Doo Wop Music
Among our top doo wop songs are “Oh Rose Marie” and “Chapel Bells” by The Fascinators. The Fascinators came together as did many others by singing on street corners in New York City (for them, that was 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 music or rock and roll. (Among the exceptions were The Five Keys and Gene Vincent.) However, the manager for The Fascinators had some connections there — and the group was doing well locally. Capitol particularly wanted Passalacqua (who later went on to a solo career), but at the time it was all of them or nothing. The group came out with “Chapel Bells” and “Who Do You Think You Are.” Those are fine doo wop recordings, but they did not sell that well. Distribution issues, perhaps? It’s hard to tell; it’s a tough business.
“Oh Rose Marie” didn’t chart much either, but it has excellent vocals and a mid-song recitation of the singer’s inner thoughts and feelings, which is sometimes a characteristic of doo wop music. The song was written by Joseph Passalacqua, Nick Trivato, George Cernacek, Angelo LaGrecca, and Ed Wheeler. It is a classic doo wop song probably better known regionally in the Northeastern U.S. than nationally or internationally.
2 Comments
The had top regional hits in the New York area. Good doo wop group. Thx for the info.
[…] For another song by The Fascinators: “Oh Rose Marie.” […]