The Marcels were a doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classic… Read Full Bio ↴The Marcels were a doo-wop group known for turning beloved American classical pop songs into rock and roll. The group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with lead Cornelius Harp, bass Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, and Richard Knauss. In 1961 many were shocked to hear a new version of the ballad, "Blue Moon" that began with the bass singer say, "bomp-baba-bomp" and "dip-da-dip." Still, the record sold a million and is featured in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
The disc climbed all the way to number one in the UK singles chart. However all follow-ups sank without trace, and the group became known there as a one-hit wonder. Even in their U.S. homeland, later revivals in the same vein as "Blue Moon" - "Heartaches" and "Melancholy Baby" - were much less successful.
In August of 1961, Knauss and Bricker left and were replaced by Alan Johnson (brother of Fred) and Walt Maddox. Mundy left soon after, leaving the group a quartet.
In 1962, Harp and Alan Johnson left, and were replaced by Richard Harris and William Herndon. There was a brief reunion of the original members in 1973. The group made several recordings in 1975 with Harp back on lead.
By the early 1990s the group was Johnson, Maddox, Harris, Jules Hopson and Richard Merritt.
The group split around 1995. Fred Johnson formed his own group with new members, while the other four members recruited new bass Ted Smith. Maddox won a lawsuit against Sunny James Svetnic, the manager of Johnson's group, for trademark infringement in 1996. Svetnic died in 2002.
Johnson reunited with Harp, Mundy, and Knauss in 1999 for the PBS special Doo Wop 50 with a fifth member.
The disc climbed all the way to number one in the UK singles chart. However all follow-ups sank without trace, and the group became known there as a one-hit wonder. Even in their U.S. homeland, later revivals in the same vein as "Blue Moon" - "Heartaches" and "Melancholy Baby" - were much less successful.
In August of 1961, Knauss and Bricker left and were replaced by Alan Johnson (brother of Fred) and Walt Maddox. Mundy left soon after, leaving the group a quartet.
In 1962, Harp and Alan Johnson left, and were replaced by Richard Harris and William Herndon. There was a brief reunion of the original members in 1973. The group made several recordings in 1975 with Harp back on lead.
By the early 1990s the group was Johnson, Maddox, Harris, Jules Hopson and Richard Merritt.
The group split around 1995. Fred Johnson formed his own group with new members, while the other four members recruited new bass Ted Smith. Maddox won a lawsuit against Sunny James Svetnic, the manager of Johnson's group, for trademark infringement in 1996. Svetnic died in 2002.
Johnson reunited with Harp, Mundy, and Knauss in 1999 for the PBS special Doo Wop 50 with a fifth member.
Come to Me
The Marcels Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Marcels:
"Blue Moon" Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
A Sunday Kind of Love I WANT A SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE A LOVE THAT WILL…
Bells July 11th 2016 I hit the road bumping The Slim Shady…
Blue Moon (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba…
Blue Moon (Remastered) Once upon a time Before I took up smiling I hated the…
Blue Moon ) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba…
Blue Moon - Remastered Once upon a time Before I took up smiling I hated the…
Blue Moon 1961 Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Footprints in the Sand You walked with me Footprints in the sand And helped me unde…
Heart aches Heartaches My loving you meant only heartaches Your kiss w…
Heartaches Heartaches My loving you meant only heartaches Your kiss was…
Heartches Watch out! Here we go again Yuip yuip yuip worp worp... He…
Hold On Hold up wait, I'm not tryna date I'm just tryna get…
Honestly Sincere Speak to us, oh beautiful one, tell us how you…
I Wanna Be the Leader Daylight grows dim As we ride empty roads So close inside yo…
I'll Be Forever Loving You I'll be loving you forever, Deep inside my heart you'll leav…
My Melancholy Baby Nah, not that thing again... sing Melancholy baby All right.…
One Last Kiss Oh one last kiss, oh baby one last kiss It never…
Over the Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
Over the Rainbow - Remastered Somewhere, somewhere... Somewhere over the rainbow, way up …
Summertime Summertime, summertime, summertime, summertime Summertime, s…
Sunday Kind of Love I WANT A SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE A LOVE THAT WILL…
That Lucky Old Sun Up in the mornin' out on the job, work like…
That Old Black Magic That old black magic has me in its spell, that…
The Marcels Blue Moon (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba-bom-a-bom-bom) (Ba…
The Wonder Of It All Yeah, yeah It's Zayy Let my words inspire and lift you up,…
Two People in the World (There's just two kinds of people in the world) (Why can't…
Wait For Me Wait Come into my arms I will wait for you I will wait…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@anakina1
My dad told me when I was about 10 "This is rock and roll called doo wop, I listened to this song as a kid." Then he played it for me and introduced me to 50s music. This was 1974 and we went to a multitude of Doo Wop shows meeting his idols. Lost him three years ago this May. This songs for you Pop.
@jordonus8018
Rest in Piece for your pop.
@anakina1
Thanks man. Deeply appreciate it.
@midasapprentice8670
God Bless him and may you cherish those memories for ever by passing them down to your children.
@Peacemaker-er3tl
He's in God's hands. Bless you my man.
@surferpam1
God rest his soul and bless his memory. What a great dad for him to expose you to this bitchen stuff. ALL RESPECT, AnakinA1.
@Ooznozz
It was March 1961... I was sick with scarlet fever when this song came out. I was going to be twelve years old. I had to stay in my bedroom and at that time there was no portable TV in my room. Because of the fever I was pretty much in bed so my mom brought in a nice kitchen table plug in AM radio for listening. There were four good rock n roll stations in NYC at the time -- WMCA, WABC WINS & WMGM... All the stations played "Blue Moon" over an over as it made its way up the charts. On WINS it found its way to legendary DJ Murray The K. He promoted it as an "exclusive" and played it 26 times on one show. I loved it! [AND] this great doo wop classic helped me get through my illness and isolation... I am 73 years old now and to this day it is one of my all time favorite songs. I never tire hearing it...
@marknewton6984
Me too ! 😄
@carolpayette854
❤❤❤
@user-ho9mn5zg1k
I born in 1947 so I grew up this music what a time for rock n roll to country as well ❤❤