Rare Italian Philly Doo Wop Ballad - Tony and The Raindrops

[Nickie0016]

WOW!!!! I LOVE THIS!!!!!

[Primitivaa]

this song is amazing! That voice is entrancing and that melody is beautiful! Melts my heart!

[body0guard]

YES JIMMY DILKS DID SING WITH TONY AND THE RAINDROPS, I WAS WITH JOEY AND THE FLIPS WHEN I "FLIPPED TO TONY AN MARKS GROUP" HA JOEYS GROUP WAS GETTING SCREWED AND TONY WAS DOING CLUBS AND LOCAL STUFF WITH THIS RELEASE, AIRPLAY ON WDAS WHAT. WAS WITH THEM END OF 61, 62 AND 1/2 63 THEY BROKE UP, WENT INTO USAF IN SEPT 63.

[oldradio60]

As for the info on this Gem, thanks!! Also, someone needs to help Wikipedia keep up, they have nothing on this group!!

[patrickb5197]

Great side n sound out of Phila. Thanks man

[djoutrage18]

wo, that really is very nice pj. There arn't many of the records after about 61 i like as much as the earlier ones, but this sure is one of them.

[likecrazydaddy]

Fantastic vocal harmonies and a superb Lead from Tony. Thanks PJ for this. Great song!!!

[MADBOOTSMORGAN]

I love this 

[mpjrdldn]

I always wonder if commercially successful singers did well in music class or in church choir?

[fgonzalezcuba2008]

very good sound thanks for the revival!!!

[1royalpalm]

To some of the Tony and The Raindrop members here: Born and raised near Baltimore, Md., I had never heard of the Chesapeake record label (sure know about Chesapeake blue crabs, though). In any event, if you were from Philly, why did you go down to Baltimore to cut Our Love is Over? Just wondering since Philly was a big rock 'n' roll, doo wop city. Nice song/record, BTW.

[yardlet6]

@1royalpalm There were a lot of teeny weeny labels around and the Baltimore-DC area was full of them. If a group from that area wanted to make it big you went to New York or talked to people like Lillian Claiborne or Waxie Maxie. 

[ODonnellTommy]

Thanks for the Philly Doo Wop sound!!

[ncleve1033]

thanks pj for this and the shirelles..

[combatjim1]

the sound of philly. on the corner great..

[PJDooWop]

Amen to that!

[MrHoncho123]

People asking about the Group and where it played:

Played at "hops" around the Philadelphia, Jersey and NY area. As far as airplay: Here is a comment from another fan (below)

"ciganyi"

I remember this being played at the 5 Points Firehall in Levittown - Jerry Blavat, Hy Lit, lots of other dj's. I've never heard this on the radio since the 60s. 9 months ago

[CIB67]

04/11/10 .... Wow! Good stuff! Great sound too I love it.

[hanker20]

nice song. to see some comments from original members is very cool.

[MrHoncho123]

PJ DooWop: Jerry's real name is Carrasik . The Tony and the Raindrops group was Tony Acchione, Al Baron, Mark Gordesky, Jerry Carrasick and me (Ken). I'd like to find Baron, since I have been in California for 40 years...what part of CA he lives in may turn up here or somewhere.

[PJDooWop]

If you go through the comments below you'll find Mark Stevens' comment about Baron. I'm guessing they still talk. You'll probably want to speak to him

[likecrazydaddy]

@MrHoncho123

Ken, what part did you sing? Any chance that you guys can get together to perform at a reunion show here in Cali???

[MrHoncho123]

@jkflynn07 Please let me know who your dad is...I was the bass for the group. My name is Ken.

[MrHoncho123]

@jkflynn07 Who is your Dad? I was in the group too

[MrHoncho123]

Thanks folks...Ken Sacks (Bass fot Tony and the Raindrops - Love is Over - While Walking, circa 1961-63). Now living in sunny CA.

