Sixty Minute Man

Last updated
"Sixty Minute Man"
Sixty Minute Man Dominoes.jpg
Song by The Dominoes
B-side "I Can't Escape From You"
ReleasedMay 1951
RecordedDecember 30, 1950
Genre Rhythm and blues
Length2:31
Label Federal Records
Songwriter(s) Billy Ward, Rose Marks

"Sixty Minute Man" is an R&B record released on Federal Records in 1951 by the Dominoes. [1] It was written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks and was one of the first R&B hit records to cross over to become a hit on the pop chart. It is regarded as one of the most important of the recordings that helped generate and shape rock and roll. [2]

Contents

Background

The Dominoes were a black vocal group consisting of Clyde McPhatter (1932–1972), who later left the group to form the Drifters; [3] Bill Brown (1926-1956); [4] Charlie White (1930-2005); [5] [6] and Joe Lamont (1920-1991), [6] led by their pianist, manager and songwriter, Billy Ward (1921–2002). Ward was a black, classically trained vocal coach who had formed a business partnership with a white New York talent agent, Rose Marks.

The pair decided to put together a smooth vocal group to rival The Ink Spots, the Orioles, and similar groups who were beginning to win acceptance with white audiences. In 1950, the Dominoes were signed to Federal Records and held a series of recording sessions at the National Studios in New York in November and December of that year.

Their initial release, "Do Something For Me", was the first record on which McPhatter sang lead. The song was musically a gospel song with gospel-style melismas but was lyrically secular. [7] A success, the song entered the R&B chart at the beginning of February 1951. Less successful was its follow-up, the pop standard "Harbor Lights", recorded on December 30, 1950.

The record company then turned to the other sharply contrasting, straight R&B song which the group had recorded on the same day, "Sixty Minute Man", written by Ward and Marks. It was issued in May 1951 (on Federal 12022), and by the end of the month had reached number one on the R&B chart, a position it held for an almost unprecedented 14 weeks. The single also made it to number 17 on the pop singles chart and was voted "Song of the year" for 1951. [8]

The recording features René Hall on guitar, and used Bill Brown's bass voice, rather than McPhatter's tenor, as the lead. It features the singer's boasts of his sexual prowess, [3] of being able to satisfy his girls with fifteen minutes each of kissing, teasing, and squeezing, before his climactic fifteen minutes of "blowing [his] top".

The chorus was specific:

There'll be fifteen minutes of kissin'
Then you'll holler "Please don't stop" (Don't stop!)
There'll be fifteen minutes of teasin'
Fifteen minutes of squeezin'
And fifteen minutes of blowin' my top [1]

Lyrics of this type already had a long history. The reference to "Dan" (alternatively, "Jim Dandy") dates back at least to minstrel shows in the nineteenth century, and double-entendre had been used in blues lyrics for decades before the song was written. A common reference was to "Dan, the Back Door Man"—the lover of a married woman who would leave her house by the back door—as in a song of that title recorded by Georgia White in 1937.[ citation needed ] Among the many precedents, but with a different perspective, is "One Hour Mama" by Ida Cox. [9] Consequently, "Sixty Minute Man" is also listed as an example of a dirty blues song. [3] [10]

"Sixty Minute Man" was banned by many radio stations and was seen as a novelty record at the time. However, in hindsight it was an important record in several respects: it crossed the boundaries between gospel singing and blues, its lyrics pushed the limits of what was deemed acceptable, and it appealed to many white as well as black listeners, peaking at number 17 on the pop chart. Cover versions were made by several white artists including Hardrock Gunter. Bill Haley & His Comets sang the song in the mid-1950s during their live shows. In later years, the Dominoes' record became a contender for the title of "the first rock and roll record". [2]

One source summarized the song's appeal: it "contains "rebelliousness, unsubtle sexuality, and a steady rhythm. It arguably coined the very name of this new type of music: rock and roll". Its success on the pop chart indicated that R&B cross over was certainly possible. The recording "opened the door for other sexually forthright records, planting the seed for Etta James’ “Roll with Me Henry” and other future hits". [11] On the other hand, The Drifters’ explicit "Honey Love" and "Such a Night" and The Midnighters’ "Sexy Ways" were banned in 1954. [12]

