R&B

Barbara Lewis was one of the ladies of R&B and soul, and “Hello Stranger” is a beautiful song that shows this kind of music moving and developing into soul music in the sixties.

Barbara Lewis was from Salem, Michigan. She wrote and sang this song, which became her first hit single. In 1963, the song went to #1 on the R&B Chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lewis said that the song was inspired from experiences she had when performing with her musician father. People would call out: “Hello stranger, it’s been a long time.” The R&B doo wop group The Dells (“Oh What a Nite”) did the backup vocals on the record. John Young’s playing on the Hammond organ also gives a distinctive touch to the song.

Here are the lyrics to “Hello Stranger” by Barbara Lewis:

“Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop

Hello stranger
It seems so good to see you back again
How long has it been?

Seems like a mighty long time
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
It seems like a mighty long time

Ahhh my my my my I’m so glad
You stopped by to say hello to me
Remember, ah that’s the way it used to be

It seems like a mighty long time
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
It seems like a mighty long time

Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop

Ohh, yes I’m so glad
You’re here again

If you’re not gonna stay
Please don’t tease me like you did before
Because I still love you so although

It seems like a mighty long time
Shoo-bop, shoo-bop, my baby
It seems like a mighty long time

Ohh, ohh my, my, my, my, I’m so happy”

If you are interested in purchasing and hearing more music from Barbara Lewis, please consider this: Hello Stranger: Best of

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. Please click here for the Daily Doo Wop Youtube channel, to which you can subscribe. Thank you for stopping by The Daily Doo-Wop. Hope you enjoyed “Hello Stranger” by Barbara Lewis.