Beach Music

During my years at Emory, I discovered beach music through the bands that we booked at the fraternity.
During my junior year, I finally made it to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break. While there, we went to the Beach
Club every night where we saw Clifford Curry, The Tams, and the In-Men. Also met the owner of the Pad,
the hippest place to hang and drink beer on the beach. Donny Christenbury (not sure of the spelling)  had
put up walls around the stilts of his beach house, put in a bar, pool table and a juke box – that was it.
College kids were lined up for blocks just to get in the parking lot.

I also started buying beach music singles, which I would take back to Emory for the frat jukebox as well
as for my own stereo. I learned to Shag in Greensboro during Christmas break my Junior year and one
of my big misses living in the Midwest is that no one knows how to shag.

My favorite bands that we booked to play at the fraternity were:

The Monzas
Bob Collins and The Fabulous Five
Calvin Lindsey and the Hysterics
The Showmen
Clifford Curry
The In - Men
Pieces of Eight
Swinging Medallions
 

Here is my list of the Top 75 Beach Records:

1. Thank You John – Willie Tee
2. I’ve Been Hurt – The Tams
3. Stay  - Maurice Williams & Zodiacs
4. Green Eyes – Jimmy Ricks & Ravens
5. Ain’t No Big Thing – Radiants
6. My Girl – Temptations
7. Under the Boardwalk – Drifters
8. Lonely Drifter – Ojays
9. If I Didn’t Have a Dime – Gene Pitney/ Bob Collins & The Fabulous 5
10. She Shot a Hole in My Soul – Clifford Curry
11. May I – Maurice Williams & Zodiacs
12. What Kind of Fool – Tams
13.  I Do Love You – Billy Stewart
14. Temptation bout to Get Me – Knight Brothers
15. Untie Me – Tams
16. Across the Street – Lenny O’Henry
17. Hey I Know You – Monzas
18. Double Shot – Swinging Medallions
19. I Do Love You – Billy Stewart
20. Save the Last Dance For Me – Drifters
21. Up on the Roof – Drifters
22. 39-21-46 – Showmen
23. With This Ring – Platters
24. Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy – Tams
25. I Love You 1,000 Times – Platters
26. Girl Watcher – Okaysions
27. When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
28. Sitting in the Park – Billy Stewart
29. Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me – Tams
30. Far Away Places – Embers
31. We’re Gonna Hate Ourselves in the Morning – Clifford Curry
32. Fat Boy – Billy Stewart
33. Walking Up a One Way Street – Willie Tee
34. I’m Your Puppet – James & Bobby Purify
35. It Will Stand – Showmen
36.  Higher and Higher – Jackie Wilson
37. Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding
38. Heard it Thru the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
39. Reach Out – Four Tops
40. Anna – Arthur Alexander
41. You Lied – Tams
42. Candy – Astors
43. Lavender Blue – Sammy Turner
44. Hey Baby – Bruce Channel
45. Lonely Teardrops – Jackie Wilson
46. Washed Ashore – Platters
47. Crying – Roy Orbison
48. Since I Fell For You – Lenny Welch
49. Tell it Like it Is – Lenny Welch
50. A Quiet Place – Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters
51. She Blew a Good Thing – The Poets
52. Blue Moon – Marcels
53. Cry Baby – Garnet Mimm & The Enchanters
54. Mother in Law – Ernie K. Doe
55. Searchin' – Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces
56.  Lipstick Traces – Benny Spellman
57. Are You Lonely For Me – Freddy Scott
58. The Letter – Box Tops
59. No More Pain - Sam & Dave
60. Everlasting Love – Robert Knight
61. There Is – Dells
62. Every Beat of My Heart – Pips
63. Just One Look – Doris Troy
64. I Got the Fever – Georgia Prophets
65. Voice Your Choice – Radiants
66. Cowboys to Girls – Intruders
67. Stubborn Kind of Fellow – Marvin Gaye
68. It’s the Same Old Song – Four Tops
69. My Guy – Mary Wells
70. Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me – Tams
71. Monkey Time  - Major Lance
72. Ask the Lonely – Four Tops
73. Ain’t Too Proud to Beg  - Temptations
74. Harlem Shuffle – Bob & Earl
75. Um, Um, Um, Um – Major Lance

Great Beach Music Links:

Hey Baby Days - Ultimate Book on Beach Music and the Bands

Ripete Records - Has lots of Beach Music compilations

Gateway to Beach Music and the Shag

Beach Music Online - Fun place to visit for beach music information

Beach Music Cafe - another fun site with lots of pics.

Georgia Soul Music

50th Anniversary

pet death

Steve Begor - thebopper