The Dominoes became one of the more popular vocal groups of the 1950s. However, Bill Brown, lead singer of "Sixty Minute Man", left in 1952 to form The Checkers. In 1954, Brown and The Checkers cut a follow-up to "Sixty Minute Man" titled "Don't Stop Dan," [13] in which the original song's Lovin' Dan seems to meet his match. Clyde McPhatter was replaced by Jackie Wilson in 1953, and went on to form The Drifters, before embarking on a solo career in 1955.

In 1955 with a new lineup, the Dominoes recorded their own answer song "Can't Do Sixty No More" with the same melody (the flip side "If I Never Get to Heaven"), which included the line "Please excuse my blown-out fuse, because I can't do sixty no more." [14] Coincidentally, Prentice Moreland recorded with the group in this lineup as well as with The Du-Droppers who had recorded an earlier version of "Can't Do Sixty No More" in 1952. [15] Though they share the same title, the earlier version was written by The Du Droppers' lead tenor, J. C. Ginyard.

Legacy

Ultimately "Sixty Minute Man" remained a novelty song, and did not contribute significantly to the merging of pop music and R&B, more in the tradition of "Open the Door, Richard" in which black performers winked and rolled their eyes, rather than the soulful renditions that would follow. [2] Although McPhatter's tenor singing and falsetto whoops were in the background on this recording, the following year, McPhatter was the lead singer in another song by The Dominoes, "Have Mercy Baby", a hit R&B song which had a stronger gospel influence. [3] It was considered the definitive fast "rhythm and gospel record" [7] and was Number One on the R&B Chart for 10 weeks.

The disc jockey Alan Freed was probably the first to use the phrase rock and roll to describe a style of music; he introduced the phrase on mainstream radio in the early 1950s. Several sources suggest that he discovered the term (a euphemism for sexual intercourse in the black community) on the record "Sixty Minute Man". [16] [17] The lyrics include the line, "I rock 'em, roll 'em all night long". [18] Freed did not acknowledge that source (or the original meaning of the expression) in interviews. [19]

Other recordings

In 1951, "Sixty Minute Man" was recorded as a duet by Hardrock Gunter and Roberta Lee, [20] and also by the York Brothers. [21] The Lee/Gunter recording is cited as an early example of rockabilly. Jerry Lee Lewis recorded the song in 1957 and in 1973. Dick Curless, a country singer from Maine, recorded an arrangement (titled "Lovin' Dan - 60 Minute Man") on 1966's The Soul of Dick Curless, released on Tower Records, and on 1973's Live at the Wheeling Truck Driver's Jamboree. A version was recorded in the early 1970s by the Australian band Daddy Cool. The Trammps released a version of the song in 1972. James Booker recorded the song in 1976. [22] It was recorded in 1977 by the a cappella group the Persuasions on their record Chirpin' . An instrumental version was recorded as the title song to Charles Tyler's solo saxophone album in 1979. Huey Lewis frequently covered the song in concert. The country group, Restless Heart, performed the song on their "Fast Movin' Train" tour in the late 1980s. Rockapella also recorded a cover of the song, featuring Barry Carl as the lead vocalist.

See also

Related Research Articles

Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African American music such as jazz, rhythm and blues, boogie-woogie, electric blues, gospel, and jump blues, as well as country music. While rock and roll's formative elements can be heard in blues records from the 1920s and in country records of the 1930s, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soul music</span> Genre of music

Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening, and U.S. record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential in its proliferation during the civil rights movement. Soul also became popular worldwide, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa. It had a resurgence in the mid-to late 1990s with the subgenre neo soul, which incorporated modern production elements and hip hop influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doo-wop</span> Style of rhythm and blues music