[PJDooWop]

It's finally sunny in NJ as well... Hope all is well :)

[tbear4pa]

@MrHoncho123

That would be absolutely right as that is from the so-called Doo Wop Revival period in the early 60's.

[mdmphd]

Roger Mounts was right to slap his name on this. I'd hate to lose it at a dance or a lover's spat:> What a great little record - I'm really enjoying it... (gasp)and that sob. NOW I have to have it.

[janeshe2]

Janeshe 2 says: amazing!!!!!

[luvrecords1]

Great song! I just love DooWop.

[PJDooWop]

Doo wop is great stuff, as is this song

[kjboogie]

ahhh, This is very nice !!!! Love the sound.

Thanks,

ken

[PJDooWop]

It's definitely a good one

[Howieshet]

Their sound is very similar to the Delmonicos

[PJDooWop]

I agree with that.. They are also two groups that sadly did not put out many releases. Well, The Delmonicos put out tons of a capella stuff later on but only did a few 45s in the early days

[harptone55]

NICE!

[yogabearr]

i've been collecting oldes for a while now..i found this one in my collection.

bring back memories

[PJDooWop]

Very cool.

[MRDOOWOP1]

n1 pj

[johnny9148]

great doo-wop they don't makem like they use to.

[PJDooWop]

This is true. The biggest thing I miss is the acoustics of the 50s and 60's recordings. There's nothing as beautiful and full as the sound you get from tube amps, compressors and eqs

[kjboogie]

ahhhhh, This is great!! Thanks pj,

kj

[ciganyi]

Is this song available on CD do you know? Sorry if this has already been asked and answered.

I remember this being played at the 5 Points Firehall in Levittown - Jerry Blavat, Hy Lit, lots of other dj's. I've never heard this on the radio since the 60s.

[Jaharra19]

Went to Jerry Blavat dances and danced with him many times.

Wagners Ballroom

Chez Vous

Rivear Ballroom to name a few.

Hy Lit and WIBG sure brings back memories...Oh yeah Jerry Blavat's place!

[Nessiefan]

Did they call themselves THE RAINDROPS too? I am looking after information about them.

[PJDooWop]

I believe they were always Tony and The Raindrops. Which Raindrops are you looking for? I know one of The Raindrops that did a record for Imperial.

[Nessiefan]

OK, thanks for your answer. For an example, when searching for Buddy Holly and The Crickets then usually be sufficient to search for The Crickets, so I thought so in this case. But someone told me that The Raindrops are an English group. Do you know where I can find some information about Tony and the Raindrops?

[PJDooWop]

You should try talking to Mark Stevens since he's an original member of the group. Also read the comments left on this song. There's a lot of information here.

[Nessiefan]

Okay. I should look there. Thanks!

[MrHoncho123]

@Nessiefan It was almost 50 years ago. I was 16 and so were we all. We were always Tony and the Raindrops...Tony Acchione, Mark Gordesky, Jerry ?, Al Baron and me.

[PJDooWop]

Jerry's last name is DeCaprio. I spoke to him about ten years ago. Really nice guy. He's still living in the area, just outside of Philly now. Apparently Al Baron's out in California.

[jimNEPhilly]

@MrHoncho123

Yo! What part of Philly were youse guyz from? What year did this get released? Did Georgie Woods, Jocko, the Geator, or any local DJ's give you some airplay?

[1689drew]

1st time ive heard this think it is classy

[westinghouse]

What year is this from?

[PJDooWop]

I believe this is from 1962. I'd pull out the reference book and verify but I'm feeling lazy at the moment lol

[terrafirma91]

This doo-wop music sure sounds good to this day. The guitar in the intro is out of tune. They didn't have electronic guitar tuners then.

