [[the Vogues]], [[New Edition]], [[the Temptations]], [[Joan Baez]], [[Bella Morte]], [[Johnny Preston]], and [[Death Cab for Cutie]].<ref name="honolulu"/> In Sri Lanka, the popular FM radio channel [[Shree FM]] made a cover version titled "Yanna oba yanna", sung by [[Samitha Mudunkotuwa]] in the early 2000s. American rock band [[the Wallies]] released a version in 2013. Australian group [[Human Nature (band)|Human Nature]] covered the song on their 2014 album ''[[Jukebox (Human Nature album)|Jukebox]]''. |
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In addition to cover versions, the song has |
In addition to cover versions, the song has been employed in various film and television soundtracks.<ref name="lat"/> The 1991 film ''Earth Angel'' was named after the song.<ref name="honolulu"/> The song has been used in the television series ''[[Happy Days]]''.<ref name="honolulu"/> It was featured prominently in the film ''[[Back to the Future]]'' (performed by [[Harry Waters Jr.]] as Marvin Berry & the Starlighters) as well as ''[[Superman III]]'' and ''[[The Karate Kid Part II]]''.<ref name="nme">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nme.com/list/100-best-songs-of-the-1950s/262449/article/262732|title=100 Best Tracks of the Fifties|date=January 31, 2014|magazine=[[NME]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> It is used in the jukebox musical ''[[Jersey Boys]]'' and also briefly in the [[Jersey Boys (film)|film version]]. The 3rd act of the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "[[Meet the Quagmires]]" has Brian playing guitar and the rest of the band performing the song, which Lois really enjoys stating "Oh, I love this song". After the song ends, the dancers all applaud the band. |
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==Legacy== |
==Legacy== |
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Although the Penguins never matched the success of their debut single, the song has continued to see popularity and acclaim. Cleveland Duncan, the song's lead vocalist, remarked |
Although the Penguins never matched the success of their debut single, the song has continued to see popularity and acclaim. Cleveland Duncan, the song's lead vocalist, remarked "I never get tired of singing it, as long as people never get tired of hearing it."<ref name="nyt"/> The song became a staple of oldies radio in the late 20th century.<ref name="lat"/> |
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An appraisal in the book ''Singles'' dubs the song "a simple but elegant recording now judged by many to be one of the finest examples of what would become doo-wop".<ref name="black"/> Despite the higher success of the cover by the Crew-Cuts, the original amateur recording by the Penguins is now considered definitive.<ref name="black"/> Steve Sullivan, author of the ''Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings'', writes that the track "possesses virtually all of the qualities cherished by doo-wop lovers: melodic beauty, a shimmering earnest lead vocal, stripped-to-the-bone simplicity, and a pristine romantic innocence."<ref name="sullivan"/> '' |
An appraisal in the book ''Singles'' dubs the song "a simple but elegant recording now judged by many to be one of the finest examples of what would become doo-wop".<ref name="black"/> Despite the higher success of the cover by the Crew-Cuts, the original amateur recording by the Penguins is now considered definitive.<ref name="black"/> Steve Sullivan, author of the ''Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings'', writes that the track "possesses virtually all of the qualities cherished by doo-wop lovers: melodic beauty, a shimmering earnest lead vocal, stripped-to-the-bone simplicity, and a pristine romantic innocence."<ref name="sullivan"/> ''The New York Times'' wrote that "For many the song evokes a glittering, timeless vision of proms, [[sock hop]]s and impossibly young love",<ref name="nyt"/> and the ''Los Angeles Times'' concurred, calling it a "nostalgic evocation of post-World War II youth culture."<ref name="lat"/> [[Steve Propes]], an author and music historian, remarked that "It was the first of the ultra-romantic ballads that hit the nerve of teens at the time ... It stood out because of the sincerity of the delivery."<ref name="lat">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-xpm-2012-nov-16-la-me-cleve-duncan-20121117-story.html|title=Cleve Duncan dies at 78; one of the Penguins on 'Earth Angel' |
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|date=November 16, 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Mike Anton|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
|date=November 16, 2012|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Mike Anton|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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The Penguins' version was included in [[Robert Christgau]]'s "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981).<ref>{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=0899190251|chapter=A Basic Record Library: The Fifties and Sixties|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg70/basics.php|access-date=March 16, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref> '' |
