Shut Up That Noise! The 441st Greatest Song of All Time

 

They were just simple soldiers.

They lived simple lives at a Pittsburgh Air Force base. [Note: I'm pretty sure that means the base was based in Pittsburgh...not that Pittsburgh has its own Air Force.]

They sang the simple melodies and predictable harmonies of doo-wop, ready-made for wooing women at the PX.

Because of shifting tours of duty, the actual line-up of the Del-Vikings was...shall we say...fluid. But they came up with a winning combination of personnel and just the right song, becoming pop music's first successful multiracial group, with the song, "Come Go With Me".

It's a simple song, begging a girl to go with a boy.

Come, come, come, come

Come into my heart

Tell me, darlin'

We will never part

I need you darlin'

So come go with me

Yes, I need you,

Yes, I really need you

Please say you'll never leave me

Well, say, you never

Yes, you really never

You never give me a chance

Ohhhh!

It was written by the bass singer, Clarence Quick, and recorded one night in a hotel room.

Recorded.

In.

A hotel room.

I can only imagine the calls to the front desk.

"Hey, yeah, this is Room 14B. You gotta come do something about the room next to me. There's a bunch of guys in there and...well, I think they got a girl with them and they're trying to coerce her into something. That I wouldn't mind so much, I mean, I'm not one to stick my nose into anybody's business, you know? But good night Irene! They just keep yelling about it over and over again. I can't get to sleep, for cryin' out loud!"