I have a question about not-really-doo-wop

Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 07:54 PM
Original message

I have a question about not-really-doo-wop

So what's that stuff called? It's like a cross between a barbershop quartet and doo-wop. I want to call it "Sha-na-na," but I'm not sure if that's right.

And anyone who's like way up on 20th century American music, can also give me any interesting facts about if it's more doo-wop than barbershop, where it came from, etc. I didn't come up with anything for "Sha-na-na," on google, and I don't really know what to google to get a sure answer. I thought maybe I'd pop in quick and ask some of the music experts.

Thank you.

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DancingBear

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:00 PM
Response to Original message

1. Give me the time period and the type music you're talking about

Are you talking about things like "At The Hop" (which is not doo-wop), or things like "Denise", which is (although just barely).

Those two songs are 5 years apart.

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Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:03 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Well, I'm actually kind of thinking about the Sha-na-na guys

Or maybe "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" :)

There's a song called "Get a Job," I think, that also says "Sha-na-na." I feel like the sha-na-na guys called themselves that, specifically, because sha-na-na was used a lot in these not-really-doo-wop songs.

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DancingBear

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:10 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. "Get a Job" is doo-wop

Doo-wop is kind of hard to define - kind of like the old saying about porn -"I don't know how to define it but I know it when I see it."

Most doo-wop tunes will have a lyric/chorus that is not made up of actual words - in jazz this is called "scatting", but the two are no where close to being related.

Take a tune like "Get A Job" for instance. The backing vocal goes something like this: "dip-dip-dip-dip-dip-dip-dip-dip-na-na-na-na-na-na get a job."

THAT"s doo-wop.

I could go into the actual history of how doo-wop came to be, if you'd like.

But I'll bet somebody beats me to it. :)

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Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:15 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. Well, I guess the big question is:

How doo-wop, barbershop, "at the hop," and the Beach Boys all fit together?

You can also refer me to a web-site, if you don't want to type it all. Or give me some good search terms. I suppose "history of doo-wop" would do the trick, but then, would I get the whole sha-na-na/beachboys/barbershop thing? Questions, questions.

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Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:07 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. "At the Hop" and "Denise" aren't exactly what I'm thinking

Though, along with the Beach Boys, this opens up a WHOLE 'NOTHER set of questions for me...:)

In other news: I found out that Sha-na-na sang "Monster Mash," "The Flying Purple People Eater," and "Witch Doctor." I had no idea.

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Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:09 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. On second thought, the Sha-na-na thing isn't true

They were covering them. See how clueless I am?

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DancingBear

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:13 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. Just so you'll know who really did them..

(make friends at parties!)

Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley

Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett

Witch Doctor - David Seville (who was the man behind The Chipmunks)

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Karenina

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:12 PM
Response to Original message

6. Not to be confused with

doo-waa. (See: Smokey Robinson)

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Cats Against Frist

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Mon Nov-21-05 08:16 PM
Response to Reply #6

9. Exactly.

I know there's a lot of subtle variation here. That's what I'm trying to get.

Just let's not go into MMMMMBop? K? :)

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