The Penguins' version was included in [[Robert Christgau]]'s "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981).<ref>{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=0899190251|chapter=A Basic Record Library: The Fifties and Sixties|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-cg70/basics.php|access-date=March 16, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' later placed it at number 152 on their list of the [[500 Greatest Songs of All Time]] and called it "a pivotal record in the early development of rock & roll. The artless, unaffected vocals of the Penguins, four black high schoolers from L.A., defined the street-corner elegance of doo-wop."<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407/the-penguins-earth-angel-20110526|title=500 Greatest Songs of All Time|date=April 7, 2011|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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A 1997 listener poll by New York radio station WCBS placed "Earth Angel" just behind the Five Satins' "In the Still of the Night" in a list of most enduring doo-wop songs.<ref name="sullivan"/> In 1973, ''Billboard'' reported that many considered "Earth Angel" among the |
A 1997 listener poll by New York radio station WCBS placed "Earth Angel" just behind the Five Satins' "In the Still of the Night" in a list of most enduring doo-wop songs.<ref name="sullivan"/> In 1973, ''Billboard'' reported that many considered "Earth Angel" among the early rock and roll hits,<ref name="bbrock">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PAkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Trip Releasing 10 Two-Pocket Diskthologies|author=Kirsch, Bob|date=May 12, 1973|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=85|issue=19|page=10|issn=0006-2510|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> and ''The New York Times'' stated that "its rhythmic, wailing plea to an idealized young woman captured the spirit of the just-emerging rock generation."<ref name="nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/arts/music/cleve-duncan-1954-hitmaker-with-earth-angel-dies.html?_r=0|title=Cleve Duncan, the Voice of 'Earth Angel', Dies|author=Martin, Douglas|date=November 14, 2012|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the [[Library of Congress]] to be added to the [[National Recording Registry]], deeming it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important".<ref name="npr">{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4577934|title=Grunge, Rap Music Added to U.S. Recording Registry|date=April 5, 2005|publisher=[[NPR]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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In July 2016, British rock band [[Coldplay]] played the song in concert in |
In July 2016, British rock band [[Coldplay]] played the song in concert in New Jersey with [[Michael J. Fox]], star of ''[[Back to the Future]]'', on guitar, in a tribute to the film.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-coldplay-michael-j-fox-play-back-to-the-future-songs-w429694|title=See Coldplay, Michael J. Fox Play 'Back to the Future' Songs Onstage|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2017-09-26}}</ref> |
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==Charts== |
==Charts== |
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!scope="row" | US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Most Played in Jukeboxes (R&B)]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Most Played in Jukeboxes (R&B)]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb7"/> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Most Played by Jockeys (R&B)]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Most Played by Jockeys (R&B)]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb9"/> |
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!scope="col"| Peak<br />position |
!scope="col"| Peak<br />position |
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!scope="row" | US [[Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles|Bubbling Under the Hot 100]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles|Bubbling Under the Hot 100]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bubbling">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0QoEAAAAMBAJ|title=Bubbling Under the Hot 100|date=December 28, 1959|page=25|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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!scope="row"{{singlechart|UK|4|artist=Crew Cuts|song=Earth Angel|date=1955-04-15|access-date=January 14, 2015}} |
!scope="row"{{singlechart|UK|4|artist=Crew Cuts|song=Earth Angel|date=1955-04-15|access-date=January 14, 2015}} |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Best Sellers in Stores]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Best Sellers in Stores]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb11">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QxkEAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=February 26, 1955|page=48|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played in Jukeboxes]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played in Jukeboxes]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb15">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7B0EAAAAMBAJ|title=Most Played in Jukeboxes|date=March 19, 1955|page=34|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played by Jockeys]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played by Jockeys]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb13">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mx4EAAAAMBAJ|title=Most Played by Jockeys|date=March 12, 1955|page=36|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Best Sellers in Stores]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Best Sellers in Stores]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb14">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5R0EAAAAMBAJ|title=Best Sellers in Stores|date=February 26, 1955|page=24|issn=0006-2510|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played in Jukeboxes]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Most Played in Jukeboxes]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="bb15"/> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="UScharts">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Johnny Tillotson|chart=all}}|title=Johnny Tillotson Chart History|access-date=January 14, 2015|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="UScharts1">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=The Vogues|chart=all}}|title=The Vogues Chart History|access-date=January 14, 2015|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> |
