Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Lenny Kaye goof at the Doo Wop Hop! Photo by Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner.

The DOO WOP HOP was held on Friday December 12 at Teddy’s Bar & Grill, during a DYNAGROOVE event, and it was most likely the best one yet. It featured the fabulous record playing of our pal Lenny Kaye. He and DOO WOP HOP host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus have known each other now for exactly 40 years, having met when Lenny was guitarist with the great Patti Smith and her (at that time) trio playing at the Whisky A’ Go-Go in Hollywood in November of 1974. They have kept in touch ever since and last week they had a few laughs spinning their best Doo Wop records for some very close friends and fans and the groovy Teddy’s clientele. Lenny still plays guitar for Patti Smith, and he and The Patti Smith Group are gearing up for some holiday shows, but Mr. Kaye found time to gather a box of old 45s and make the scene at Teddy’s.

Lenny Kaye and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at the Doo Wop Hop. Photo by Nancy “Jeannie” Garnder.

One of Lenny’s all time favorite songs is “I’ll Be Forever Loving You” by Jordan and the Fascinations. He played it, and also played a version of the song by a girl group, The Juliettes. The Boog played the original version by The El Dorados. Who can say which was the best, when the song is so good you couldn’t hurt it if you beat it with a stick (as our pal Doc Savage used to say all the time)! It is obvious that we will have to track down the versions by Lola Dee, The Marcels and The Bel-Aires. Are there other versions out there?

Oh, yes, it is December, so a few seasonal tunes were mixed into the fun. Santa done got hip, indeed!

All night long, fabulous group vocal after fabulous group vocal was played—then another! Is there any other music better than Doo Wop? The writers of the Boogaloo Bag think not. With any luck, the next DOO WOP HOP will take place sooner rather than later—the last one was more than two years ago.

In order to honor the great Doo Wop performers, Ruben Guevara’s wonderful Doo Wop-styled patriotic anthems were played at the beginning and at the end of the night. Here’s a list of all the songs played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, who even snuck in a couple vocal groups from Jamaica:

• Ruben Guevara–The Star Spangled Banner (Big 7)
• The Jacks–Why Don’t You Write Me (Kent)
• Moonglows–Most of All (Chess)
• The Sh-Booms–Blue Moon (Atlantic)
• Don Gardner (and group)–A Dagger in My Chest (De Luxe)
• The Five Keys–Goin’ Downtown (8-9-10) (Aladdin)
• The Californians–Heavenly Ruby (Federal)
• The Sevilles–Charlena (J C)
• Benny McCain & the Ohio Untouchables–She’s My Heart’s Desire (Lu Pine)
• The Teen Queens–Eddie My Love (Kent)
• The Coronets–Nadine (Chess)
• The Quails–Over the Hump (Harvey)
• Jive Five–People From Another World (Beltone)
• The Heartbeats–A Thousand Miles Away (Rama)
• Johnny & Jackey–Let’s Go to a Movie Baby (Anna)
• The Miracles–The Feeling Is So Fine (Tamla)
• The Orbits–Who Are You (Argo)
• The Maytals–Life Could Be A Dream (Studio 1; Jamaica)
• The El Dorados–I’ll Be Forever Loving You (Vee Jay)
• The Harp-Tones–Sunday Kind of Love (Raven)
• Tony Allen and the Wanderers–If Love Was Money (Kent)
• The Voices–Santa Claus Baby (Specialty)
• Johnnie & Joe–Across the Sea (Chess)
• The Turbans–Sister Sooky (Sphere Sound)
• The Five Keys–Ghost of a Chance (Aladdin)
• The Midnighters–It’s Love Baby (24 Hours a Day) (Federal)
• The Romeos—Fine, Fine Baby (Atco)
• Don Julian (Meadowlarks)–Oop Boopy Oop (Dooto)
• The Falcons–Lah-Tee-Lah-Tah (Atlantic)
• Harvey (with group)–Da Da Goo Goo (Chess)
• The Flamingos–Your Other Love (End)
• Danleers–One Summer Night (Amp 3)
• Sonny Til and the Orioles–What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (Lana)
• Tony & the Technics–Ha Ha He Told on You (Chex)
• The Bel-Aires–White Port & Lemon Juice (Flip)
• Lee Collins and the Orbits–Two Crazy Scientists (Dooto)
• The Blue Diamonds–No Money (Savoy)
• The Four Casts–Stormy Weather (Atlantic)
• Andre Williams and His New Group–Didlee Didlee Womp Womp (Fortune)
• The Turbans–When You Dance (Herald)
• Little Joe and the Thrillers–Stay (OKeh)
• The Five Sharks–Land of 1000 Dances (Amber)
• The Five Jets–Crazy Chicken (De Luxe)
• Little Anthony & the Imperials–Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop (End)
• The Checkers–White Cliffs of Dover (Federal)
• Maurice Williams (and group)–It’s Alright (Herald)
• The Cardinals–Choo Choo (Atlantic)
• The Squires–Do-Be-Do-Be-Wop-Wop (Mambo)
• Andre Williams with the Don Juans–Going Down to Tia Juana (Fortune)
• The Marquees–Santa Done Got Hip (Warner Bros.)
• The Monotones–Zombi (Argo)
• The Penguins–Ookey Ook (Dootone)
• The Mighty Jupiters–Hy Wocky Toomba (Warner)
• The Midnighters–Ow-Wow-Oo-Wee (Federal)
• Big Daddy and His Boys–Bacon Fat (King)
• James Brown with the Famous Flames–You’re Mine, You’re Mine (Federal)
• [no artist listed]–Musical version of 10 Commandments of Hair: #1 Thou Shalt Never Tease to Excess (Test Pressing)
• The Drifters–Ruby Baby (Atlantic)
• The Marvelettes–Tie a String Around Your Finger (Tamla)
• The Equadors–Sputnik Dance (RCA Victor)
• Richard Berry and the Pharaohs–Have Love Will Travel (Flip)
• The Magnificents–Let’s Do the Cha Cha (Vee Jay)
• The Marigolds–Rollin’ Stone (Excello)
• The Chanters–No, No, No (De Luxe)
• The Bobbettes–Looking for a Lover (King)
• Jan & Dean–Baby Talk (Dore)
• The Astro-Jets–Hide and Seek (Imperial)
• The Royalettes–Come to Me (Warner Bros.)
• The Shirelles–I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde) (Decca)
• The Marcels–Merry Twist-Mas (Colpix)
• The Combo Kings–Teacher (Imperial)
• Hank Ballard & the Midnighters–Santa Claus Is Coming (King)
• The Chessmen–Du-Whop (Mirasonic)
• The Regents–Barbara-Ann (Gee)
• The Cellos–The Be-Bop Mouse (Apollo)
• The El Capris–(Shimmy Shimmy) Ko Ko Wop (Argyle)
• The Miracles–Way Over There (Tamla)
• Donnie Elbert (with group)–The Stroll (De Luxe)
• Lee & the Clarendonians–Night Owl (High School; Jamaica)
• Huey Smith & the Clowns–The Little Moron (Imperial)
• The Cadillacs–Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Josie)
• Ruben Guevara–America the Beautiful (Big 7 Inch)

None of these records are for sale. Roll your curser over the song titles to dig some hot links to cool jams!