Doo-wop is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. It features vocal group harmony that carries an engaging melodic line to a simple beat with little or no instrumentation. Lyrics are simple, usually about love, sung by a lead vocal over background vocals, and often featuring, in the bridge, a melodramatically heartfelt recitative addressed to the beloved. Harmonic singing of nonsense syllables is a common characteristic of these songs. Gaining popularity in the 1950s, doo-wop was "artistically and commercially viable" until the early 1960s and continued to influence performers in other genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Wilson</span> American singer (1934–1984)

Jack Leroy Wilson Jr., also known as Jackie Wilson, was an American singer who was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a master showman and one of the most dynamic singers and performers in soul, R&B, and rock and roll history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clyde McPhatter</span> American singer (1932–1972)

Clyde Lensley McPhatter was an American rhythm and blues, soul, and rock and roll singer. He was one of the most widely imitated R&B singers of the 1950s and early 1960s and was a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Drifters</span> American pop and R&B/soul vocal group

The Drifters are an American pop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in 1959 and led by Ben E. King, were originally an up-and-coming group named The Five Crowns. After 1965, members swapped in and out of both groups and many of these formed other groups of Drifters as well. Over the succeeding decades, several different bands, all called the Drifters, can trace roots back to these original groups, but contain few—if any—original members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockabilly</span> Early style of rock and roll music

Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues, leading to what is considered "classic" rock and roll. Some have also described it as a blend of bluegrass with rock and roll. The term "rockabilly" itself is a portmanteau of "rock" and "hillbilly", the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style. Other important influences on rockabilly include western swing, boogie-woogie, jump blues, and electric blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brook Benton</span> American singer and songwriter (1931–1988)

Benjamin Franklin Peay, known professionally as Brook Benton, was an American singer and songwriter whose music transcended rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres in the 1950s and 1960s, with hits such as "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly".

The origins of rock and roll are complex. Rock and roll emerged as a defined musical style in the United States in the early to mid-1950s. It derived most directly from the rhythm and blues music of the 1940s, which itself developed from earlier blues, the beat-heavy jump blues, boogie woogie, up-tempo jazz, and swing music. It was also influenced by gospel, country and western, and traditional folk music. Rock and roll in turn provided the main basis for the music that, since the mid-1960s, has been generally known simply as rock music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Pinkney</span> Musical artist

Willie "Bill" Pinkney was an American performer and singer. Pinkney was often said to be the last surviving original member of The Drifters, who achieved international fame with numerous hit records. He was chiefly responsible for its early sounds. The Drifters have had a strong influence on soul, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll music. As an original group member, Bill Pinkney was a 1988 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with The Drifters.

"Money Honey" is a song written by Jesse Stone, which was released in September 1953 as the first single by Clyde McPhatter backed for the first time by the newly formed Drifters. McPhatter's voice, but not his name, had become well known when he was the lead singer for Billy Ward and the Dominoes. The song was an immediate hit and remained on the rhythm and blues chart for 23 weeks, peaking at number 1. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 252 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The recording was reported to have sold more than two million copies by 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardrock Gunter</span> American singer-songwriter

Sidney Louie Gunter Jr., known as Hardrock Gunter, was a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music at the turn of the 1950s prefigured rock and roll and rockabilly music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Ward and his Dominoes</span> American R&B vocal group

Billy Ward and his Dominoes were an American R&B vocal group. One of the most successful R&B groups of the early 1950s, the Dominoes helped launch the singing careers of two notable members, Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson.

"Work with Me, Annie" is a 12-bar blues song with words and music by Hank Ballard. It was recorded by Hank Ballard & the Midnighters in Cincinnati on the Federal Records label on January 14, 1954, and released the following month. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) immediately opposed it due to its overtly sexual lyrics, lyrics that had crossed over and were now being listened to by a white teenage audience. Because the record was in such demand and received so much publicity, attempts to restrict it failed and the record shot to number one in the US Billboard R&B chart, and remained there for seven weeks.

"Have Mercy Baby" is a popular rhythm and blues song, written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks, recorded by The Dominoes in Cincinnati, produced by Ralph Bass, and released by Federal Records in 1952. It was Number One on the R&B Charts for ten non consecutive weeks.

The Larks were an American vocal group, active in the early 1950s. They were not the same group as the Los Angeles–based Larks featuring Don Julian, nor the Philadelphia-based group The Four Larks.

