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CRUISING WITH RUBEN & THE JETS

 Cheap Thrills

Notes and Comments
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Darling, darling, please hear my plea
God only knows what your loving does to me
From: biffyshrew@aol.com (Biffyshrew)
  "Cheap Thrills"--the opening "Darling, darling, please hear my plea" probably derives from "The Letter" by Vernon Green & the Medallions, although "hear my plea" also appears in other songs that FZ definitely knew.
From: Vladimir Sovetov
  I second Biffy's opinion. Here is the opening in question. (Dootone #347 - "The Letter", 1954)
Darling, darling, oh, how I love you
Really do
But you just, just won't be true

Darling I'm writing this letter
Knowing that you'll never read it
But each time I write to you darling
I pen what lips can't say
Because I love you and you so far away
iy words convey what only love can say
I wish you well,
Oh, my darling, please, hear my plea,
Please
  And as another great example Story Untold. Nutmegs
I hope and I pray
That she'll hear my plea
And may be some day
She'll come back to me
For here in my heart
There is a story untold
  But the earliest among FZ doo-wop favorites to use this unforgettable phrase seems to be '53 The Crows hit Gee
GEE
The Crows
(William Davis/Morris Levy)


Do do-do do, do-do do, do-do do-do-do
Do do-do do, do-do do, do-do do-do-do
Do do-do do, do-do do, do-do do-do-do do
Love that girl

O-o-o-o-o Gee, my o-o Gee, well o-o Gee
Why I love that girl, love that girl

O-o-o-o-o please, listen to me, hear-hear-hear my plea
Why I love that girl

Hold me, Baby, squeeze me
Never let me go
I'm not takin' chances
Because I love her, I love her so-o

My-my o Gee, well o Gee, my-eye o Gee
Why I love that girl, love that girl

O-o-o-o-o please, listen to me, hear-ear my plea
Why I love that girl, love that girl

Why I love that girl
  The Mothers performed the song at least once. See BTB boot 'Tis The Season To Be Jelly
  CC
  Ray Collins/Paul Buff re-used 'hear my plea' phrase in Deseri
and
  FZ himself recycled it in Dog Breath and Electric Aunt Jemima. UNCLE MEAT
  and Roy ad libed in Holding The Group Back. AHEAD OF THEIR TIME
  For more Vernon Green reference check out Memories Of El Monte.
  And short discussion
From: Vladimir Sovetov
  BTW, do you think The Chantels with their The Plea and Prayee was another good example of doo-wop plea-word usage mania in song lyrics?
From: "Stephen C. Propes" <spropes@loop.com>
  Sure, if you put it that way. It did combine a message with Arlene Smith's almost histrionic voice, and I mean that in a good way. I interviewed her once and believe I embarassed her almost to death, comparing her favorably to other famous femme voices like Aretha - and gushing sloppily about it all the time.
  Another example might be "Deserie" by the Charts which I think you'll agree influenced FZ profoundly.
From: Vladimir Sovetov
  Anyway, it seems that every second FZ doo-wop favorite has 'hear my plea' words in it. Another example is The Velvets 'I'. Most probably it's just rhyming good with 'come back to me'?
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Cheap thrills set fire to my soul
Cheap thrills, like a story untold about
Cheap thrills up and down my spine
I need it, I need it, 'cause it feels so fine
  Story Untold. Nutmegs
  Also
  treasure untold
  Nutmegs. Key To The Kingdom.
  See also Fountain Of Love. CWRTJ
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Cheap thrills
Cheap thrills
Cheap thrills
Cheap thrills

Cheap thrills in the back of my car
Cheap thrills, how fine they are
Cheap thrills up and down my spine
I need it, I need it, 'cause it feels so fine
From: Vladimir Sovetov
  BTW, Frank liked so much to imitate the vocal style of Nutmegs bass, but was it Nutmegs original style or it was derived from someone else?
  But anyway, here is a gem, and probably the very source of Frank's inspiration. Yes. The Johnny Otis' song made R&B #3 and Pop #11 hit by doo-wop group The Fiestas
SO FINE
Old Town single #1062 9/22/58

So fine, so fine.
So fine, yeah.
My baby's so dog gone fine,
She loves me, come rain, come shine
Oh oh yeah so fine.
she thrills me, she thrills me
She thrills me, yeah.
My baby thrills me all the time.
she sends those chills up and down my spine,
Oh oh yeah so fine.
Well I know
she loves me so.
Well I know,
because my baby tells me so-oh oh so fine.
So fine
So fine, yeah, My baby's so dog gone fine
She sends those chills up and down my spine,
Oh oh yeah, so fine.
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SOVA NOSE Any proposal? I'd like to hear!
Provocation, compilation and design © Vladimir Sovetov, 1994-2004
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