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 DooWopDJ's 
R&B and DooWop CD Reviews

 
The DOT Records

DOO WOP CD

Volumes 1 – 3

DRCD-1011 / 1012 / 1013
Barcode: None

Review first published: 12.12.2002


Yet another series in the vein of the Mercury & MGM record labels.

Here is a three CD series on Los Angeles’ Dot Records. A powerhouse in all genres of music. These three deal with the many vocal group recordings that emanated from the vaults of Dot.

Dot Records formed in Gallatin, Tennessee back in 1949. Wasn’t until 1956 when the company moved it’s location to Los Angeles and became part of Paramont Studios did it become the major studio and distribution giant that it became.

Not only did Dot record it’s own artists and groups, it also leased many recordings from smaller labels to enable these sounds to reach the National scene.

The tracks on these three CD’s listed below just give you a taste of what Dot released.

So! Let’s see what is in store for us.


Volume #1

1. You’re Seventeen – Paramounts ’61 Dot (Start with a very good ballad of young love!) play

2. Darling Dear – Counts ’54 Dot (Great mid-tempo from Indianapolis’ Counts)

3. Ring Chimes – I.V. Leaguers ’57 Porter/Dot (Pickin’ up the pace here)

4. Little Fool – Bobby Relf (Laurels) ’56 Dot (Sensational Ballad!)

5. When You Wish Upon A Star – Crescents ’63 Hamilton/Dot (Rockin’ version!) play

6. Cheryl – Elgins ’63 Dot (This Cheryl is Rockin’)

7. I Make Believe It’s You – Artie Forray ’62 Dot (Still groovin’! Backed by an un-named group)

8. I Wonder Why – Largos ’61 Starmaker/Dot (Good bluesy ballad) play

9. Riding On A Train – Commodores ’55 Dot (Easy swing!)

10. Try Baby Try – Vogues ’58 Dot (Cha Cha!)

11. Baby Don’t You Know – Counts ’54 Dot (Jumper by the Indy lads)

12. With All My Heart – Cap-Tans ’53 Dot $150 (Pretty Ballad)

13. You Cheated – Shields ’58 Tender/Dot (Classic Hit we all know)

14. Saddle Up – flipside of #8 (Gonna get a workout dancin’ to this one)

15. Hey There – flipside of #5 (Very good ballad!)

16. I’m Not Afraid – flipside of #4 (Bobby got you Jitterbuggin’!)

17. Hot Tamales – flipside of #11 (Great swing # !)

18. The Story – flipside of #3 (The ballad side)

19. Uranium – flipside of #9 (The Perfect Jitterbug!)

20. Tell Gina – flipside of #6 (Quick Cha Cha)

21. Strangers – flipside of #7 (Still Latin!)

22. I Need You Always – flipside of #2 (Dreamy Ballad)

23. That’s The Way It’s Got To Be – flipside of #13 (The Rockin’ side)

24. Falling Star – flipside of #10 (The better side! Ballad)

25. Why Do You Have To Go – flipside of #1 (Great rendition of the Dells smash)

26. I’m So Crazy For Love – flipside of #12 (Ballad again by the Cap-Tans)

Those await you on Volume #1

On to Volume #2

1. My Whispering Heart – Edsels ’61 Dot (George Jones Jr got these Youngstown, Ohio boys Rockin’)

2. The Other Night – Five Dots ’54 Dot #150 (Aka The Counts! They be swingin’ on this one!)

3. My Dearest Darling – Embers ’60 Dot (Hable Espanol?? Good Latin tune!) play

4. Calendar Of Love – Buttons ’61 Dot (Rock to the months of the year)

5. Answer Me My Love – Belmonts ’69 Dot (And it sounds ’69! Could have done without this and the flip!)

6. I’m Looking Through Your Window – Dolly Cooper ’56 Dot (Ballad. Just a little COUNTRY!)

7. The Pink Panther – Tads ’56 Liberty Bell $150/ Dot (Nuttin’ to do with the Peter Sellers film. Good rocker!) play

8. Dream On – Billy Ham (Van Dells) ’60 Dot (Billy backed by the female Van Dells on this ballad)

9. King Of Clowns – Billy Myles ’58 Dot (From the Joker to King Of Clowns. Good ballad by Billy and un-named back-up.) play

