Doo Wop Groups

The song “Chapel Bells“ was released 1957. The vocal arrangement uses the voices to create the sound of bells.

The Fascinators were a group that came together as did many others by singing on street corners —  in their case, Brooklyn. Group members were Tony Passalacqua, Angelo LaGrecca, Nick Trivatto, Ed Wheeler, and George Cernacek. In the late 1950s, Capitol Records was a label that, with a few exceptions, was not releasing much doo-wop or rock and roll. (Among the exceptions were Gene Vincent and The Five Keys.) However, the manager for The Fascinators had some connections there — and the group was doing well locally. Capitol particularly wanted Passalacqua, but it was all of them or nothing. The Fascinators released a few singles (including “Chapel Bells,” “Who Do You Think You Are” and “Oh Rose Marie), but there wasn’t much traction. Distribution issues, perhaps? Anyway, so goes the music business. Passalacqua went on to a solo career under a number of names, including Tony Richards, Tony Mitchell, and Tony Pass.

Here are the lyrics to “Chapel Bells” by The Fascinators:

Oh Chapel Bells, I hear you ringing,
ringing the song, yes, the song my hearts singing.
Have sympathy, but please send my baby back to me, Chapel Bells.

So many thoughts and memories bringing,
with each note, yes each note that you’re ringing.
Have sympathy, but please send my baby back to me, Chapel Bells.
I hear, I hear your call, you’re calling, calling to me.
I can’t, I can’t explain this feeling oh what could it be?
Well I do, yes do adore them,
well I love, love and implore them,
oh have sympathy, but please send my baby back to me, Chapel Bells.

For another song by The Fascinators: “Oh Rose Marie.”

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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