[markstevens64]

Your right, the guitar is weird in the front. It's amazing that we let that go at the time without fixing it. Believe it or not I don't have one record from this era of mine. I would love to hear the bside to "Tina", "My Heart cried. We were actually given tracks that were already cut and wrote the words around "Tina" and the Bside "My Heart Cried". I believe it was the "Stanley Applebaum Orchestra"

Enjoy it,

Mark Stevens

[terrafirma91]

Thank you, Mark. There's nothing like classic doo-wop to bring back a time when people were much happier, and more fun to be around. Were you a member of this group? The voices are well done, despite the early recording equipment. Don't feel too bad about the guitar being out of tune. Many early recordings had stringed instruments that were in dire need of tuning. Thanks.

[PJDooWop]

Mark, Tina's been high on my want list for a long time. When I do find a copy I will not only post it, but I'll get your contact info and send you a cd of both sides. When I find a cleaner copy of Our Love Is Over you can have this copy. I mean it. A few years back I was in contact with another member of this group.. All I remember is his last name was DiCaprio. Really nice guy.. I wish I could get back in touch with him.

[PJDooWop]

That's all part of the fun with doo wop. Recording time was very expensive as was reel to reel tape. Sometimes the bands and/or groups were nervous because being in a studio was a big deal. Doo wop records tend to have many idiosyncracies - but that's one of the many things I love about it :)

[markstevens64]

PJ...You seem like the real deal "doowop" fan. The person you spoke to was Jerry DeCaprio, a close friend of Tony's. Ironically I just spoke to Tony yesterday. He'[s been a journeymen actor for years and is doing a film as we speak called "Saddle up" where he plays The Lone Ranger.

Also, as you see, on the label it say's Gordesky...that was my real name before I changed it to Stevens. Alan Baron was the co-writer and he is a doctor in Cal now.

Regards, Mark Steven

[terrafirma91]

Doo wop is a style, and sound, all it's own. I once saw an old film of four or five young men standing on a street corner in a east coast city singing doo wop, each doing his harmony part very well. There were no instruments, no accompaniment, and they sounded outstanding.

[RDRothbard]

this music gives me goosebumps! I love it! It's still fresh. Look for a TV show with this same sentiment from Tony Devon (same Tony in this group!)

[PJDooWop]

Interesting.. What show should I be looking for?

[RDRothbard]

its in development now.  Tony is one of the writer.

[Mystic1957]

Wow! New to me but I like it!! Thanks

[PJDooWop]

You're welcome

[LouCacc]

Since I'm Italian, I must like Italian Philly Doo Wop :)

[markstevens64]

As one of the original members and writers of this and the 2nd single "Tina" it's nice to see that people still remember this group.

Mark Stevens/The Dovells

[PJDooWop]

It's my pleasure to have posted it. What label was Tina on? I've heard the song before (love it) but have never seen the 45.

[lytation]

Crosley records PJ

[lytation]

Hi Mark, Wasn't jimmy dilks in this group ?This is jack srtong from the Contenders. He sang with us on i know somwhere by The Lytations. Never released till years later. Jimmy was a friend of one of our memebers.

[dowopper51]

Really nice find! It booked around $50.00 15 years ago, real nice tune, thanks for posting it!

[PJDooWop]

Thank you.. I've been looking for this for almost 15 years now. First heard it in '93 and fell in love with the record.

[PJDooWop]

I'm really happy that you and your father found it. I'll be posting the flip as well.

[ciganyi]

I'd love to find this song on CD. I had the 45 back in the 60s when they played it at the dances. Thanks for putting it on YT.

[PJDooWop]

It may be available on cd. A lot of rare doo wops are available now

[girlyjohnnie]

kewl kid,lol hugs johnnie

[girlyjohnnie]

You have some of the best songs on utube. Man where did you get all these. More to the point , how did you learn to love at your age. People think i am young for thes , but i can remeber parents playing. But you have rare philly ones. Thank you so much for the delight of sharing, johnnie jean

[PJDooWop]

I've been into vinyl since I was 7 (which makes it 20 years now... I feel old lol). IO started to seriously collect when I was 13. I used to listen to all the doo wop shows I could, trade tapes of rare doo wops with other collectors, and try and find as much as I could in any way possible.