The Rivingtons

The Rivingtons were a doo-wop group noted for being one of the loudest and most raucous of the genre. Their first hit, "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" (1962), like many such songs, began with the bass chanting nonsense syllables (in this case the title), followed by the tenor singing over repetitions of it. "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow", an even more baroque rewrite of the theme, failed to sell, but they returned to the charts the following year with the similar "The Bird's The Word". Conversely, the B-side of "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is a very moving deep soul classic called "Waiting"Fact|date=October 2008, and indeed showcases the softer, more melodic talents of the group.

Previously the Rivingtons had been known as The Sharps and had already tasted chart action via Thurston Harris' "Little Bitty Pretty One" in 1957, after which they appeared on several Duane Eddy recordings when any extraneous sounds of rebel yells were required (as on Eddy's 1958 hit "Rebel Rouser").Fact|date=May 2008

After the two hit singles, the Rivingtons struggled till the mid 60s to find another hit, but after the Columbia single "A Rose Growing In The Ruins" flopped, they called it a day.Fact|date=May 2008

However, the two hits entered a life of their own, courtesy of a Minnesota group called The Trashmen, who recorded a song made up from the nonsense syllables, calling it "Surfin' Bird". The band cut the disc over a record shop and passed it off as their own work. Fact|date=February 2007 It was a medley of the choruses without the verses.Fact|date=May 2008 However the Rivingtons' management reported it to their lawyers and the group were ordered to add the surnames of the Rivingtons to the credits, having the effect of causing the first pressings without the Rivingtons' credit to become collectors items.Fact|date=May 2008

After the publicity surrounding the allegations in Billboard Magazine, the Trashmen had to share the writing credits on not only this recording but a later one as a sign of good faith. "Surfin' Bird" itself was revived in the 1970s by the Ramones and the Cramps.Fact|date=May 2008

Discography

The Rivingtons released a number of records on the Liberty label, including:

ingles

*"Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" b/w "Deep WaterFact|date=October 2008"
*"Kickapoo Joy Juice" b/w "My Reward"
*"Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow (The Bird)" b/w "Waiting"
*"The Bird's The Word" b/w "I'm Losing My Grip"
*"The Shaky Bird (Part 1)" b/w "The Shaky Bird (Part 2)"
*"Cherry" b/w "Little Sally Walker"
*"The Weejee Walk" b/w "Fairy Tales"

Albums

*"Doin' The Bird" (1962)

These songs are all collected in the release "The Liberty Years", released on EMI America

External links

*amg | id = 11:1e861vsjzz9a | label = The Rivingtons