Little Darlin' The Diamonds (Before and later)

[sonyahannah]

How neat to have this "compare and contrast" version -- and it proves that "a thing of beauty [their voices, especially that falsetto] IS a joy forever" -- or at least for a couple of generations! Boomers salute you, Diamonds. AND we wish for the younger generation, which is just now learning what we miss so much about the 50's and 60's, that you may savor the sounds of our youth.

[Darkarch87]

I like the older verson better actually

[oldmungral]

I actually think they got better

[NewWaveFan1]

Epic man

[goethals80]

david, your amazing!! its a pleasure to have been brought up with your influence, a priveldge to have shaken your hand, and I feel luck to call you my friend. hope to see you again soon! love always from the Goethals

[cardiffbluesgirl]

they are just fab, great to see this

[dbrew2u]

Real Talent never fades. How much more proof do you need than this ?

[sounddude51]

Thanks for this. I had never seen the old one. Man they look so young. But boy they can still sing!

[JJKBoston]

LOVE THIS!!! Thank you for posting this one.. Wow was music amazing then...and now

[JJKBoston]

LOVE THIS!!! Thank you for posting this one..

[MmaNcovers]

its good to see that they are all alive

[crewva]

The after is just as good as the before !

[TheKurtChaney]

its a shame the music we have today. wish i could have been born back whan the usa was still the usa.

[lajetmech]

dave sommerville the gentleman he is has always give credit to maurice williams as the author of this song on any videos they have appeared on together

[tropicalpancake56]

Just great!

[veulia1968]

I Love this song I remember my dad with it



[dearmalika]

Oh this is great! Thanks for uploading!

[fjbutch]

Fantastic....I do prefer this version a little more than the Gladiolas original version......just got that edge and great memories as a kid listening to this ....

[blueneptun1]

Great song!!!!

[ITSMETHEFLASH]

They still can sing-great! I love the older music and im only 39.

[MTM60302]

thanks for putting this together. It is great! Love it!

[chicagostyleasshole]

love this



[Dawn1959]

Wonderful video,this was great.I dont know of any performers who can keep their original sounds and to do this for so many years.They are great!!!!

[justplaincarla]

D. S., WOW! Makes my heart--skip a beat!

[justplaincarla]

Dave Sommerville has SUCH A SWEET SMILE.

pardon the pun--he's so 'upbeat.' :) :)  :)

[justplaincarla]

D.S., you are hot!

[TheFlameforTrouble]

hey if there are any diamond fans out there in the 1980's thy played Reno or Vegas the bass singer was to die for he was oh so cute but they had released a new bunch of songs and as it was a birthday for me they signed it for me but for the life of me i can not remember any of the songs on there but do remember the bass singer too bad he was just getting a divorce but it was just a member of the diamonds and the rest were new any info please let me know there were some good songs on there

[caberking]

@TheFlameforTrouble The bass singer for the Diamonds in the 80's was named Gary Cech (pronounced "check"). He is a pastor now in Michigan.

[stillleenie18]

Doo Wop forever!!!!! Still as good as they were when they were young.

[zigenarsvin]

Chills!!!!

So darmed good!!!! :)

[sierria64]

THE LEAD SINGER... HAS A SOULFUL VOICE

[renavatio1947]

I remember this first time I heard this song, loved it then and still do..Thank you!!

[gigsports]

ONE OF FAVORITE SONGS.

[82abnoff]

I think that slow dancin with a girl was the best that I could do. In South Jersey. At 65, I still remember.

[MrTomDicker]

Wow, Dave Sommerville looks amazing for his age dosent he? Classic song, Im 16 but I wish I grew up in this era. R.I. Bill Reed, Us doo-wop lovers will never let your legacy fade away!

[13loomisst]

Very nicely done. Good fun. Thanks very much.

[21536987]

Durn! I miss my youth (NORM)

[madyb194]

Thanks for the memories! Where has the time gone? I always loved this song, and still do! Thank you!

[lindaem2003]

Really takes me back to my high school years - a much simpler time when we had all the hope in the world. Loved it.

[skidmark6583]

I gotta have more cowbell!

[honoluwill]

Yeah, Chris Walken! More cowbell!

[Jackcr33]

Just awesome

[AnitaLife27]

Cha cha cha! I wonder if this is also the first cow bell R&R hit! Love these guys and this song is a doowop anthem. Thanks for the coo comparison. Doo wop makes me happy!

[smdad]

Oh the memories. Thank you so much from a 59 year young New Yorker.

