Doo Wop

The Willows came together as an R&B doo wop group in Harlem in New York City. On this record, lead singer Tony Middleton was backed up by Richard Davis, Ralph Martin, Joseph Martin and Richard Simon. Neil Sedaka is on chimes.  “Church Bells May Ring” entered the Billboard Top 100 charts in April 1956 and stayed there for eleven weeks. A big hit in New York, it reached #62 on the national chart, and went to #12 on the R&B chart. The Diamonds covered the song in 1956, and their version rose to #14 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Chart and #23 on Cash Box.

Tony Middleton left the group in 1956 to pursue a solo career. He moved to Paris in 1962, and was popular there. When he returned to New York, he recorded with many labels and artists. He was lead on Burt Bacharach’s song “My Little Red Book.” He also sang with Smokey Robinson, Della Reese, ad Nell Carter. Middleton later rejoined The Willows and toured with them.

Here are the lyrics to “Church Bells May Ring” by The Willows:

“Church bells may ring
Church bells may ring

Church bells may ring and surely, darling
The angels will sing, I’ll tell you, darling
You’re the queen of my throne
You should have known, sweetheart, sweetheart
Known sweetheart

Church bells may ring and surely, darling
The angels will sing, I’ll tell you, darling
You’re the queen of my throne
You should have known, sweetheart
Known sweetheart

Ling a ling a ling a ling a ling, ding, dong
I love you, darling and I want you for my own
I’ll give you any, anything that I own
You should have known, sweetheart
Known sweetheart

Hello, hello again, my friends
I hope that we will meet again
Ling a ling a ling ling a ling a ling
Ling a ling a ling, ding, dong

I love you, darling and I want you for my own
I’ll give you any, anything that I own
You should have known, sweetheart
Known sweetheart

Hello, hello again, my friends
I hope that we will meet again
Ling a ling a ling ling a ling a ling
Ling a ling a ling ding dong

I love you, darling and I want you for my own
I’ll give you any, anything that I own
You should have known

Church bells may ring
Church bells may ring
Church bells may ring
Church bells may ring
Church bells may ring”

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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