Bill Deal & the Rhondels - May I

[essessessesq]

this was a band sounding like 1959 in 1969----a wild throwback sound during the hippie days of psychedlic

[nomiclas]

greetings from vietnam.i heard this when i was in Phu Loi in 1969.

[kevindiablos]

ska;D

[donnafromnyc]

This was on NY and Phila stations--it was big at the Jersey shore too.

[crazyromanian1]

Just makes you feel gooooooood!!!!!

[flamesounds]

Ever since the 60s I've thought these were black guys from England doing Northern Soul!!!!!

WHAT A HELL OF A BAND!!!!!!!!!

[FanOfPopCulture]

This is one of my moms 45s :)

[jsilence418]

This is SKA , and I thought it was a ska band!! thanks for the post !

[jaakriaj]

hahahaha... so good find it here! good old times!!!

[Gshasa27]

may i brings back such good memories for my husband and myself.Great song and beat to that song good record to dance to.

[oldfatty811]

RIP, Bill. We'll miss you at our 50th reunion. Those were happy days at VA Beach Teenage!

Old Fatty

[Brooklyn50s]

These were songs that just made you feel good!

[judahprince]

Sheesh, guys... the vocals were Ammon Tharpe.... not Bill.

[pinnacle271]

@judahprince I think it's both Ammon and Bill on this song. For example at the beginning of the song Ammon sings "May I have your love, may I be your boy". Then Bill follows with "May I speak with you, may I bring you joy".

[pinnacle271]

Several VA bands in the 60's made great music with brassy/uptempo covers of good Carolina beach tunes. These guys were the most successful, but Ron Moody and the Centaurs ("If I Didn't Have a Dime") and King Edward & the BD's ("Beg Me") also come to mind. If you grew up in Richmond in the 60's you know what I mean. Steve

[thecountofbasie]

Back in the day I had no idea what beach music was...but I knew a solid side when I heard it...still love this one all these years later...ace post

[recordman4862]

This bring back to the summer of 1969 WHAT REAL GREAT TIMES

[sixteesguy]

OD,CHERRY GROVE.....

WOW,what times we had ?

gimme a beer,NOW!

[rnburton57]

These guys played at our Winter Formals at Virginia Tech in 1980! We figured they could play this song in their SLEEP!! :-D It was pretty much a waiting game as to when they would break into "May I"....

[khj93play]

These guys had a great follow up in the late 60's called "Nothing Succeeds Like Success" It never gets air play. I can not even find it on youtube and the oldies stations have forgotten it!

[HarryWarner]

@khj93play I have a copy of "Nothing Succeeds Like Success" by Bill Deal and the Rhondels on a vinyl LP album. I'll upload it to YouTube shortly and will let you know when I do. - HaryWarner

[khj93play]

@HarryWarner Thank you. I have the 45 but no record player and besides I wore out the grooves during my junior high days.

[FoothillsofWyoming]

Finally I found it.

[jaderunc]

from dunn n. c. loved them . they were apart of our growing up at williams lake

[DCNY31279]

I guess the East Coast answer to the Beach Boys at that time.

[HarryWarner]

@DCNY31279 Maybe you had to be there at the time but there is a big difference between Carolina beach music and California surfin' tunes!

[toddwindyhill]

@HarryWarner: Amen, Brother!!.........3000 miles and much more!!

[cpagolfer1]

24 years old from eastern NC...my parents loved it and so do I!!!!

[lakewoodil]

Used to go see this great group in Hampton back in the '70's, RIP Bill, you were a great talent.

[scythe0100]

when I hear this tune, it reminds me of when my chick walked off and left me standing alone. It's okay, I picked up with her sister. a vato loco

[ZRX1200RUTROWE]

It has a little RAY-GAY feel to it..I know that's Reegay spelled wrong.. should have stayed in school..

[GlenAnne99]

Don't you love these old tunes? This is a great one :)

Thank You!

[RockLives4u]

There was only one place for 50s and 60s..NY Alan Freed the rest of the country waited till we released the sound..Yeah I know groups came from all over, but it was NY that released most of the music first and foremst..But it is nice to see Bumpkins enjoyed the sound and adopted it as if it were theirs.. Here comes the hate NY crap.. ZZZZZZZZZZZ

[leonardgoodwin25]

CRANKED THIS TUNE OUT OF MY 66 GTO CRUZIN REVERE BEACH ,MASS.69 70

[vacontractor]

They were pretty big in Virginia.."repping" Chesapeake here. lmao

[divegodd]

Livin in Clearlake Iowa in the 60's ,couldn't get enough beach music and surf music.

Beach boys 3 times a year came into Surf ballroom ,but no Bill Deal-feel like I really missed out...Great hits

[leonardgoodwin25]

thnx for post.brings mems of cruisin my 66 gto on revere beach,revere mass with this tune cranked!!!

[icshor4u]

Great tune! Thanks for the post!

[10khertz]

One of my favorite tunes the year I graduated from high school.

[northcoast69]

One of my favorites! Thanks for the upload!

[AngelaRed]

growing up in Newport News Va in the 19990's I prefered the oldies station. It was 95.7..thats all I listened to when my classmates preferred yucky stuff like Nirvana. 95.7 played this song and 2 other BD&R songs all the time. Then in 2000 I moved to Tampa Florida and they NEVER play BD music. Even now

[SIGNALSTAT]

Use to watch bill deal at townpoint park in norfolk years back. rest in peace.

