#1 R&B Song 1981: “Double Dutch Bus,” Frankie Smith
Born: Rudy West (the Five Keys), 1932; Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire), 1951
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1936 Ella Fitzgerald bounced onto the singles survey with “Sing Me a Swing Song (#18). It became the first of fifty-three pop hits through 1963 for the all-time jazz great, who was discovered after a winning performance on the Harlem Amateur Hour in 1934.
1964 Stevie Wonder peaked at #29 pop with “Hey Harmonica Man,” his first single without the “Little” Stevie Wonder moniker. Around this time he performed in the Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon teen flicks Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach.
1970 The Spinners charted with “It’s A Shame,” written and produced by Stevie Wonder, reaching #4 R&B and #14 pop. The group, originally called the Domingos, renamed themselves after the large chrome hub caps on cars. During their tenure with Motown (which was mostly hitless), the group did double-duty as chauffeurs for the Jackson 5 and the Temptations, clerks in the shipping department, and chaperones for the label’s female artists. (Try that with today’s generation of would-be Snoopy Dogs, Fitty Cents, Puffs, and Enemas.)
1970 Dawn’s “Candida” charted, eventually reaching 33 pop. The group consisted of two Black American women, Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent, with Greek/Puerto Rican Tony Orlando singing lead. On “Candida,” however, the background vocals were by two other studio singers, Toni Wine and Ellie Greenwich.
1992 Prince’s sexy “Sexy M. F.” did little in America (#66 pop, #76 R&B), but it reached #4 in England, despite being banned by all radio stations there. Maybe it should have been banned in the U.S. as well.
Ann
