Rhythm and Blues

The Orlons came from Philadelphia and group members were Rosetta Hightower, Shirley Brickley, Marlena Davis, and Stephen Caldwell. In 1960, Len Barry, who was a high school friend and lead singer for The Dovells, encouraged them to audition for Cameo-Parkway Record. After several auditions, Cameo executive Dave Appell appointed Hightower as the lead singer and began writing songs for them. Following the success of their first two hits (“The Wah-Watusi” and “Don’t Hang Up”), they recorded their final top 10 hit “South Street.” It reach #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. South Street is in Philadelphia, and, at the time they were writing about it, there were many bars and clubs. Now it has fashionable stores and restaurants.The Orlons have been singing for more than 50 years. Over the years, there have been numerous personnel changes. They called themselves The Orlons as a joking response to a popular group at their high school named The Cashmeres (that is, Orlon is an inexpensive synthetic material).

Here are the lyrics to “South Street” by The Orlons:

Where do all the hippies meet?
South Street, South Street.
Where the dancin’ is elite.
South Street, South Street.

Alive by side we’re loose and neat,
When we’re stompin’ down the street.
Hurry down,
Baby, to the
Hippest street in town!

Oh, baby.
Meet me, on South Street,
Oh, yeah,
Hurry on down.
Come on now,
Meet me on South Street,
The hippest street in town.

Well you take,
West Street, East Street, North Avenue,
‘Cause I know,
South Street’s the best street,
To have a ball with you.

Do you hear that groovy beat?
South Street, South Street.
Don’t it make you move your feet?
South Street, South Street.
Everybody gathers round,
‘Cause they dig that crazy sound. Now,
Hurry down, Baby, to the
Hippest street in town!

Oh, baby,
Meet me, on South Street,
Come on
Oh, yeah,
Hurry on down. come on now
Meet me on South Street,
The hippest street in town.

Well you take,
West Street, East Street, North Avenue,
‘Cause I know,
South Street’s the best street,
To have a ball with you.

Oh, baby,
Meet me, on South Street,
Come on
Oh, yeah,
Hurry on down. come on now
Meet me on South Street,
The hippest street in town.

Well you take,
West Street, East Street, North Avenue,
‘Cause I know,
South Street’s the best street,
To have a ball with you.

Oh, baby,
Meet me, on South Street
Come on,
Oh, yeah,
Hurry on down.
Why don’t you,
Meet me on South Street,
The hippest street in town.

If you would like to read about and listen to another song by The Orlons, please click here for “Don’t Hang Up.”

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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