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!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] ('' |
!scope="row" | US [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] (''Billboard'')<ref name="UScharts2">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=New Edition|chart=all}}|title=New Edition Chart History|access-date=January 14, 2015|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{MetroLyrics song|the-penguins|earth-angel}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider --> |
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* {{YouTube|-j6OAEOcNCE|The Penguins - Earth Angel}} |
* {{YouTube|-j6OAEOcNCE|The Penguins - Earth Angel}} |
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{{Bttf}} |
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{{The Karate Kid}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:1954 songs]] |
[[Category:1954 songs]] |
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[[Category:1955 singles]] |
[[Category:1955 singles]] |
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[[Category:1960 singles]] |
[[Category:1960 singles]] |
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[[Category:1986 singles]] |
[[Category:1986 singles]] |
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[[Category:The Crew-Cuts songs]] |
[[Category:The Crew-Cuts songs]] |
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[[Category:Bobby Vinton songs]] |
[[Category:Bobby Vinton songs]] |
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| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Johnny Tillotson songs]] |
[[Category:Johnny Tillotson songs]] |
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[[Category:The Vogues songs]] |
[[Category:The Vogues songs]] |
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[[Category:Death Cab for Cutie songs]] |
[[Category:Death Cab for Cutie songs]] |
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[[Category:Johnny Preston songs]] |
[[Category:Johnny Preston songs]] |
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[[Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients]] |
[[Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients]] |
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[[Category:Rhythm and blues ballads]] |
[[Category:Rhythm and blues ballads]] |
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[[Category:Songs about angels]] |
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[[Category:Songs involved in royalties controversies]] |
[[Category:Songs involved in royalties controversies]] |
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[[Category:Songs covered by Tiny Tim]] |
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[[Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings]] |
[[Category:United States National Recording Registry recordings]] |
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Latest revision as of 01:54, 15 August 2024
| "Earth Angel" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) One of side-B labels of original US single | ||||
| Single by The Penguins | ||||
| A-side | "Hey Señorita" | |||
| Released | October 1954[1] | |||
| Recorded | c. August–September 1954[2] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:57 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) | Dootsie Williams | |||
| The Penguins singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Earth Angel", occasionally referred to as "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)", is a song by American doo-wop group the Penguins. Produced by Dootsie Williams, it was released as their debut single in October 1954 on Dootone Records. The Penguins had formed the year prior and recorded the song as a demo in a garage in South Central Los Angeles. The song's origins lie in multiple different sources, among them songs by Jesse Belvin, Patti Page, and the Hollywood Flames. Its authorship was the subject of a bitter legal dispute with Williams in the years following its release.
Although the song was going to be overdubbed with additional instrumentation, the original demo version became an unexpected hit, quickly outstripping its A-side. The song grew out of Southern California and spread across the United States over the winter of 1954–55. "Earth Angel" became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard's national pop charts, where it peaked within the top 10. It was a big hit on the magazine's R&B charts, where it remained number one for several weeks. A cover version by white vocal group the Crew-Cuts peaked higher on the pop charts, reaching number three. More cover versions followed, including recordings by Gloria Mann, Tiny Tim, and Johnny Tillotson.
The Penguins' only hit, it eventually sold in excess of ten million copies. The original recording of the song remained an enduring hit single for much of the 1950s, and it is now considered to be one of the definitive doo-wop songs. In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry, deeming it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important."
