The Edsels

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The Edsels
Country Campbell, Ohio
Years active 19571963
Genres Doo-Wop
Labels Dub Records, Twin Records, Roulette Records, Tammy
Members George Jones, Jr.
Larry Green
James Reynolds
Harry Green
Marshall Sewell

The Edsels were an American Doo-Wop group active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name of the group was originally The Essos, after gas station Esso, but was changed to match the then-new Ford automobile, the Edsel.

Today, the group is known almost exclusively for their song, "Rama Lama Ding Dong." The song was recorded in 1957 and released, under the errant title "Lama Rama Ding Dong," in 1958. The song did not become popular until 1961, after a disc jockey in New York City began to play it as a segue from The Marcels doo-wop version of "Blue Moon." The song eventually became popular throughout the country, peaking at number 21 on the charts.

The group continues to perform today, with original member Sewell.

[edit] Personnel

  • George Jones, Jr. – lead vocals
  • Larry Green – first tenor
  • James Reynolds – second tenor
  • Harry Green – baritone
  • Marshall Sewell – bass

[edit] Influence of the song Rama Lama Ding Dong

  • A version of the song was performed on the The Muppet Show once: in Episode 89 (or season 4, episode 17), the episode that also had Mark Hamill, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca from Star Wars as guests, a shepherd, his sheep and his girl perform the song.
  • Rocky Sharpe & The Replays covered the song in 1979
  • Barry Mann wrote a song called "Who Put the Bomp" in 1961, in which he sings about his girl falling in love with him after listening to some Doo-Wop style songs with their recognizable nonsense lyrics. One of the phrases he uses in the song is actually Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong.
  • "Rama Lama Ding Dong" is heard in the Grease song "We Go Together".

[edit] Sources