[rolandschamps]

geweldige toffe video

[MrZip61]

The Diamonds still perform in Carson City, NV. and are still GREAT!

[dwtslvr]

This is just precious memories. Thank you so much for posting.

[ardmoreok]

This is fantastic! Made my day!

[deskcreative]

Fun! They look great!

[dixp9119]

Brought back wonderful memories...I will always love them.

d4313

[9duryea9]

Still revisiting,.. And loving every second of this. Eternal thanks to the provider for creating such an uplifting remembrance and inspiration.

[Spacebeagle]

pretty darn good video edit! excellence!!!

[w0nderboy89]

the one singing looks like hes only aged by about 20 years lol

[AnitaLife27]

I thought so! Bwah ha! Why mess with perfection anyway! Love it!!!!!!!!!!!

[drummerfromoly]

There is not anything on the current year to date Diamonds.  I was hoping to see

Joe Finetti.

[dragonheart1947]

Flagship song for rock and roll, this is a song for all ages, it moves you, when a time was simplier, didn't have all the stuff going on today, and you could acutally enjoy the music

[op240bravo]

Im not even from that era nd i love this song......

No lie ... u can forget bout rap nd hip hop this right here is real music the originals of love songs

[Dudley1948]

Exceptionally well done celokayo.

[tomrnr57]

Love this video.......The Diamonds were the only pop group that could rock. (I know I'll get comments from purists)  Dave Somerville still looks and sounds great. I can't help it, I love "She Say (oom dooby doom)"

[soohoojrj]

Saw this amazing special on PBS,.....and all these old duffers stikk got it.

[StewedTomato]

Great Video! thanks!!

[ContardoholicFan]

This Group Was Great, RIP Mr. Reed, Your Group Was A Classic & Will Never Be Duplicated!!

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@ContardoholicFan Yeah,,like they STOLE it from THE GLADIOLAS. Exact copy. I had NO RESPECT for them for years until they had MAURICE WILLIAMS on stage with them and acknowledged that very fact. Listen to THE GLADIOLAS version on here. Maurice did finally OUTDO them when he wrote and recorded STAY with THE ZODIACS. "STAY" will be there forever now also. They were at OLD TOWN in Fla. and I was in the audience saying MAURICE's name loud enough for the lead singer to hear me. HE LOOKED SHOCKED

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@THEMOJOMANsince1959 I cannot stand UNFAIRNESS. I wish people would give credit WHERE IT'S DUE. However you can't blame those guys for grabbing the brass ring and running with it.

[Persian1Cat]

@THEMOJOMANsince1959 I know. I know. It was the times. The R&B

minorities brought us this music from Gospel(and Latino to a lesser extent).

We cannot be bitter.We must acknowledge, forgive, and move on.Thank God

for the music and America.

[Persian1Cat]

@Persian1Cat The group was from Canada. They traveled with minority singing groups

on buses in the South and experienced their discrimination first hand.

[82abnoff]

I was a punk teenage in the 50's. American Bandstand, Dick, Arleen, in Philly.

Some songs will always stick in my brain.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@82abnoff And that chickensh**t Dick Clark would always play the white copycat versions of rock songs until he would absolutely 'have too" play THE REAL ONES. He took more payola than any 10 djs and never had his reputation ruined like so many others.

[jimmyratz]

One of the best Rock 'n Roll songs ever!!! Luv it !!!

[thetwosixes]

absolutely brilliant!

[jumpdance24]

Thanks for that Celokayo....great interediting

[ballplaya2434]

? ok dont know why u have to be an asshole....

[ballplaya2434]

my grandfather... bill reed god rest his soul.... rip grandpa!!!i love you

[ellyc19111]

Really? Lucky you. He was one awesome bass man. Sorry he had to pass. Have to say also that David Somerville has improved with age. Lookswise that is. This song really epitomizes the 50's.

[panzerson2]

may he forever be remembered for the wonderous bass singer he was! We will always remember bill reed!

[alessiasacco]

thaks david for these days in Rome hihihi

magic magic !!!!

Alessia

[ilovechrisbrown619]

i love the diamonds not only because of the name but thay are amazing singers!!!

[gobbledecook]

Awsome then and awsome now..

[xHexenherzx]

Celokayo - thank you so much for this song :-)

[thecarrotdude]

the dude with the low voice who does that part where he just talks, died a few years ago

[agapo27]

Even at their advance age they sound great. I wonder what they feel when they see these before and after videos of themselves. It gives me the chills when I watch them.

