The Mad Lads were an American rhythm and blues vocal group, who recorded on the Stax subsidiary label Volt in the 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Don't Have to Shop Around" (1965) and "I Want Someone" (1966).
The group was formed at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The original line-up comprised John Gary Williams, Julius E. Green, William Brown and Robert Phillips. They were originally called The Emeralds, but changed Read Full BioThe Mad Lads were an American rhythm and blues vocal group, who recorded on the Stax subsidiary label Volt in the 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Don't Have to Shop Around" (1965) and "I Want Someone" (1966).
The group was formed at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The original line-up comprised John Gary Williams, Julius E. Green, William Brown and Robert Phillips. They were originally called The Emeralds, but changed their name because there was another group of that name; the name "Mad Lads" was suggested by Stax employee Deanie Parker in response to the group's behavior and also in recognition of local disc jockey Reuben "Mad Lad" Washington. They first recorded for Stax in 1964, releasing "The Sidewalk Surf", co-written by Isaac Hayes under the name Ed Lee, which was not a hit. However, their second record, "Don't Have To Shop Around", rose to no. 11 on the Billboard R&B chart, and no. 93 on the pop chart. Featuring organ by Hayes and piano by Booker T. Jones, it has nonetheless been described as "curiously anachronistic, owing more to doo-wop than southern soul," and featured "the high, innocent tenor of John Gary Williams."
They followed up with "I Want Someone", "I Want A Girl" and "Patch My Heart", which were all R&B hits in 1966. However, towards the end of the year Williams and Brown were drafted. The group continued to make live appearances with the pair being replaced by Sam Nelson and Quincy Billups Jr., but the new line-up's recordings were not as successful. After Williams returned from military service, he was reinstated in the group, over other members' protests, at the insistence of record company co-owner Jim Stewart. The group continued to have R&B chart hits through to 1969, their final hit being a version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" which also reached the pop chart. In 1972, the group continued for a while and finally split up.
Williams recorded a solo album, John Gary Williams, at Stax in 1973. He later worked outside the music business in Iowa and Los Angeles, before forming a new touring version of the Mad Lads in 1984. The new group recorded an album, Madder Than Ever, in 1990.
Julius E. Green died on January 14, 2013. William C. Brown III died on July 24, 2015, aged 69. John Gary Williams died in May 2019.
Chart singles
Year Single Chart Positions US Pop US R&B
1965 "Don't Have To Shop Around" 93 11
1966 "I Want Someone" 74 10
"I Want A Girl" - 16
"Patch My Heart" - 41
1968 "Whatever Hurts You" - 31
"So Nice" - 35
1969 "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" 84 28
"Patch My Heart" was also sampled in the #1 Pop Hit "All 4 Love", produced by Howie Tee and performed by Color Me Badd.
The group was formed at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The original line-up comprised John Gary Williams, Julius E. Green, William Brown and Robert Phillips. They were originally called The Emeralds, but changed Read Full BioThe Mad Lads were an American rhythm and blues vocal group, who recorded on the Stax subsidiary label Volt in the 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Don't Have to Shop Around" (1965) and "I Want Someone" (1966).
The group was formed at Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The original line-up comprised John Gary Williams, Julius E. Green, William Brown and Robert Phillips. They were originally called The Emeralds, but changed their name because there was another group of that name; the name "Mad Lads" was suggested by Stax employee Deanie Parker in response to the group's behavior and also in recognition of local disc jockey Reuben "Mad Lad" Washington. They first recorded for Stax in 1964, releasing "The Sidewalk Surf", co-written by Isaac Hayes under the name Ed Lee, which was not a hit. However, their second record, "Don't Have To Shop Around", rose to no. 11 on the Billboard R&B chart, and no. 93 on the pop chart. Featuring organ by Hayes and piano by Booker T. Jones, it has nonetheless been described as "curiously anachronistic, owing more to doo-wop than southern soul," and featured "the high, innocent tenor of John Gary Williams."
They followed up with "I Want Someone", "I Want A Girl" and "Patch My Heart", which were all R&B hits in 1966. However, towards the end of the year Williams and Brown were drafted. The group continued to make live appearances with the pair being replaced by Sam Nelson and Quincy Billups Jr., but the new line-up's recordings were not as successful. After Williams returned from military service, he was reinstated in the group, over other members' protests, at the insistence of record company co-owner Jim Stewart. The group continued to have R&B chart hits through to 1969, their final hit being a version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" which also reached the pop chart. In 1972, the group continued for a while and finally split up.
Williams recorded a solo album, John Gary Williams, at Stax in 1973. He later worked outside the music business in Iowa and Los Angeles, before forming a new touring version of the Mad Lads in 1984. The new group recorded an album, Madder Than Ever, in 1990.
Julius E. Green died on January 14, 2013. William C. Brown III died on July 24, 2015, aged 69. John Gary Williams died in May 2019.
Chart singles
Year Single Chart Positions US Pop US R&B
1965 "Don't Have To Shop Around" 93 11
1966 "I Want Someone" 74 10
"I Want A Girl" - 16
"Patch My Heart" - 41
1968 "Whatever Hurts You" - 31
"So Nice" - 35
1969 "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" 84 28
"Patch My Heart" was also sampled in the #1 Pop Hit "All 4 Love", produced by Howie Tee and performed by Color Me Badd.
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So Nice
The Mad Lads Lyrics
So nice
Coming home, coming home to you
Do you remember, when we used to play
Mommy and daddy
Mommy and daddy (woo woo), every single day
And do you remember (yes I do woo woo)
The many many times, you cooked a dinner baby
Mudcakes and pies
That I brought with my guys
Even then I think when you
When we grew up, just what we do
'Cause it was so nice, so nice, so nice, always so (so) nice, yeah
Coming home to you
For each other
We've been so good (so good)
We stuck together
We've been together baby like no other kids could
I wanna make a dream come true
I still wanna play
Mommy and daddy with you
'Cause it was so nice, so nice, so nice
Always so nice yeah
Coming home to you (so nice)
Mudcakes and pies
That I brought with my guys
It was so nice (so nice)
Can you remember playing mommy and daddy girl
It was so nice (so nice)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bettye Jean Barnes Crutcher, Marvell Thomas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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