Doo Wop Music

James “Shep” Sheppard was known for his silky voice, for being a songwriter who liked to write his songs while in the bathtub, and for not always being the easiest person to work with. The Heartbeats, from Queens, New York, consisted of Sheppard, Wally Roker, Albert Crump, Vernon Seavers, and Robby Tatuum. They signed with Hull Record in New York and recorded this song (co-written by Sheppard and William Miller) in 1956. After Hull sold the master to Rama Records, the song reached #5 on the R&B chart and #53 on the Pop Chart. They had a follow-on song titled  “500 Miles to Go.”

The group disbanded in 1959. Sheppard formed Shep and The Limelites with new group members and had success with “Daddy’s Home,” which was an answer song to “A Thousand Miles Away.”

Here are the lyrics to “A Thousand Miles Away” by The Heartbeats:

“You’re a thousand miles away-ay
Bu-u-t I still have your love to remember you by
Oh, my dar-ar-ar-arling, dry your eyes
Daddy’s coming home soon

On my knees every day-ay
All I do is pray, baby, just for you
Hope you a-a-a-always want me too
Daddy’s coming home soon

It may be on a Sunday morning
It may be on a Tuesday afternoon
But no matter what the day is
I’m going to make it my business to get home soon

You’re (a thousand miles away)
Bu-u-ut I still have your love to remember you by
Oh, my dar-ar-ar-arling, dry your eyes
Daddy’s coming ho-ome so-oo-oo-oo-oon”

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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