Earth Angel [Import]

Penguins | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 6, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Ace Records UK
• ASIN: B0000009G1
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,115 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)

2. Hey Senorita

3. Kiss A Fool Goodbye

4. Ookey Ook

5. Love Will Make Your Mind Go Wild

6. Baby Let's Make Some Love

7. Lover Or Fool

8. Do Not Pretend

9. If You're Mine

10. Be My Lovin' Baby

11. Cold Heart

12. Sweet Love

13. Let Me Make Up Your Mind

14. Butterball

15. Money Talks

16. Heart Of A Fool

17. Want Me

18. That's How Much I Need You

19. I Ain't Gonna Cry No More

20. No There Ain't No News Today

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Many stories in the wunnerful world of rock & roll are apocryphal, but the story of Earth Angel just seems like fiction. Dootsie Williams of DooTone Records, cut the side as an afterthought at a demo session with The Penguins and took it along to John Dolphin's record store in Hollywood for a second opinion. Dolphin ran a radio show from the window of the shop and DJ Huggy Boy put it out on the air immediately, despite Dootsie's protest that it was only a demo. The record took off immediately locally and within a few weeks went national peaking at No.8 in Billboard by the end of 1954. This was despite the competition from the ubiquitous white cover versions.

This CD collection features another 20 greasy love songs and doo wop rockers cut for DooTone through to 1958, when the group went to Mercury Records. There they re-cut their big hit record, but could never repeat the naive honesty of the original. One of the great records of the era that had it in the grooves - that rare thing, a natural hit.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Sub-par sound quality January 20, 2009

By Stephen De Fronzo

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was disappointed by the poor mono sound quality of this ,obviously, non-remastered CD.The songs are fabulous and fairly represent their vast resume` of great tunes.I only wish this were recorded in a digitally remastered fashion.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite 1950s African-American Singing Group October 7, 2012

By Ben J Korgen

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Penguins may not be the most professional or technically perfect group, but the members of it are lovable in spite of falling short of greatness or ability to make big money. They are as good as any group for illustrating all the 1950s-era background doowops, oh-oh-ohs, wo-wo-wos and mimicking of the lead singer's lyrics. At times, their imperfections make them seem as if they are doing parodies of 1950s music. They also can provoke laughter, as when the lead singer uses a room-shaking excessively intense vibrato (tracks 7 and 19) or the group tackles an out of character traditional country music song (track 11). The group's efforts are of historical interest, since its members struggled mightily to get a big hit, reached the top of the music world with "Earth Angel," failed to get royalties for creating it, then failed to get another big hit. Critical students of recorded music may criticize details of what they hear, but the sound quality is good enough to allow listeners to enjoy, admire and chuckle about The Penguins. "Earth Angels" on track 1 is fabulous!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Group December 28, 2012

By A, Becker

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Penguins were one of my favorite groups when I was growing up. To this day, their songs are still great. My favorite of their songs is "Earth Angel."