The 1950’s Fabulous Foursome!
This
is
a
fan
site
of
the
original
Diamonds
of
the
1950s.
All
hailing
from
Canada,
they
made
their
way
to
the
U.
S.,
and
with
their
songs
and
energy,
endeared
themselves
to
their fans forever.
The Diamonds - The Stroll - 2 CD Set
4 Original LPs Plus 17 Bonus Tracks
Released November 2011
Covering 4 complete albums plus 17 bonus tracks, this 2 Disc collection
is the most ambitious release to date.
Distributed by Jasmine Records in the UK, this reasonably priced album
can be purchased through Amazon.
Personnel: Lead-David Somerville. Tenor-Ted Kowalski - Evan Fisher.
Baritone-Phil Levitt - Mike Douglas. Bass-Bill Reed - John Felten.
(JASMINE JASCD 177)
Sample tracks from this collection can be heard on the “Jukebox” page of
this website.
Cuts
Disc 1
“America's No.1 Singing Stylists “(1957)
1. TIL MY BABY COMES HOME
2. SHOO YA BLUES
3. OH, HOW I WISH
4. ONE AND ONLY
5. HONEY
6. GIRL OF MINE
7. HONEY BIRD
8. FOR YOU ALONE
9. MY DOG LIKES YOUR DOG
10. ZIP ZIP
11. COOL, COOL BABY
12. YOU ARE THE LIMIT
“America's Famous Song Stylists” (1958)
13. THE STROLL
14. YOU BABY YOU
15. EV'RY NIGHT ABOUT THIS TIME
16. KA-DING-DONG
17. A THOUSAND MILES AWAY
18. EV'RY MINUTE OF THE DAY
19. LITTLE DARLIN'
20. FAITHFUL AND TRUE
21. STRAIGHT SKIRT
22. SILHOUETTES
23. PASSION FLOWER
24. DADDY COOL
“Bonus tracks”
25. BLACK DENIM TROUSERS AND MOTORCYCLE BOOTS
26. WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE
27. CHURCH BELLS MAY RING
28. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
29. SOFT SUMMER BREEZE
30. MY JUDGE AND MY JURY
31. WORDS OF LOVE
32. DON'T SAY GOODBYE
33. HIGH SIGN
34. CHICK-LETS (Don't Let Me Down)
Disc 2
“The Diamonds Meet Pete Rugolo“(1959)
1. WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS
2. BABY WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME
3. THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE
4. AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'
5. UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG
6. I'LL ALWAYS BE IN LOVE WITH YOU
7. WILL YOU STILL BE MINE
8. TENDERLY
9. FOR ALL WE KNOW
10. ONE FOR MY BABY
11. LULU'S BACK IN TOWN
12. YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
“Songs From The Old West” (1960)
13. COOL WATER
14. SAN ANTONIO ROSE
15. BEAUTIFUL BROWN EYES
16. HIGH NOON
17. WAGON WHEELS
18. THERE'S A GOLD MINE IN THE SKY
19. MY LITTLE BUCKAROO
20. CATTLE CALL
21. EMPTY SADDLES
22. THE STREETS OF LAREDO
23. THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE
24. HOME ON THE RANGE
“Bonus tracks”
25. DANCE WITH ME
26. KATHY-O
27. THE HAPPY YEARS
28. WALKING ALONG
29. SHE SAY (Oom Dooby Doom)
30. SNEAKY ALLIGATOR
31. BATMAN, WOLFMAN, FRANKENSTEIN, OR
DRACULA
Review
Tony Watson
This
new
Diamonds
2
CD
set
from
Jasmine
UK
is
an
interesting,
if
eclectic,
collection
of
their
recordings
from
1955
through
to
1960.
It
encompasses
a
variety
of
singing
styles
which
the
group
performed
during
their
years
with
Mercury
Records.
Fittingly,
the
group’s
first
ever recording - ‘Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots’ for Coral Records - also is included in the contents.
Overall,
the
sound
quality
on
these
2
CDs
is
very
good.
Some
noise
reduction
has
been
used,
but
not
overused,
unlike
some
of
Jasmine’s
early
CD
releases
from
3
or
4
years
ago.