"Birmingham Bounce" is a 1950s song written by Hardrock Gunter. Hardrock Gunter's original version recorded in 1950 was nominated in Jim Dawson and Steve Probe's book, What Was The First Rock and Roll Record?, as potentially the first rock and roll recording.

"The Bells" is a rhythm and blues song written by Billy Ward and Rose Ann Marks and recorded by Billy Ward and His Dominoes in 1952, featuring Clyde McPhatter on lead tenor. It was released on Federal Records as the B-side of the group's single "Pedal Pushin' Papa". It was a bigger hit than the A-side, reaching #3 on the R&B chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Checkers (American band)</span>

The Checkers were an American doo-wop quintet formed in 1952. The original members were John Carnegie (Tenor/Lead), Charlie White (Tenor/Lead), Irwin "Teddy" Williams (Tenor), James Turner "Buddy" Brewer (Baritone), and Bill Brown. The group, only having recorded 25 singles for the King Records imprint and their subsidiary Federal Records broke up in 1955. The most notable aspect of the group was their constantly changing sound due to the 5 personnel changes that happened within their short existence. King kept on releasing bands under the pseudonym of "The Checkers" until the mid 70s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Du Droppers</span> American doo-wop group

The Du Droppers were an American doo-wop group formed in Harlem, New York, in 1952. Members of the band were experienced gospel singers in ensembles dated to the 1940s, and were one of the oldest groups to record during the era. Among the Du Droppers' most enduring songs are "I Wanna Know" and "I Found Out ", which both reached number three on the Billboard R&B charts in 1953.

References

  1. 1 2 Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 3 - The Tribal Drum: The rise of rhythm and blues. [Part 1]" (audio). Pop Chronicles . University of North Texas Libraries.
  2. 1 2 3 Steve Propes; Jim Dawson (1992). What Was the First Rock'n'Roll Record. Boston & London: Faber & Faber. pp. 91–95. ISBN   0-571-12939-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gillett, Charlie (1996). The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll (2nd ed.). New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press. p. 156. ISBN   0-306-80683-5.
  4. Talevski, Nick (7 April 2010). Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857121172 . Retrieved 6 April 2018 via Google Books.
  5. "Billy Ward & The Dominoes Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  6. 1 2 "Billy Ward and His Dominoes - History, Songs and Biography". Oldies.about.com. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  7. 1 2 James Henke; Anthony DeCurtis, eds. (1980). The RollingStone: The Definitive History of the Most Important Artists and Their Music (3rd ed.). New York, N.Y.: Random House, Inc. p. 18. ISBN   0-679-73728-6.
  8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 168.
  9. "Ida Cox - One Hour Mama". Blueslyrics.tripod.com. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  10. "10 Often-Censored Songs From the Early '50s". Rebeatmag.com. 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  11. O'Toole, Kit (20 December 2019). ""Sixty Minute Man" - He'll Rock You and Roll You". Culturesonar.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  12. "Timeline of Musical Styles & Guitar History". Acousticmusic.org. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  13. "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - The Checkers". Uncamarvy.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  14. "Can't do Sixty No More Lyrics Billy Ward And His Dominoes ※ Mojim.com". Mojim.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  15. "The Dominoes Part 1". Uncamarvy.com. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  16. "Alan Freed". History of Rock. January 4, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  17. "Ch. 3 "Rockin' Around The Clock"". Michigan s Rock n Roll Legends. June 22, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2021. By the middle of the 20th century, the phrase "rocking and rolling" was slang for sex in the black community but Freed liked the sound of it and felt the words could be used differently.
  18. Ennis, Philip (9 May 2012). The History of American Pop. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. p. 18. ISBN   978-1420506723.
  19. "Alan Freed Dies". Ultimate Classic Rock. January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  20. "Gunter, Hardrock (RCS Artist Discography)". Rcs-discography.com. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  21. "York Brothers (RCS Artist Discography)". Rcs-discography.com. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
  22. "James Booker - Gonzo - Live 1976". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-09-22.

Bibliography