The Marcels
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | Cornelius Harp, Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, Richard Knauss |
| Headquarters | Pittsburgh , United States |
| Products | Music recordings |
The Marcels were a pioneering American doo-wop ensemble credited with shaping popular music into the early form of rock and roll. Established in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the group signed with Colpix Records and consisted of lead vocalist Cornelius Harp, bassist Fred Johnson, along with Gene Bricker, Ron Mundy, and Richard Knauss. Their name was inspired by the widely favored marcel wave hairstyle, a suggestion from Fred Johnson's sister, Priscilla.
Career
In 1961, the Marcels gained fame with their doo-wop rendition of the classic ballad "Blue Moon," distinguished by its memorable bass introduction. This single surpassed one million sales, achieving gold record status, and is recognized among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. It secured the top position on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. Later tracks such as "Heartaches" and "My Melancholy Baby" enjoyed moderate chart success; notably, "Heartaches" climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over a million copies globally.
The famous bass opening of "Blue Moon" was adapted from their version of "Zoom," originally by the Cadillacs, with enhancements by Colpix A&R director Stu Phillips to increase its commercial appeal. The recording was completed in just two takes and rapidly promoted through DJ Murray the K.
During tours in the Deep South in August 1961, racial tensions prompted changes in the lineup: Knauss, Bricker, and Daniel Mercado exited, replaced by Allen Johnson (Fred’s brother), Walt Maddox, and Mundy. By 1962, Harp and Allen Johnson had departed as well, succeeded by Richard Harris and William Herndon. The original group briefly reunited in 1973 and recorded again in 1975 with Harp resuming lead vocals.
Gene Bricker passed away on December 10, 1983; Allen Johnson succumbed to cancer on September 28, 1995. In the early 1990s, members included Johnson, Maddox, Harris, Jules Hopson, and Richard Merritt until their disbandment around 1995. Subsequently, Fred Johnson assembled a new lineup while other members brought in bassist Ted Smith. In 1996, Maddox prevailed in a trademark infringement case against manager Sunny James Cvetnic from Johnson’s faction. In 1999, Johnson reunited with Harp, Mundy, and Knauss for the PBS special Doo Wop 50.
The Marcels were honored with induction into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.
Original lead singer Cornelius "Nini" Harp died on June 4, 2013, at age 73. Ronald "Bingo" Mundy (born April 20, 1940) passed away on January 20, 2017, aged 76. Fred Johnson died on March 31, 2022, at the age of 80.
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Blue Moon |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | AUS | BE (FLA) | BE (WA) | CAN | GER | NL | NOR | NZ | UK | ||
| "Blue Moon" b/w "Goodbye to Love" |
1961 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| "Summertime" b/w "Teeter-Totter Love" |
78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | |
| "Heartaches" b/w "My Love for You" |
7 | 19 | 67 | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "My Melancholy Baby" b/w "Really Need Your Love" |
1962 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Twistin' Fever" b/w "Footprints in the Sand" |
103 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Don't Turn Your Back on Me" b/w "That Old Black Magic" |
1963 | |||||||||||
| "Your Red Wagon ("You Can Push It, or Pull It")" b/w "Comes Love" |
1964 | |||||||||||
| "In the Still of the Night" b/w "High on a Hill" |
1973 | |||||||||||
| "Sweet Was the Wine" b/w "Over the Rainbow" |
"1975" | |||||||||||
| "Letter Full of Tears" (as Walt Maddox and the Marcels) b/w "How Do You Speak to an Angel" |
"1982" | |||||||||||
Chart Success
- Achieved No.1 position in the U.S.
- Topped charts at No.1 in the U.K.
- Reached No.1 in Australia
- Secured No.1 rankings in Germany and France
- Attained No.1 spot in New Zealand
- Peaked at No.78 in the U.S.
- Climbed to No.38 in Australia
- Reached No.12 on New Zealand charts
- Reached No.7 in the U.S.
- Ranked No.3 in the U.K.
- Positioned at No.15 in Australia
- Charted at No.30 in the U.K.
- Attained No.7 in Australia
"Flowerpot"
- Climbed to No.10 on New Zealand charts
"Friendly Loans"
- Reached No.75 in the U.S.
- Positioned at No.31 in Australia
"Teeter-Totter Love" (1963 rendition)
- Achieved No.2 ranking in Australia, particularly popular in Adelaide during August 1963
Film Appearances
- Twist Around the Clock (1961)
Following their surge in popularity during 1961, The Marcels appeared in this film directed by Oscar Rudolph, sharing the screen with performers such as Chubby Checker and Dion DiMucci. Group members Allen Johnson, Gene Bricker, Cornelius Harp, Fred Johnson, Richard Knauss, and Ronald Mundy contributed both vocally and through speaking parts. The movie included their track "Merry Twist-Mas," which was released around Christmas 1961 but did not achieve chart success.
- Bikini Beach (1964)
In this motion picture featuring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, The Marcels' Gene Bricker and Cornelius Harp provided background vocals for Avalon's "Gimme Your Love Yeah Yeah Yeah" as well as for Little Stevie Wonder's "(Happy Feelin') Dance And Shout."