[eldridgebeaver]

It's a cover of Maurice Williams' and the Zodiacs...better known for "Stay" and the original is somewhere on YouTube but yep from Virginia Beach to Jacksonville both bands have been legendary for beach music.

[gordon605]

bill deal MADE virginia beach

[Parkangel08]

As a Jersey girl in 69', my "greaser" friends thrived on harmonizing and keeping their feather weight shoes shined! .ha.. Great song, great memories.

[coolpilot007]

touch of reggae and soul...hmmm nice sound...great voice..

[PetrusRuppert]

Really Boss!

[johnnyhuis]

As a musician, I love Bill's voice and the Hammond B'3 w/the Wood cabinet Leslie!

[ednnancy]

one of my favorites of 1969

[Sovereen]

Beach music?? No, this is R&B. Until I saw this album cover two minutes ago, I thought this was a black band. Close your eyes and if you don't know any better, this is soul.

[Antlers68]

In the Southeast from Virginia down to Georgia it's known as Beach Music.

[libraryquiet]

Alright! Yeah! Man all of a sudden I'm back in high school 1969! Great song. I love the vocals! Too much man! Thanks!

[DesignYourLifeStyle]

Thank you Harry...One of those "lost songs" that you never hear and hard to find. Didn't realize it was considered beach music.....I wonder what Brian Wilson could have done with the arrangement?

[upinhere7]

GREAT soulful R&B!!!!

[freefred77]

Thankyou so much Harry for this posting...wandered upon this golden oldie that I had not heard nor remembered since the UN. days of late 60's. Remember hearing this gem on the best SW Ontario AM station "Big 8" CKLW Windsor which was always ahead of the Toronto stations. What a blast of memories this elicited...thanks again!!

[eaglesgeo1]

any body know what he says after the backup says," May I"... something like I have your....?

[eaglesgeo1]

I always thought they were black.

[DannyBill53]

Bill may not have known this, I;m sure he didn;t...but "May I" was big on our cross country road trips in high school...Western PA loved the "Beach Sound" from the east coast! Still my favorite tune after 40 years. Now Eastern Virginia is my home and get to see some of the regular Beach Groups like the Rhondells and Ron Moody and others. Love this sound so much!

[jarwick]

I partied at his home club in Va. Beach in the summer of 96' it was kewl, I just wish he'd been there for that year's shag lessons. He wuz the man, That's all you need to know-JW

[BipolarPics]

this is great! more more!

[gva0917]

Great beach music - grand strand - what a place to have been at such a great time.

[pgh45rpms]

"May I" was written & first recorded by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs. Bill and his blue-eyed soul group reworked the tune like a polka and came up with their first hit.

[kalki02]

I see where Bill died in 2003 at age 59. Does anyone know the cause of death?

[RADIOBASILE]

Yes, Bill passed away December 10, 2003 from a heart attack

[cowboysnbosox7]

My uncle is the lead singer, Greg Brunette

[eaglesgeo1]

Are they still singing & touring?

[gramdog52]

Instant memories!!!! All good!! Thanks

for posting!

[jctorontojctoronto]

Radio commercial,,,,May I,,Bill Deal,,,Sears bought song rights while i lived in Virginia 69-70,,,worked in their girls 'junior bizarre' clothing section to the song lyrics..

'Junior Bazaar at Sears' (substituted over 'so in love with you')

...anybody else remember?

jctoronto

[DannyBill53]

Oh yas...do I, or should I SAY :May I

[jctorontojctoronto]

have lived in Canada for many years...

BUT my 'growing years' Hampton, Virginia 62-72 (dad worked at Langley NASA)...Bill Deal were really the area kings on my am 9volt transistor..Dick Lamb/Gene Loving WGH..trips with family to Virginia Beach,,summer weekends,,Deal on marquis,,,and so many other warm memories.

jctoronto

[hubiethesaint]

I love this song. I have it on a 45. Thanks for the post.

[rdf1947]

A great one. I was in the Air Force when this was popular and we played this one to death.

[AngelaRed]

When I was 14 in 1993 I started listening to the oldies heavly. I didn't care for the music of the day. I lived in Newport News Va. They played this song alot. I Always thought it was a black group. Today this song comes on my Cable's music channel for oldies. It pictured a white band. I was shocked!!! Won't be the first time the 60's fooled me :-) I then did my research and learned about the genre "beach music" and that Bill Deal was a "blue eye soul" makes sense now!!

[BigIronOnHipMan]

DAAAAANG! 40 yrs later and I STILL get a RUSH just hearing this killer song! That's what all GREAT songs do ~~~ they give GOOD VIBRATIONS that transcend time...BCCTV

[mobegone]

We opened for Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs in Charlotte..good dudes and this was a great song...people know them for "Stay" but they were very creative and racism was still an issue in the south in those days. God bless President Obama...we've turned the page....thanks to all who helped.

[taffy2003]

the best beach music song EVER!!

[BillJoyce155]

Sorry I forgot,Thank you HarryWarner for this posting.. It certainly takes me back..

[BillJoyce155]

Myrtle Beach Late 60s,what a time to be alive....... By the way Bill Deal music shoulda been in the movie Shag..

[johnnyhuis]

Sounds great - Takes me back to White Lake, NC & the beaches of the Eastern Serboard!

[HarryWarner]

It doesn't get any better than this, does it?

[johnnyhuis]

@johnnyhuis  Thanks!

[ArubaBunny]

Thank you for posting this song. We used to dance to this record at McNulty's Bar in Rockaway, Queens New York in 1968 and it brings back some great memories!!!

[ojohnnieo]

Thanks for sharing a great song and style.