The Playmates
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The Playmates were an American late 1950s vocal group led by the pianist Chic Hetti (born Carl Cicchetti, 26 February 1930), drummer Donny Conn (born Donald Claps, 29 March 1930 – September 2, 2015), and Morey Carr (31 July 1932 – 1987), all from Waterbury, Connecticut, United States.[1]
Career[]
The Playmates--Donald Claps (a.k.a. Donny Conn), drummer and lyricist; Carl Cicchetti (a.k.a. Chic Hetti), pianist music composer; and Morey Cohen (a.k.a. Morey Carr), lead vocalist--were an instrumental and vocal trio, from Waterbury, Connecticut, and, in the early 1950s, at the University of Connecticut.[1] After graduation in 1952, they began touring small lounges and night clubs in the United States and Canada, originally as "the Nitwits", later as the Playmates.[1]
Signed to Roulette Records in 1958 as the label's first vocal group,[2] and anticipating a Calypso craze, the group recorded an album called Playmates Visit the West Indies. They then released two notable Top 40 singles — "Jo-Ann" and "Don't Go Home" — before having a number 4 hit (July 9, 1958) with the tempo-changing novelty song "Beep, Beep",[1] which became a regular feature for Dr. Demento.
The "Beep, Beep" song was on the Billboard Top 40 chart for twelve weeks. It sold more than one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] Concurrently with the popularity of "Beep Beep," American Motors (AMC) was setting production and sales records for the Rambler models.[4] Because of a directive by the BBC at the time that songs did not include brand names in their lyrics, a version of "Beep Beep" was recorded for the European market, replacing the Cadillac and Nash Rambler with the generic terms limousine and bubble car.
The group followed up with a chart listing single in 1959 with "What Is Love" and then again in 1960 with "Wait For Me".[5] After four albums for Roulette, the novelty group — known for its between-song comedy and banter as much for its repertoire[1] — broke up in 1965. Morey Carr died from lung cancer in 1987.[6] Donald Claps died in Malibu, California, on September 2, 2015 at the age of 85.
Discography[]
Charted singles (U.S.) / 45 rpm. (Release Month/Year), Title, (Label), Billboard Chart peak
- (January, 1958), "Jo-Ann" (Roulette), #19
- (April, 1958), "Let's Be Lovers" (Roulette), #87
- (June, 1958), "Don't Go Home" (Roulette), #22
- (September, 1958), "The Day I Died" (Roulette), #81
- (November, 1958), "Beep Beep" (Roulette), #4
- (March, 1959), "Star Love" (Roulette), #75
- (July, 1959), "What Is Love" (Roulette), #15
- (October, 1960), "Wait for Me" (Roulette), #37
- (March, 1961), "Little Miss Stuck-Up" (Roulette), #70
- (July, 1962), "Keep Your Hands in Your Pockets" (Roulette), #88
Album
- At Play with the Playmates [1958]
Side one[]
- "Jo-Ann" – 2:35
- "Your Love" – 2:09
- "Darling It’s Wonderful" – 2:35
- "Substitute for Love" – 2:13
- "Magic Shoes" – 2:10
- "While the Record Goes Around" – 2:10
Side two[]
- "Beep Beep" – 3:01
- "The Day I Died" – 2:20
- "Give Me Another Chance" – 2:25
- "Lovable" – 2:16
- "Intimate" – 2:20
- "Don’t Go Home" – 2:30
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 329. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: a history from 1940 to today. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 278–279. ISBN 978-0-634-09978-6.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 106. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "AUTOS: Rambler in High Gear". Time.com. 8 December 1958. Archived from the original on January 16, 2005. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ "rubiks's ROCK N ROLL REFERENCE DISCOGRAPHY". Rockmusiclist.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ Rock, Doc. "The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1980s". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
External links[]
- The Playmates discography at Discogs
- American novelty song performers
- Musical groups established in 1958
- Musical groups disestablished in 1964
- Apex Records artists
- Roulette Records artists
- 1958 establishments in Connecticut