The Tams

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For other uses, see Tams (disambiguation).

The Tams was an American vocal group from Atlanta, Georgia, whom enjoyed their greatest success in the 1960s, and the 1970s, and most improbably in the 1980s.

1 Career
2 Main personnel
3 Major hit recordings
4 Producer
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Career

They were originally formed in 1960, and took their long lasting name from the Tam o'shanter style of hat that the group choose to wear on stage. By 1962, they had a hit single on Swan Records. "Untie Me", a Joe South composition, became a Top 20 U.S. R&B success. Follow-up releases largely failed until 1964, when "What Kind Of Fool (Do You Think I Am)", reached the Top Ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

"Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me" was also a modest Stateside hit the same year. The Tams had only one further major U.S. hit (in 1968) when "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy", peaked on the Billboard R&B chart at #26, and subsequently made the UK Top 40 in 1970.

However, the group stunned many (including themselves), by flying to the Number one slot in the UK Singles Chart in September 1971, with the re-issue of "Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me", thanks to its initial support from the then thriving UK northern soul scene.

They were destined to not chart again until sixteen years later. It came about because of their association with The Shag. Initially it was a dance craze known as the Carolina shag, which featured heavily in the subsequent 1989 film, Shag. It secured a further lifeline to this remarkable group, giving The Tams another shot at the UK chart, reaching #21 with their song, "There Ain't Nothing Like Shaggin'".

[edit] Main personnel

Joseph Pope - born Joseph Lee Pope, 6 November 1933, in Atlanta, Georgia - died 16 March 1996
Robert Lee Smith - born 18 March 1936
Horace Key - born 13 April 1934, in Atlanta, Georgia
Charles Pope - born 7 August 1936, in Atlanta, Georgia
Floyd Ashton - born 15 August 1933 - joined 1960 - left 1963

[edit] Major hit recordings

"Untie Me" - (1962) - U.S. R&B chart #12, U.S. Hot 100 chart #60.
"Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #41.
"It's All Right (You're Just In Love)" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #79.
"Silly Little Girl" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #87.
"What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am" - (1964) - U.S. Hot 100 chart #9 - (ABC-Paramount).
"You Lied To Your Daddy" - (1964) - U.S. R&B chart #70.
"Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" - (1968) - U.S. R&B chart #26, U.S. Hot 100 chart #61.
"Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" - (1970) - UK chart #32.
"Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" - (1971) - UK chart #1 - (Probe).
"There Ain't Nothing Like Shaggin'" - (1987) - UK chart #21 - (Virgin).