Little Darlin'
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2013)
“Little Darlin'”
Single by The Diamonds
B-side Faithful and True
Released February 8, 1957
Format Single
Genre Rock
Length 2:05
Label Mercury Records
Writer(s) Maurice Williams
Certification Gold[clarification needed]
“Little Darlin'”
Song by Elvis Presley
Released July 19, 1977
Recorded April 24, 1977
Genre Rock
Length 1:56
Label RCA Records
Writer Maurice Williams

“Little Darlin'” is a popular Top 40 song, made famous by the Diamonds.[1]

Contents

1 The Gladiolas' version
2 The Diamonds' version
3 Other recordings
4 In popular culture
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

The Gladiolas' version

It was written by Maurice Williams with both melody and doo-wop accompaniment strongly emphasizing the clave rhythm. It was first recorded by Excello Records in January 1957 and quickly released as a rhythm-and-blues song by Williams’s R&B group, The Gladiolas. The song is noted for its corny and sappy spoken word recitation by the somewhat spoken-word speaker Bill Reed (“My Darling, I need you…” all the way to the last closing spoken line that said “Please hold my hand”.). The Gladiolas, featuring Williams, were from Lancaster, South Carolina, where they had been together since high school. Their original version of the song was on the small Excello label.(Excello primarily recording “swamp blues” songs in Crowley, Louisiana. The Gladiolas song peaked at number 11 on the R&B charts in April 1957, but barely dented the hot 100. By 1959, Williams' group became “Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs” with the rock ‘n roll- R&B hit “Stay.”
The Diamonds’ version

The Diamonds' version followed a month later. The Diamonds were soon covering Little Darlin' successfully.[1] The Diamonds were a Canadian pop group that evolved into a Doo-Wop group. The Diamonds' version reached number two in sales for eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Diamonds' version is generally considered a superior version (though some die hard R&B purists disdain it since it is a cover.) The Diamonds Little Darlin' is a quite unusual example of a cover being better than the original.

[T]he Diamonds' take remained the bigger hit, and over the years, the better-known version. Normally, this would have been an outrage, but there's a reason why the Diamonds' version has sustained its popularity over the years: it's a better, fiercer recording. Both versions are good, even if they're a little silly, because it's a good doo wop song, giving each member of the quartet a lot to do. At times, the vocal phrases verge on self-parody -- the "ai-ya-yi-yai-yai-ya"'s or the "wella-wella"'s -- which may be why The Diamonds' version is superior. They don't seem particularly reverential to the song, so they're not afraid to tear into it, sometimes sending it up, sometimes singing with passion. Whether they know it or not, they wound up making a good Doo-Wop song pretty great with their take-no-prisoners delivery.[2]

Little Darlin', primarily the Diamonds' version, but to some extent the Gladiolas' version, is an all-time Rock ‘n Roll R&B classic.[1]
Other recordings

The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley for his final album, Moody Blue (1977). Rock-and-roll-revival group Sha Na Na performed “Little Darlin'” at the Woodstock Festival, held in White Lake, New York, in 1969.

Joan Baez performed a live version in the early 1960s which appears on the 1983 compilation Very Early Joan.
The Chevrons
Classics IV
The Four Seasons
The Monkees performed a live version on their 1969 TV special 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee.
Victor Wood covered this song on his album Knock on Wood.

In popular culture

The recording by The Diamonds is featured on the soundtrack of the 1973 film American Graffiti.
The song is performed by Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman in the 1987 film Ishtar.

See also
Portal icon Elvis Presley portal
Portal icon Rock music portal

1957 in music

References

Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 11 -- Big Rock Candy Mountain: Early rock 'n' roll vocal groups & Frank Zappa" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. Track 5.