The Playmates Top 30 Hits

The Playmates (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

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• Audio CD
• Label: BLACK TULIP
• ASIN: B000A39JMC
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,586 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Best Compilation Covering The Playmates So Far, September 12, 2011

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AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Playmates Top 30 Hits (Audio CD)

This trio from Waterbury, Connecticut, first forming up circa 1951/52 as The Nitwits while attending the University of Connecticut, and consisting of pianist Chic Hetti (born Carl Cicchetti on February 26, 1930), drummer Donny Conn (born Donald Claps on March 29, 1930); and lead vocalist Morey Carr (born Morey Cohen on July 31, 1932), clearly had comedy on their minds first and foremost. After honing their skills touring the U.S. and Canada, and changing their name to The Playmates in 1956, they became the first vocal group to be signed by Roulette Records in 1957, launched in late 1956 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals.

Their first two singles in 1957, Pretty Woman b/w Barefoot Girl on Roulette 4003 and Darling It's Wonderful b/w Island Girl on Roulette 4022, went nowhere (all but Island Girl are here), but early in 1958 they released a cover of Jo-Ann, first recorded by The Twin-Tones on an RCA Victor E.P., and it finished at # 19 Billboard Pop Top 100 that March on Roulette 4037 b/w You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming (both here). In late April, however, Let's Be Lovers struggled to a # 87 on Roulette 4056 b/w Give Me Another Chance, followed in June by the solid # 22 hit Don't Go Home on Roulette 4072 b/w Can't You Get It Through Your Head? (Only the A-sides are here).

The up and down pattern continued when The Day I Died petered out at # 81 in early October b/w While The Record Goes Around on Roulette 4100, and in November/December their best hit ever, the novelty tune Beep Beep, climbed to # 4 on Roulette 4115 b/w Your Love (all 4 sides here). Telling the tale of the little Nash Rambler that kept pace with a Cadillac while still in 2nd gear, Beep Beep sold over a million and resulted in a sales boost for American Motors, which produced the Nash. However, since European/U.K. laws precluded the use of brand names in their music, the offending words "Cadillac" and "Nash Rambler" were replaced by "limousine" and "bubble car" in releases in those markets!

In April 1959 the flip-flopping trend continued with Star Love topping out at # 75 on Roulette 4136 b/w the delightful The Thing-A-Ma-Jig (unfortunately omitted). All their hits to date had the backing of Hugo Peretti and his orchestra (of Hugo & Luigi fame). The upswing then saw What Is Love? rise to # 15 in August with the backing of Joe Reisman's orchestra on Roulette 4160 b/w I Am (omitted), followed by four failed singles: from 1959 - A Ciu-E b/w First Love on Roulette 4200 (both here) and On The Beach b/w The Song Everybody's Singing on Roulette 4211 (both omitted); from 1960 - Second Chance b/w These Things I Offer You on Roulette 4227, and Our Wedding Day b/w Parade Of Pretty Girls on Roulette 4252 (all 4 sides included).

In late 1960 they returned to the charts with Wait For Me, a # 37 in November on Roulette 4276 b/w Eyes Of An Angel (omitted), again with Reisman and his orchestra, who also backed them on Little Miss Stuck Up which peaked at # 70 in March 1961 on Roulette 4322 b/w Real Life (left out here). Twelve more singles would follow, the last seven with ABC (four) and then Colpix (three), but only Keep Your Hands In Your Pockets would chart (# 88 in July 1962 on Roulette 4432 b/w The Cop On The Beat (omitted). These other releases, as well as the contents of this volumes, are shown in Comments below.

They had a nice, pleasant harmonizing sound which, on some cuts, puts one in mind of another trio that had been around since the early 1950s and who also leaned towards comedy - The Gaylords. This is easily the best compilation covering The Playmates you are going to find, with excellent sound reproduction.