Gee (song)

Gee is a doo-wop song, written by William Davis and Viola Watkings, and recorded by the The Crows on the independent label, Rama Records, in New York City in February 1953 and released in March. It charted in April 1954, one year later. It took a year to get recognized on Your Hit Parade. It landed No.2 on the rhythm and blues chart and No. 14 on the pop chart. It was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records. Recorded on an independent label, it was one of the first such R&B records to crossover to the wider pop market.cite book
first=& Steve Propes
last= Jim Dawson
authorlink=
coauthors=
year= 1992
title= What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record
edition=
publisher= Faber & Faber
location= Boston & London
pages= p. 124-127
id=ISBN 0-571-12939-0 ]

ong

The song starts with a few bars of nonsense:

::"duh-duda-duh-duda-duh-duda-duh-duh-dubafollowed by the lead vocal;::"Oh-ho-ho-ho gee,my oh-oh gee-hee, well oh-ho gee, why I love that girl.then the group:::"Love that girl!

The vocals are infectiously upbeat with wonderful harmonies and use of nonsense syllables, sounding like enthusiastic street-corner singing. The modified jump blues instrumental backup, with its infectious melody and Tiny Grimes guitar solo, is the perfect accompaniment.

History

The Crows formed in 1951 as a typical street corner doo-wop group and were discovered at Apollo Theater's Wednesday night talent show by talent agent Cliff Martinez, and brought to independent producer George Goldner who had just set up tiny new indepent Rama Records label.cite book
first= Ted
last= Fox
authorlink=
coauthors=
year= 1993
title= Showtime at the Apollo
edition= 2nd Ed.
publisher= Da Capo Press
location=New York, N.Y.
pages= p. 116
id= ISBN 0-306-80503-0 ]

The Crows were the first group signed and the first to record. The song "Gee" was the third song recorded during the first recording session. The song, "Gee", was put together in a few minutes by two of the group's members. It was written and recorded so crudely, that when released it sounded like it had been actually recorded on a street corner. Although the song was a huge hit, the Crows were a one-hit wonder and broke up a few months after "Gee" dropped off the Hit Parade.cite web
url=http://www.history-of-rock.com/dootwo.htm
title=The Crows
publisher=history-of-rock
accessdate=2006-11-17 ]

Legacy

The Crows were of the first doo wop groups and one of the first "bird" groups. "Gee" was one of the first rock and roll hit records. It has also been called the first rock and roll record because it was an original composition and had a quick dance beat.cite book
first=Charlie
last=Gillett
year= 1996
title= The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll
edition= (2nd Ed.)
publisher= Da Capo Press
location=New York, N.Y.
pages= p. 76
id= ISBN 0-306-80683-5]

Although the Orioles song "Crying in the Chapel is frequently call the first R&B record to crossover to a big white audience, it is actually a cover of a country song. "Gee" and its b-side "I Love You So" are considered seminal, as it is an original song by an all but amateur group. It encapulated all that has been written later about neighborhood kids singing on corners, and retains that wondefully amateurish feel.cite book
first= Anthony Decurtis (Eds.)
last= Holly George-Warren &
authorlink=
coauthors=
year= 1976
title= The RollingStone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll
edition= 3rd Edition
publisher= Random House
location=New York
pages= p. 94
id= ISBN 0-679-73728-6 ]

The Beach Boys recorded a brief adaptation of the song as part of the "Smile" project. It was included on Brian Wilson's 2004 solo recording of the album.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6921077/a/Gee.htm Sales site - Cover Picture]