In 1998, the Penguins' 1954 recording of "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" on Dootone Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[3]
Background
[edit]
The Penguins—composed of lead vocalist Cleveland Duncan, bass Curtis Williams, tenor Dexter Tisby, and baritone Bruce Tate—formed at Fremont High School in Los Angeles, California in 1953.[2] The group named themselves after the Kool cigarette advertising mascot.[1] Williams and Gaynel Hodge were previously members of The Hollywood Flames, where they began writing "Earth Angel" with mentor Jesse Belvin, a Jefferson High graduate. Belvin had previously had a hit single in "Dream Girl", a 1952 ballad credited to Jesse & Marvin (saxophonist Marvin Phillips). The song echoes "Earth Angel" in its melodic refrain: "Dream girl, dream girl..."[4] Its "why-oh" hook was adapted as a background chant within "Earth Angel".[4] The "Will you be mine?" hook was borrowed from the R&B hit of the same name by the Swallows.[4] The Hollywood Flames were hired that year by Jessie Mae Robinson to record a demo of "I Went to Your Wedding", later recorded by Patti Page. Hodge later noted that the group lifted the bridge from that song for "Earth Angel".[5] The song also contains elements of the Flames' 1953 recording of "I Know" in its piano introduction and chord progressions, which were closely based on the Rodgers & Hart standard "Blue Moon".[4][5][6] Williams reportedly wrote the song for his wife, Marlene, and Duncan rewrote the melody, as he disliked the original.[6]
"Earth Angel" was recorded as a literal garage demo—it was recorded in a home garage at the Los Angeles home of Ted Brinson (a relative of Williams who had played bass for the Jimmie Lunceford and Andy Kirk bands).[2][1] The home was located at 2190 West 30th Street in South Central Los Angeles.[7] The garage was used as the primary recording space of Dootsie Williams for all of his Dootone artists, and had been used to record demos for Jessie Mae Robinson.[2] It was recorded on a single-track Ampex tape recorder, owned by Brinson, who performs bass on the track.[2] The drums were muffled with pillows so as to not overwhelm the vocals.[2] A neighbor's pet dog stopped many takes by barking. "Every time the dog barked next door, I'd have to go out and shut him up, and then we'd do another take," remembered Williams.[1] Curtis Williams, in addition to singing, performed piano on the track,[2] with an unknown drummer. Preston Epps reportedly played bongos on “Hey Senorita” (though this is unconfirmed). The song is composed in the key of A-flat major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 76 beats per minute. Duncan's vocal range spans from F3 to G4.[8] The first five seconds of the intro are cut off of the recording by accident.[7]
Commercial performance
[edit]
Although it was an unfinished demo, "Earth Angel" began to see immediate success. Williams carried a rough acetate dub with him to Dolphin's of Hollywood All Night Record Shop, a local record store, to gauge shop owner John Dolphin's opinion.[7] Dolphin broadcast a late-night rhythm and blues broadcast from his store, and KGFJ disc jockey Dick Hugg was sitting in.[7] Hugg played both sides of the single, and by the next morning, requests began coming in for the song.[2][7] As a result, Williams abandoned an idea to overdub additional instrumentation and began immediate manufacturing of the 7" single to issue it as soon as possible.[2] Still convinced "Hey Señorita" would be the hit, it was pressed to the A-side;[7] disc jockeys soon began flipping the record in favor of "Earth Angel".[1][9] The demand for "Earth Angel" nearly bankrupted Dootone; producer Walter Williams ran out of label paper, leading the single to be pressed on multiple colored labels.[1] It made its first appearance in Billboard as a territorial hit for Los Angeles, becoming the second best-selling R&B single in Los Angeles for the second week of October 1954.[10] It climbed to number one for the city by November 13, after which it began to grow in popularity in New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Nashville.[11]
