Roulette Records 45 Discography
Artist Release Name Cat.No. Label Format Year Country; Shawn Elliott: Nice And Slow: AMH-D-1: Amherst Records: 12', 45 RPM, 1976: US: Shawn Elliott: Nice And Slow. Roulette New Zealand: R-4025: 1959: 7' 0: Frankie Lymon A: My Girl B: So Goes My Love: Roulette New Zealand: R-4026: 1959: 7' 0: Canta Maya A: I'm A Kitten B: Ask Me: Roulette New Zealand: R-4108: 1959: 7' 0: Julius La Rosa A: Until He Gets A Girl B: Let Nature Take Its Course: Roulette New Zealand: R-4110: 1959: 7' 0: Jimmy Rodgers A.
The Playmates were an American late 1950s vocal group led by the pianistChic Hetti (born Carl Cicchetti, 26 February 1930), drummerDonny Conn (born Donald Claps, 29 March 1930 – September 2, 2015), and Morey Carr (31 July 1932 – 1987), all from Waterbury, Connecticut, United States.[1]
Career[edit]
The Playmates, Donald Claps (a.k.a. Donny Conn) drummer and lyricist, Carl Cicchetti (a.k.a. Chic Hetti) pianist music composer and Morey Cohen (a.k.a. Morey Carr) lead vocalist were an instrumental and vocal trio, all from Waterbury, Connecticut, United States and, in the early 1950s, at the University of Connecticut.[1] After graduation in 1952, they began touring small lounges and night clubs in the United States and Canada, originally as 'the Nitwits', later as the Playmates.[1]
Signed to Roulette Records in 1958 as the label's first vocal group,[2] and anticipating a Calypso craze, the group recorded an album called Playmates Visit the West Indies. They then released two notable Top 40 singles — 'Jo-Ann' and 'Don't Go Home' — before having a number 4 hit (July 9, 1958) with the tempo-changing novelty song 'Beep, Beep',[1] which became a regular feature for Dr. Demento.
The 'Beep, Beep' song was on the BillboardTop 40chart for twelve weeks. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] Concurrently with this song, American Motors (AMC) was setting production and sales records for the Rambler models.[4] Because of a directive by the BBC at the time that songs did not include brand names in their lyrics, a version of 'Beep Beep' was recorded for the European market, replacing the Cadillac and Nash Rambler with the generic terms limousine and bubble car.
They followed up with a chart listing single in 1959 with 'What Is Love' and then again in 1960 with 'Wait For Me'.[5] After four albums for Roulette, the novelty group — known for its between-song comedy and banter as much for its repertoire[1] — broke up in 1965. Morey Carr died from lung cancer in 1987.[6] Donald Claps died in Malibu, California, on September 2, 2015 at the age of 85.
Discography[edit]
Charted singles (U.S.) / 45 rpm.(Release Month/Year), Title, (Label), Billboard Chart peak
- (January, 1958), 'Jo-Ann' (Roulette), #19
- (April, 1958), 'Let's Be Lovers' (Roulette), #87
- (June, 1958), 'Don't Go Home' (Roulette), #22
- (September, 1958), 'The Day I Died' (Roulette), #81
- (November, 1958), 'Beep Beep' (Roulette), #4
- (March, 1959), 'Star Love' (Roulette), #75
- (July, 1959), 'What Is Love' (Roulette), #15
- (October, 1960), 'Wait for Me' (Roulette), #37
- (March, 1961), 'Little Miss Stuck-Up' (Roulette), #70
- (July, 1962), 'Keep Your Hands in Your Pockets' (Roulette), #88
Album
- At Play with the Playmates [1958]
Side one[edit]
- 'Jo-Ann' – 2:35
- 'Your Love' – 2:09
- 'Darling It’s Wonderful' – 2:35
- 'Substitute for Love' – 2:13
- 'Magic Shoes' – 2:10
- 'While the Record Goes Around' – 2:10
Side two[edit]
- 'Beep Beep' – 3:01
- 'The Day I Died' – 2:20
- 'Give Me Another Chance' – 2:25
- 'Lovable' – 2:16
- 'Intimate' – 2:20
- 'Don’t Go Home' – 2:30
References[edit]
- ^ abcdeColin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 329. ISBN1-85227-937-0.
- ^Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: a history from 1940 to today. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 278–279. ISBN978-0-634-09978-6.
- ^Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 106. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^'AUTOS: Rambler in High Gear'. Time.com. 8 December 1958. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^'rubiks's ROCK N ROLL REFERENCE DISCOGRAPHY'. Rockmusiclist.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^Rock, Doc. 'The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1980s'. Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
External links[edit]
- The Playmates discography at Discogs
Uncle John
http://freddie.fredtieken.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/01-Uncle-John.mp3Click on download button then right click on the audio file to save.
The Jinx
http://freddie.fredtieken.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/07-The-Jinx.mp3Movement 1 & 13
http://freddie.fredtieken.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/03-Movement-1-and-13.mp3Are You Happy?
http://freddie.fredtieken.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/02-Are-You-Happy.mp3Roulette Records 45 Discography Rpm
| Recording Title | Group | Label | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sittin' Here Cryin' b/w Uncle John | Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | It's a Hit Records Chicago, IL (Hit 45-2002) (45) | 1956 |
| Uncle John | Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | Reissued on 'Chicago Rock' Redita Records Romania (No. 108) (LP) | 1973 |
| Sittin' Here Cryin' b/w Uncle John | Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | Reissued on Laurie Records Astra Records (45) New York, NY | Unknown |
| Uncle John | Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | Reissued on 'Rockin' from Coast to Coast' Volume 3 (CD) Ace Records Ltd. London, UK (CDCHP 985) | 2004 |
| Kool | Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | Cheesecake 'Red Hot Rhythm' London, UK (CHCD 277) | Unknown |
| By Popular Demand | Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | IT Records Quincy, IL (IT 2301) (LP) | 1963 |
| Bit by a Bug b/w Humpty Jump | Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | IT Records Quincy, IL (IT 2302) (45) | 1965 |
| Freddie Tieken & the Rockers LIVE! | Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | IT Records Quincy, IL (IT 2304) (LP) | 1965 |
| Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | Freddie Tieken & the Rockers | *Reissued Standfire Records Quincy, IL (PD-8002) (CD) | 1999 |
| Ilmo Smokehouse | Ilmo Smokehouse | Beautiful Sounds Quincy, IL (LA 1200) (LP) | 1969 |
| Ilmo Smokehouse | Ilmo Smokehouse | Reissued Roulette Records New York,NY (SR 3002) (LP) | 1971 |
| Ilmo Smokehouse | Ilmo Smokehouse | Reissued Carnaby Records Madrid, Spain (CPS 9186) (LP) | 1972 |
| Ilmo Smokehouse | Ilmo Smokehouse Synton Stuttgart, Germany (DR 9856) (CD) | Reissued | 2006 |
| Ilmo Smokehouse Plus | Ilmo Smokehouse | *Reissued Akarma Records La Spezia, Italy (AK 370) (CD) | 2007 |
Roulette Records 45 Discography Mp3
*Also includes unreleased bonus tracks
Apollo Records 45 Discography
Note: Although my music has been deemed important enough to be re-released by various record companies around the world, I have never received an accounting of sales or a nickel in royalties from these re-releases. It is difficult for me to comprehend why anyone (including a couple of former band members) would feel the need to unethically profit from my music. How ironic that if I wanted a copy of one of these recordings I would have to buy it.