Little Darlin'/The Gladiolas

[royphillips0]

The Diamonds version is about as good as Pat Boone's cover of Little Richards Tutti Frutti

[Dickneeds]

The Diamonds version is NOT a parody it is a white cover which was being done all the time back then especially by The Diamonds, CrewCuts, Pat Boone, Gale Storm and many other artists on the big Major labels like Mercury, Capitol, and especially the smaller label at that time DOT.

[tr6922]

sorry you DON"T know what you are talking about this IS the BEST!

[hxo20292]

This is one of the rare occasions wher the cover was much better then the original.The Diamonds version is far superior.

[BaronEmpain]

Well, this is rather interesting. I have the 45 re-issue of this, done on the "Collectibles" label, and this is a different take.

Yours has Maurice doing an aside during the spoken part, as well as a final bass drum hit at the very end, neither of which is on my 45.

Could there really be a separate take or tape floating around of this obscure version?

The terrible micing is the real problem on both sides. The recital is drowned out, and on the flip, the sax player barely gets into the mix.

[tauroscorp]

The versions of The Diamonds and The Four Seasons are much way better than this.

[hkrlobo]

EL COVER DE The Diamonds es 1000 veces mejor

the Diamonds Cover its much better than original

[ReyCobras]

@hkrlobo Y que ganas con decir esa estupides? Aunque el cover de The Diamonds sea mejor, como tu dices, quienes inventaron la cancion fueron ellos y deberias estar agradecirlo, por que si no fuera por The Gladiolas, The Diamonds nunca hubiera cantado la cancion que te gusta.

[tr6922]

I have the original version on excello with the flip side "Sweethart please don't go" this is by far the original and best!!

[TheHomy70]

yes the original....that other group a cover

[gmkell59]

The Diamonds who indeed were doing a parady, had no idea what a big hit it would be and it change there style of music from the standard quarter, ala four lads, etc to a rcok quartet for a few hit records. Good stuff! thanks for putting this one on.

[RicTester]

Maurice Williams is one of the great unsung heroes of rock. Influenced The Diamonds and especially The four Seasons. Maurice did it all first !

[trumpsahead]

The Gladiolas version is a classier version, much more professional. I think I'm remembering . . .

Don't know if I'm recalling or making this up: This song came out for a few weeks & then I recall saying to an older brother, "What happened to that song, I used to like it?", and every time I've heard it over the years the thought always came to mind that the Diamonds were only goofing on the tune.

I did come to like Diamonds version as it brought back fond memories of the time.

[lizichell2]

It's downloading slower than a crippled one-legged, blind tortoise with leprosy!

[georgeB140]

THe original and best version of this song. Maurice wrote it and put together the Gladiolas. The Zodiacs had several songs with the same "feel." The Diamonds' (should be named the Cover Kings) version is comparable to the Trashmen's cover (read spoof) of the Rivington's two songs in their Surfin' Bird.

[144822]

Covers are almost never better... is that because we don't want them to be?

[motown008ty]

@144822 No,it's because they're NOT

[allieversayiswat]

HEY!!@)! It's the "bump bump bump, bump choo-wally-wally, bump bump bump, bumpbumpbump" song!!

[johnnypintmonster]

Interesting, but the Diamonds version has more punch. Love it, it is still a great song. Thanks for posting.

[spacepatrolman]

@johnnypintmonster the 4 seasons version is punchier

[bazetta56]

The original,,

[dimitrisrocket88]

Raw material and original .

[0punkownz0]

0:09 to 0:19 reminds me of backthen to bad i wasnt born back then i sure was meant for it :(

[zigenarsvin]

Stunning great!!!!!!!!!!

[melvynknight]

I bought this on a 78 and still think it is better version. Flipside is great.

[abdizib]

I remember seeing the label on the 45. I believe they called this song a "Calypso"

[sourisvoleur]

Okay you win. :) I did a little research on this -- the "1-2-3, 1-2" rhythm is called "son clave" and is a staple of Cuban music. Cool that they "imported" it for a doo-wop song!

[pooka5472]

Um, actually, the Gladiolas are the Zodiacs. They're the same band, just a different name and a different lineup.

[sourisvoleur]

If they have a different lineup, in what way are they the same band? Just askin'.

[pooka5472]

Well, they both have Maurice Williams as the lead singer.

[cherrycritmeu]

In fact, I read in "The sound of city" by Charlie Gillet that this is the original song, and the Diamonds' only a later version!!

[oldies55]

correct-the Diamond's version is actually considered a parody

[Shoknifeman]

Well, it started out as kind of a lark by 4 CBC Radio technicians, but, I don't know if i'd go as far as call it a parody.

[countrypaul]

But to do parody right, one has to do it even better than the original. In this rare case, I think the cover did improve on the original. (But to my ears, no version of "Stay" tops Williams' - and there are some good ones.)

[disneyfan81]

@oldies55 Actually all The Diamonds' version was a "white cover" record, not a parody. However, I've noticed that Gladiolas version isn't as different from The Diamonds' version as some of my source materials say!

[countrypaul]

Maurice Williams & The Gladiolas had this, the original version, which Williams wrote in 1953, cut 12/56 on Excello, and released 1/57. It hit #11 R&B. The Diamonds (from Canada) covered it, and arguably improved on it (rare for a cover version). When The Gladiolas left Excello, they lost their name (Excello copyrighted it) and became Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs. "Stay" was their next release - #1 pop, 1961.

[ILOVEDOOWOPMUSIC]

bum... bum... bum... bop de waddy waddy...

[Maribo33]

Great! Thanks for posting! 5*****

[oldies55]

Thanx for dropping by!!

[dsanw]

Super !! Thanks for posting 5*

Thanks for sharing to Marie, Uli

[ELRANDY11]

FIne Version of a Classic 50s tune thanks

[oldies55]

YW! Thank you too!

[moorelvr7]

What a classic tune! thanks:)

[duwopphilly]

Sooooo much better than the

diamonds - keep the music going

[oldies55]

I agree...Thanks!

[oldies55]

didn't the Students do Too Young?

[MROSEN62]

No, it was Lewis Lymon and the Teenchords.

[RockLives4u]

I am becoming a fan of yours..

Got anything from the Students??

School boys.. Norman Fox and The Rob Roys??

Thanks for the memories..RockLives

[vincenz55]

The students

watch?v=qcWub6qC5xc&feature=re­lated