The
front
cover
picture
of
the
group,
which
features
the
final
configuration
of
The
Diamonds
on
Mercury,
with
new
addition
Jim
Malone
(that’s
him
on
the
right),
is
a
first
for
a
Diamonds
collection.
However,
realistically,
the
picture
is
totally
out
of
place
as
a
front
cover
for
the
simple
reason
that
Malone
wasn’t
a
member
of
the
group
during
the
recording
of
any
of
these
Diamonds’ songs.
The
liner
notes
are
interesting,
although
not
always
accurate
–
e.g,
‘Black
Denim
Trousers’
was
recorded
in
1955,
not
1956
as
the
author
states.
Also,
in
common
with
other
music
historians,
the
word
‘cover
record’
is
misused
on
a
number
of
occasions
–
‘Words
Of
Love’
was
not
a
cover
record
as
Buddy
Holly’s
version
for
Coral
hadn’t
even
been
heard
or
released
when
The
Diamond’s
Mercury
version
came
out.....
Is
it
any
wonder
the
two
versions
were
so
different!
Similarly,
The
Diamonds’
‘Walking
Along’
was
a
1958
release
by
the
group,
long
after The Solitaires failed 1956 original Old Town recording had disappeared from radio play lists.
It’s
nice
to
see
the
group’s
first
two
Mercury
albums
finally
make
it
to
CD
as
they
both
include
some
songs
new
to
disc,
which
featured
on
singles,
either
as
A
or
B
sides.
At
the
same
time,
it’s
a
pity
the
compiler
hasn’t
ventured
into
including
lesser
known
single
sides
which
have
never
appeared
on
any
Diamonds
compilation,
vinyl
or
CD.
Sadly
also,
the
producer
has
ignored
their
Pop
Hits
album
which
appeared
on
Mercury’s
Wing
subsidiary.
The
versions
of
‘I’ll
Always
Be
In
Love
With
You’
and
‘Streets
Of
Laredo’
on
that
album
were
far
superior
performances
to
the
versions
on
the
‘Old
West’
album
included
here,
particularly
the
latter
song
where
Dave
gave
one
of
his
most powerful and dramatic vocals on record.
If
there
is
one
major
criticism
to
be
directed
at
this
comp,
it’s
the
sequencing
of
the
songs
by
the
producers
of
this
set.
Specifically
it’s
the
second
disc
where
the
problem
lies.
Where
as
CD
1
spotlights
the
group
performing
their
familiar
rock
&
roll
recordings
which
made
them
a
household
name,
CD
2
kicks
off
with
their
1959
‘Meets
Pete
Rugolo’
album,
a
complete
change
of
material
to
jazz-style
arrangements,
which
was
something
of
a
shock
for
Diamonds
diehards
at
the
time
of
its
release.
This
one
is
followed
by
1960’s
‘Songs
From
The
Old
West’,
which
veers
off
in
yet
another
completely
different
direction
of
singing
and
song
material.
While
the
harmonies
are
pleasant
listening,
(although
quite
subdued
compared
to
their
single
releases),
the
change
of
sound
is
so
great,
that
the
group
could
be
mistaken
for
any
number
of
other
white
groups,
including
The
Four
Lads.
The
CD
finishes
with
a
full
circle
return
to
their
earlier
rock
&
roll
recordings
for
the
last
7
songs
on
that
disc.
There
is
just
far
too
much
change
to
make
for
good
sequential
listening
on
this
disc.....‘Disjointed’
is
the
word
that
springs
to
mind
for
CD
2.
IMHO,
the
producers
should
have
opened
this
second
disc
with
those
final
7
songs
in
order
to
maintain
the
‘sound’
from
CD
1,
then
closed
with
the
contents
from
the
1959
and
60
albums
to
demonstrate
the
group’s
versatility in their singing.
All
in
all,
this
is
a
must-have
package
for
any
Diamonds
fan.
I
never
thought
I’d
live
to
see
a
2
CD
set
of
The
Diamonds.
Could
we
now
dare to dream of a box set from some enterprising company! - Tony Watson