"Earth Angel" became the first independent label release to appear on Billboard's national pop charts.[2] Billboard called the record a "Best Buy" for the R&B charts, and Cashbox in Canada gave it its "Award o' the Week".[12] It hit number one in New York on November 27,[13] and by Christmas Day the song was placing on the "Best Sellers in Stores" chart for both R&B and pop, where it debuted at number 25.[14][15] By January 15, 1955, the single had advanced to the top 20 of the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart, resulting in its addition to the "Honor Roll of Hits" chart.[16] It also reached number one on the "Most Played in Jukeboxes" R&B chart.[17] After seven weeks on the chart, it peaked at number eight on the overall Best Sellers in Stores chart,[18] and by February 19 had hit number one on all the major R&B charts.[19] It remained a number one R&B hit for three weeks, before being dethroned by Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love".[7]
At the time, it was a rare achievement for an R&B song to chart within the top echelons of the pop chart.[9] The Penguins were the first West Coast R&B group to dent the pop top ten.[7] In May 1955, Dootsie Williams was presented with a gold record to celebrate the record selling 1 million copies (it was reported that nearly 200,000 copies of "Earth Angel" were sold in Southern California alone).[2] With the popularity of the song "The Flying Saucer", the single saw revived sales in summer 1956.[20] When the Penguins switched to Mercury Records, the label reissued "Earth Angel" in September 1956 with string accompaniment.[2][7] The following July, Billboard reported that the single was again breaking out in certain markets, remarking, "This wax breaks out every summer."[2] It made another appearance at #101 in late December 1959.[21] Indeed, Billboard confirmed the single's enduring popularity in 1960: "The original version of 'Earth Angel,' for example, is still known to be a heavy traffic item in many areas."[22] By 1963, Williams had told Billboard the single had passed the 2,000,000 mark, and it was reported to be the top-selling single of Dootone Records (at this period renamed Dooto).[23] The same year, it was reported that thousands of bogus copies of "Earth Angel" were attempted to be sold by an unidentified counterfeiter.[24]
The song has continued to sell multiple decades after its release;[25] in 1983, for example, it was still selling thousands of copies per week around the world.[7] According to The New York Times, the Penguins' recording of "Earth Angel" has sold over 10 million copies.[9] Its exact figures are uncertain; the Honolulu Star-Bulletin wrote that the single has sold "perhaps as many as 20 million records, remaining one of the more popular records of all time."[6]
Legal issues
[edit]Group members later engaged in a dispute with Dootsie Williams regarding royalties.[5] By mid-January 1955, the Penguins reportedly did not receive advances from Dootone, and problems began to arise.[7] They hired Buck Ram, a big band-era veteran, to manage the group; he later took partial credit for the song's success despite that he only began managing the group after its release.[2] On April 9, 1955, the Penguins signed with Mercury Records. Ram had directed the group to Mercury, slyly using his power as a representative to get the Platters, another L.A.-based vocal group, signed as well.[26] Dootone had previously confirmed to trades that their recording contract with the Penguins spanned three years. A court decision found this contract was invalid as three of the four members of the group were minors at the time of their signing.[7] Curtis Williams sued Dootone for $100,000, claiming damages as a result of his underage signing. Dootone countersued, claiming Mercury induced the group to break their Dootone contract and for taking the publishing rights of "Earth Angel".[7] Jesse Belvin and supposed co-writer Johnny Green sued the group the same week for not receiving credit for writing the song;[7] all early versions of "Earth Angel" (including the covers by the Crew Cuts and others) showed Curtis Williams as the sole author.
