This song is a doo wop classic. Sometimes you have a great time and you want to sing about it. “Oh What a Nite” was just that kind of evening for The Dells, from Harvey, Illinois, and some young ladies. The beautiful vocals show the talent that stayed with them through several decades in the business. “Oh What a Nite,” written by Marvin Junior and Johnny Funches, was released in 1956 and went to #4 on the R&B Chart and sold more than one million copies, which earned them an RIAA gold record.  (The Dells re-recorded the song as “Oh What A Night” in 1969 with a different arrangement, with a soul sound, and it peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Best Selling Soul Singles Chart.)

The original group members — and those for “Oh What a Nite” — were Johnny Funches, Verne Allison, Mickey McGill, Marvin Junior, and Chuck Barksdale. The group sang together while in high school together and formed in 1952 under the name the El-Rays. They sang jazz but became interested in R&B. By 1955, they had renamed themselves as The Dells in and signed with Vee-Jay Records. The Dells are among the longest-running groups in music history, as they recorded and performed for 50 years. In 2004, The Dells were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Here are the lyrics to this wonderful doo wop song “Oh What a Nite” by The Dells:

“Oh, what a night to love you dear
Oh, what a night to hold you near
Oh, what a night to squeeze you dear
That’s why I love you so

Oh, what a night to love you dear
Oh, what a night to want you dear
Oh, what a night to kiss you dear
That’s why I love you so

I won’t forget all those things
You have told to me
The craze in my heart
Won’t let me forget your love

Oh, what a night to love you dear
Oh, what a night to want you near
Oh what a night to squeeze you dear
That’s why I love you so

Oh, what a night to love you dear
Oh, what a night to want you near
Oh what a night to kiss you dear
That’s why I love you so”

If you are interested in purchasing and listening to more music by The Dells, please consider this: Oh, What a Night: The Great Ballads

For More Golden Oldies Music                                

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, 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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