[ballplaya2434]

thats my grandfather dont call him dude.. please thanks

[thecarrotdude]

yea and im michael jordan

[Brinah]

i love this song so dang much!

[abaddon213]

im lovint it

[SVSsaxaphoneplayer]

I love this song! I am only 12 yearsold. All of my friends like the music they play now, and when they here my music they say that is horrible music. This is the only music I like.

[spence1491]

I'm 17 and my friends are exacly the same.

[MrClamSmaka]

SVS your 12? well im 29 and all i can to you is you have great taste in music. dont worry about what your friends listen to. music now days is a fashion. you do your own thing & keep listen to dion. if u want some more of there tunes drop me a line & ill link you to them.

[sparwood8]

These guy sare fantastic. I loaded about 3 versions of this song, and the one that is perhjaps the best of all is the recent one (10 yrs ago?)in which they introduce Maurice Williams (the guy who wrote much of their music) God bless 'em forever!!!!!!!

[jcb29arz]

It's fantastic...

The same of 1957 !

Amazing !

[stadalberts]

Exactly the same. Now there was a group!

[josecoriaperez]

Definitivamente el Doo woop es una musica que algra el corazon y nos hace sentir la vida en su maxima expresion

felicidades por este video tan bueno

gracias

[nicksmith2007]

This is excellent!! I love the Diamons. I think we should also give honor to the original group, the Zodiacs, who first sang this song with Maurice Williams on lead. Maurice wrote the songs, as well.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@nicksmith2007 You mean The GLADIOLAS. Finally after 30 decades they had to acknowledge all that on the PBS shows. Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs 'STAY" will be there forever also.

[MrTommy001]

Now, THIS is what I call "staying power". I especially like the standing "O" they get at the end. Brings tears to my eyes...

[rrpsys]

The soloist is still A LOOKER!! they still sing so well...love you Diamonds....!!! keep on singing....

[Zanibug]

I love this song good job and where did you get the old footage?

[Athabina]

Thanks for the memories guys!

[GREATWHITE2]

I would have given ANYTHING to be at both of the recordings...now & then!! Music brings people together on the same plane. Music is, and always will be, what makes life so grand!

[2egypt]

Dave Sommerville, you're still very handsome at your age...

remember you as a tall brown hair guy on the beach at

Waikiki in the late fifties.

[nicksmith2007]

It should be notes that this song was originally done by the Gladiolas, AKA the Zodiacs. This song was unfortunately taken from them and recorded by this group. They came together on PBS to finally reconcile, I believe. Great stuff!

[hevans1944]

This song, as recorded by The Diamonds, was a huge hit. Appropriate royalties were collected each time it was played. The market determined how well the Gladiolas (nee Zodiacs) or The Diamonds prospered. I think Maurice Williams, as the composer, did very well and his career really took off after he wrote "Stay". It is common for a song to be recorded by multiple performers. Even Elvis recorded his version of Little Darlin'. This is good for the music business, artists as well as consumers.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@hevans1944 It's SO GOOD to know that more than just me knows about THE GLADIOLAS /DIAMONDS thing. Hopefully MAURICE got his royalties every time THE DIAMONDS version of HIS SONG sold a record. And I REALLY LIKED IT when on the PBS shows THE DIAMONDS acknowledged all that.

[hevans1944]

@THEMOJOMANsince1959 Back in the day, not only did BMI or ASCAP collect royalties for every record sold, they also collected and distributed royalties each time a song was played, whether on the radio (typically) or at a dance function. The royalties per play were small, but they added up. Even if the recorded song was performed live by an entertainer, a royalty was owed to the composer. I don't know for sure, but I think Maurice did okay over the years.

[THEMOJOMANsince1959]

@hevans1944 I completely understand th BMI ASCAP thing. During my "daze" in radio I had several Teen Dancelands for record hops. Always had to have those licenses,one was also a Roller Rink. BMI was actually started after WWI because ASCAP and "that broadway bunch" had a monoply on songwriting. Many songs were written by obscure song writers who sold their songs and signed non-disclosure agreement to the BIG BOYS. Example MAYBELLINE Chuck Berry,,Alan Freed stole his share from Chuck

[KenViewer]

Love the intercutting.  Thank you.

[brandonc17]

tnks, great song, good job, before is 1958? and later 2003? is true?

[ukiahcat]

Cool editing job... kind of like time traveling back and forth... good video

[celokayo]

Thank you!!!