Dootsie Williams sued and was awarded the rights to the song in 1957 by the Los Angeles Superior Court "on the ground that Belvin and Hodge had written most of it."[2] BMI officially lists the writers of "Earth Angel" as Jesse Belvin, Gaynel Hodge and Curtis Williams.[27]
Cover versions and in popular culture
[edit]"Earth Angel" repeatedly has been covered in popular culture.[25] As was a common occurrence at the time,[9] there were a number of cover versions released upon the record's immediate success.[1] Many white artists covered the song, including Gloria Mann, Pat O'Day, and Les Baxter.[5] The most notable of these was performed by a vocal group from Canada named the Crew-Cuts, signed to Mercury Records. Their version peaked at number three on the pop charts, higher than the original.[9] Their version also reached British charts, a feat the original was unable to achieve.[1] Elvis Presley recorded an informal cover during an army stint in Goethestrasse, Germany.[5] "The Flying Saucer" (1956), widely considered one of the early mashup songs,[28][29] sampled the song without permission.[20] Other cover versions include those by The Southlanders, Johnny Tillotson, the Cleftones, the Vogues, New Edition, the Temptations, Joan Baez, Bella Morte, Johnny Preston, and Death Cab for Cutie.[6] In Sri Lanka, the popular FM radio channel Shree FM made a cover version titled "Yanna oba yanna", sung by Samitha Mudunkotuwa in the early 2000s. American rock band the Wallies released a version in 2013. Australian group Human Nature covered the song on their 2014 album Jukebox.
In addition to cover versions, the song has been employed in various film and television soundtracks.[25] The 1991 film Earth Angel was named after the song.[6] The song has been used in the television series Happy Days.[6] It was featured prominently in the film Back to the Future (performed by Harry Waters Jr. as Marvin Berry & the Starlighters) as well as Superman III and The Karate Kid Part II.[30] It is used in the jukebox musical Jersey Boys and also briefly in the film version. The 3rd act of the Family Guy episode "Meet the Quagmires" has Brian playing guitar and the rest of the band performing the song, which Lois really enjoys stating "Oh, I love this song". After the song ends, the dancers all applaud the band.
Legacy
[edit]Although the Penguins never matched the success of their debut single, the song has continued to see popularity and acclaim. Cleveland Duncan, the song's lead vocalist, remarked "I never get tired of singing it, as long as people never get tired of hearing it."[9] The song became a staple of oldies radio in the late 20th century.[25]
An appraisal in the book Singles dubs the song "a simple but elegant recording now judged by many to be one of the finest examples of what would become doo-wop".[1] Despite the higher success of the cover by the Crew-Cuts, the original amateur recording by the Penguins is now considered definitive.[1] Steve Sullivan, author of the Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, writes that the track "possesses virtually all of the qualities cherished by doo-wop lovers: melodic beauty, a shimmering earnest lead vocal, stripped-to-the-bone simplicity, and a pristine romantic innocence."[2] The New York Times wrote that "For many the song evokes a glittering, timeless vision of proms, sock hops and impossibly young love",[9] and the Los Angeles Times concurred, calling it a "nostalgic evocation of post-World War II youth culture."[25] Steve Propes, an author and music historian, remarked that "It was the first of the ultra-romantic ballads that hit the nerve of teens at the time ... It stood out because of the sincerity of the delivery."[25]
The Penguins' version was included in Robert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings, published in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981).[31] Rolling Stone later placed it at number 152 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and called it "a pivotal record in the early development of rock & roll. The artless, unaffected vocals of the Penguins, four black high schoolers from L.A., defined the street-corner elegance of doo-wop."[32]
A 1997 listener poll by New York radio station WCBS placed "Earth Angel" just behind the Five Satins' "In the Still of the Night" in a list of most enduring doo-wop songs.[2] In 1973, Billboard reported that many considered "Earth Angel" among the early rock and roll hits,[33] and The New York Times stated that "its rhythmic, wailing plea to an idealized young woman captured the spirit of the just-emerging rock generation."[9] In 2005, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry, deeming it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important".[34]
In July 2016, British rock band Coldplay played the song in concert in New Jersey with Michael J. Fox, star of Back to the Future, on guitar, in a tribute to the film.[35]
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Billboard's Honor Roll of Hits measured a song's popularity versus a particular artist's rendition. It combined all cover versions of a song into one consolidated listing.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Black, Johnnie (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits and Classic Cuts. New York: Thunder Bay Press, p. 11. First edition, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Sullivan, Steve (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. New York: Scarecrow Press, pp. 382–84. First edition, 2013.