10. Reminiscing – Belmonts ’68 Dot (Carlo sounds good. Still 1968!)

11. Lazy Bonnie – Four Imperials ’58 Lorelei $100/Dot (Good uptempo)

12. Your Reason – flipside of #7 (One of my all time favorite ballads. A true Sock Smoker!)

13. Couldn’t Wait Any Longer – Embers ’60 Dot (Great Rocker Here)

14. So In Need Of You – flipside of #9 (Better Ballad by Billy and group)

15. Just We Two – flipside of #4 (Buttons go Latin!)

16. Each Night – flipside of #2 (Good Swingin’ on this one)

17. Wanderer – flipside of #8 (Rock)

18. She Wants To Do Her Own Thing – flipside of #10 (Oh well!)

19. Please Mr Sun – flipside of #3 (Good version of Tommy Edwards’ hit)

20. Could It Be – flipside of #1 (Scorcher! Ballad)

21. You Sweet Little Thing – Five Stars ’57 Kernel/Dot (Uptempo)

22. Big Rock Inn – flipside of #6 (Dolly Movin’ & Groovin’)

23. Let’s Make A Scene – flipside of #11 (A Stroll or a Strand)

24. Have You Heard/Worst Thing That Could Happen – flipside (No Comment!)

25. Atom Bomb Baby – Flipside of #21 (Good Rocker)

26. Wait For Me – flipside of #13 (End Volume 2 with a Killer Ballad)

Two down, on to

Volume #3

1. Dear Parents – Eddie Robbins ’57 Power $100/’58 Dot (Nice Ballad by Eddie and un-named male group)

2. To Our Love – Counts ’56 Dot (Great Ballad)

3. Merry Christmas Darling – Uniques ’63 Demand/Dot (Well it is December! Christmas Ballad)

4. You Took My Loving – Jimmy Griffin ’54 Dot (Don’t know who Jimmy is, unless the band leader. Vocals are by Ms Jean Simms and a male group! Still a Killer Swing) play

5. Skinny Minnie – Tony Allen ’58 Dot (OOPS! A Solo! Tony all by himself on this great Uptempo)

6. It Would Be – Young Lions ’60 Dot (Ain’t Roarin’, these Lions are PURRING on this Ballad)

7. White Cliffs Of Dover – Scott English ’60 Dot (Wow, Scott English can SING! LOL Ballad rendition of this Classic WWII song)

8. My Dear, My Darling – Counts ’54 Dot (Nudder good ballad by these Mid Westerners)

9. Wayward Wind – Centennials ’61 Dot (Gogi Grant didn’t sound this good!) play

10. A Girl Like You – flipside of #1 (Reminds me of Paul Himmelstein! Good Rocker!)

11. Bridge Of Love – Teardrops ’57 Dot (Uptempo from this mixed group male/female)

12. Get A Job – Mills Brothers ’58 Dot (Yep the same Mills Bros. Good Job on Get a Job)

13. You Send Me – Cornell Gunter ’57 Dot (Cornell and some ladies on this Sam Cooke Killer) play

14. Let Me Go Lover – Counts ’55 Dot (Great job on this Standard)

15. Music Maestro Please – Mills Brothers ’58 Dot (Gotta like these Bros!)

16. Little Girl – flipside of #6 (Now they are Raoring! Rock!!!)

17. Call Me A Fool – flipside of #13 (Fantastic Ballad)

18. Jelly Fish – flipside of #11 (Rock & Roll)

19. A Love Like You – flipside of #4 (Jean Simms again! Sweet, Sweet Ballad)

20. 4000 Miles Away – flipside of #7 (ballad)

21. My Dear One – flipside of #9 (Gooooooood Ballad)

22. Chills – flipside of #5 (Tony still ain’t got no group! Good mid-tempo solo)

23. Wailing Little Mama – flipside of #14 (Count’s countin’ quick!)

24. I Miss You So – Mills Brothers ’60 Dot (Great job on this Standard)

25. Times Change – flipside of #3 (Good ballad ends the series)


Well there they are. Seventy-seven (77) tracks from the archives of Dot Records.

A good assortment of styles and arrangements sure to please everyone.

Brand new for 2002. Maybe you’ll be lucky and find them in your stocking hung by the fireplace. However, if you decide to acquire them yourselves, look for them at your favorite Oldies Outlet. Need assistance locating them, drop me an E.


In Harmony:

Bruce (DooWop DJ)

ellupo@comcast.net