Tell my why?

[JRios1968]

Two Wongs made it white

[Fiji Hill]

My favorite song by Dion is I Can't Go On (1958)--a solid rocker. My least favorite is "Abraham, Martin and John" (1968)--a song I absolutely can't stand.

[ETL]

Don’t think I’ve heard that one before.

I’ll give a listen now. Thanks

[discostu]

https://youtu.be/t1WSD_cnRbA

Warning, profanity.

[ETL]

Sorry, can’t say I like it very much. I think they had dozens of better ones. Hardly even sounds like him.

[ETL]

I see that it was on this 1959 album (link), which includes some of their more popular songs. There are a few listed there that I’ve never heard before, but am looking forward to sampling. You can sample them at the site.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/presenting-dion-the-belmonts-mw0000613863

[ETL]

Sorry, looks like you can’t sample them there, at least not directly. When you click on the play icon, it redirects you to a FaceBook log-in.

But there’s always YouTube. Can probably find the album there.

[ETL]

Album title:
Presenting Dion & The Belmonts

Track Listing:

I Wonder Why

Teen Angel

Where or When

You Better Not Do That

Just You

I Got the Blues

Don’t Pity Me

Teenager in Love

Wonderful Girl

Funny Feeling

I’ve Cried Before

That’s My Desire

No One Knows

I Can’t Go On (Rosalie)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWubh43FXfQ&list=PLy-yRNjf_2Y5yQEfbQZ4rXwbdoz-fw0-m

[Fiji Hill]

Another one of my favorites is I Wonder Why and the flip side, Teen Angel. In 1967, I found that disc, along with a top 40 chart from radio station KFWB dating from the summer of 1958 in the attic of our house. The items had apparently been placed there at that time by a previous resident and then forgotten.

At the time that I found the record, I was familiar with "I Wonder Why" because it was on the playlist of my favorite radio station, KWIZ, which played mostly "oldies." But I was pleasantly surprised when I flipped it over.

[Rides_A_Red_Horse]

I don’t like Mondays.

[ETL]

But did you previously know it wasn’t the Belmonts backing Dion up on so many of the big hits credited to Dion & the Belmonts? I believe it may have the choice of the group that actually did the backup on those songs, ie, the Del-Satins —later to join Johnny Maestro in Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Songs performed with the Del-Satins doing the backup (as opposed to the Belmonts) include: “Runaround Sue”, “The Wanderer”, “Lovers Who Wander”, “Little Diane”, “Love Came to Me”, “Ruby Baby”, “Donna the Prima Donna” and “Drip Drop”.

[Fiji Hill]

Songs performed with the Del-Satins doing the backup (as opposed to the Belmonts) include: “Runaround Sue”, “The Wanderer”, “Lovers Who Wander”, “Little Diane”, “Love Came to Me”, “Ruby Baby”, “Donna the Prima Donna” and “Drip Drop”.

Those songs are from the 1960's. By the way, I read that the Del Satins were named after two popular rock groups at the time, the Dells and the Five Satins. They waxed a few discs without Dion, including Feeling No Pain (1963), a song Jim Pewter liked to play on his "oldies" show broadcast over the Armed Forces Network.

By the way, I like the Drifters' version of Ruby Baby (1956) and Drip Drop, two fine products from Ahmet Ertegun's Atlantic label.

[ETL]

Yes, those were great versions by the Drifters.

As for the Del-Satins, here’s a YouTube link to them later performing as “The Brooklyn Bridge” with Johnny Maestro.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=johnny+maestro+brooklyn+bridge

[Fiji Hill]

One of Dion's earliest records

Out in Colorado--Dion & the Timberlanes (1957)

[Fiji Hill]

I especially like that live performance on the link.

[ETL]

I was just going to suggest that to you! I didn’t care much for that very early performance of it.

I assume you’re referring to this one...

Worst That Could Happen - Johnny Maestro And The Brooklyn Bridge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60IdvnB9nN0