- ^ "GRAMMY HALL OF FAME AWARD". www.grammy.com. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
- ^ a b c d Dawson, Jim, & Steve Propes (1992). What Was the First Rock 'N' Roll Record?. New York: Faber & Faber, pp. 158–64. First edition, 1992.
- ^ a b c d e Birnbaum, Larry (2013). Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll. New York: Scarecrow Press, pp. 316–18. First edition, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Ryan, Tim (September 14, 2001). "'Earth Angel' still flying high". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Warner, Jay (1992). American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today. New York: Hal Leonard, pp. 272–75. First edition, 1992.
- ^ "The Penguins "Earth Angel" Sheet Music". Music Notes. EMI Music Publishing. 20 August 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Martin, Douglas (November 14, 2012). "Cleve Duncan, the Voice of 'Earth Angel', Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "R&B Territorial Best-Sellers". The Billboard. November 6, 1954. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "This Week's Best Buys: "Earth Angel"". Billboard. November 13, 1954. p. 98. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "BMI Checklist". Billboard. January 1, 1955. p. 24. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "R&B Territorial Best-Sellers". Billboard. November 27, 1954. p. 44. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Best Sellers in Stores". Billboard. December 25, 1954. p. 30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Rhythm and Blues Records: Best Sellers in Stores". Billboard. December 25, 1954. p. 30. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Honor Roll of Hits". Billboard. January 15, 1955. p. 46. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "Honor Roll of Hits". Billboard. January 15, 1955. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "Best Sellers in Stores". Billboard. February 5, 1955. p. 32. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Rhythm and Blues Records". Billboard. February 19, 1955. p. 52. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "'Earth Angel' Flies Again". Billboard. August 18, 1956. p. 39. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b "Bubbling Under the Hot 100". Billboard. December 28, 1959. p. 25. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Col. Sets Literary Section". Billboard. Vol. 75, no. 34. January 4, 1960. p. 6. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Dooto Plans Move to New Quarters Outside Hollywood". Billboard. Vol. 74, no. 26. June 30, 1962. p. 52. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Dooto Reward for 45 Counterfeiters". Billboard. August 24, 1963. p. 10. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Mike Anton (November 16, 2012). "Cleve Duncan dies at 78; one of the Penguins on 'Earth Angel'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ Buck Ram interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
- ^ "BMI | Songview Search". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ Plasketes, George (2010). Play it Again: Cover Songs in Popular Music. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, p. 210. First edition, 2010.
- ^ "The Recombinant DNA of the Mash-Up". The New York Times. January 6, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "100 Best Tracks of the Fifties". NME. January 31, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "A Basic Record Library: The Fifties and Sixties". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0899190251. Retrieved March 16, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ Kirsch, Bob (May 12, 1973). "Trip Releasing 10 Two-Pocket Diskthologies". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 19. p. 10. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "Grunge, Rap Music Added to U.S. Recording Registry". NPR. April 5, 2005. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- ^ "See Coldplay, Michael J. Fox Play 'Back to the Future' Songs Onstage". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
- ^ "Honor Roll of Hits". Billboard. March 5, 1955. p. 24. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Best Sellers in Stores". Billboard. February 26, 1955. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ a b "Most Played in Jukeboxes". Billboard. March 19, 1955. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Most Played by Jockeys". Billboard. March 12, 1955. p. 36. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Best Sellers in Stores". Billboard. February 26, 1955. p. 24. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "Johnny Tillotson Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "The Vogues Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
- ^ "New Edition Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
External links
[edit]
Categories:
- 1954 songs
- 1955 singles
- 1956 singles
- 1959 singles
- 1960 singles
- 1986 singles
- 1950s ballads
- The Crew-Cuts songs
- Bobby Vinton songs
- Johnny Tillotson songs
- The Vogues songs
- Elvis Presley songs
- New Edition songs
- Aaron Neville songs
- Death Cab for Cutie songs
- Johnny Preston songs
- The Fleetwoods songs
- Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
- Doo-wop songs
- Rhythm and blues ballads
- Songs involved in royalties controversies
- United States National Recording Registry recordings