Mello-Moods "Couldn't Sleep Wink Last Night" red wax 1952 Red Robin 104 repro EX

$

21

   Up for auction is this excellent condition red vinyl 45rpm early collectors' reproduction / bootleg, "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night" b/w "And You Just Can't Go Through Life Alone" by the Mello-Moods on Red Robin Records # 104, originally released in April 1952.   .  Records are not play graded and I do not use the Goldmine record grading standard. . More photos available upon request.  No return policy; item is sold as is.  Please ask any questions before bidding.  Shipping for this item only is $4. to the USA only by USPS media. International buyers, special handling or for multiple wins in same auction, please request an invoice when you are done bidding.   Shipping for 1 or 2 LPs to Europe and most countries is $27.00.   Shipping for 1 or 2 45rpms is $17.00.  Thank you for looking.   See our other similar items on eBay at  jbvvg .
Lorraine & John,  The Vermont Village Gallery,  North Bennington, USA  ~ Rare & Unusual Records  & Collectibles.
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[Portions] From Marv Goldbergs R&B Notebook:  

The Mello-Moods

The start of the group that was to become the Mello-Moods goes back to 1949 or 1950. There were benches in the newly-built Harlem River Houses (a housing project on West 151st Street and 7th Avenue), and on these, four young kids started singing: Raymond "Buddy" Wooten (first tenor and lead; no one ever called him Ray), Bobby Williams (second tenor, second lead, and piano), Alvin "Bobby" Baylor (second tenor and baritone), and Monteith "Monte" Owens (tenor, baritone, and guitar). They all attended Resurrection Grammar School, also on West 151st Street, mostly as eighth graders. (They liked to sing on benches, there were others, down by the Harlem River, on which they also practiced.)

Who could have served as an inspiration to young teenagers in 1950? Not too surprisingly it was Sonny Til and the Orioles. The newly formed Mello-Moods would harmonize on "It's Too Soon To Know," "A Kiss And A Rose," and even "Donkey Serenade." One song that the Orioles did at shows (which they never got around to recording) was an up-tempo version of Frank Loesser's "Where Are You (Now That I Need You)." The guys liked that one, and for about a year practiced the song up-tempo, using more of a unison arrangement than harmony.

Not only did they practice on those benches, but also in Macombs Dam Park, behind Yankee Stadium, right next door in the Bronx. Then there were the apartments of Bobby Williams and James Bethea, since both had pianos. Their big numbers were "Where Are You" and "Bewildered" (which Monte would lead).

About a year after they formed, a friend heard that record store owner Bobby Robinson was starting a record company. They went to meet him and he ended up coming to one of their rehearsals. The astute Robinson, with a sharp eye for talent, obviously recognized the potential of recording a young group. He introduced them to former tap dancer Joel Turnero, who became their manager (by this time, Jimmy Keyes was busy forming the Chords).

Up till now, the group had existed with no name. Since Bobby Robinson's new label was to be called Robin Records, he first called the untitled group "The Robins," but that didn't last too long. He later changed it to "The Mello-Moods."

Around November 1951, the Mello-Moods recorded their first two tunes: "Where Are You" and "How Could You" (written by Joel Turnero). On the recordings, they were accompanied by the Schubert Swanston Trio. Eddie "Schubert" or "Schubie" Swanston (piano, celesta, and Hammond organ), Jimmy Buchanan (tenor sax) and Maurice "Chink" Hines (drums). Chink Hines, a future manager of the Solitaires, is the father of singer-dancer-actor Gregory Hines. The session took place in a real studio (although James doesn't remember where), not in the back of Robinson's store.

At the time "Where Are You" was recorded, both Buddy and James had recently turned 16, Bobby Baylor and Monte Owens were about 15, and Bobby Williams brought up the rear at around 12. Like George Grant of the Castelles, Buddy had a voice that sounded young; in fact, both were 16 at their first sessions.

The tunes were released in December as Robin 105. Robin Records were distributed by Jubilee, and ads for "Where Are You" appear along with ads for the Orioles' "Baby Please Don't Go" and Buddy Lucas' "Diane." Note that Robinson issued his first three records using a numbering scheme which assigned only odd numbers to his records: 101, 103, and 105. When the owners of the other Robin Records, in Tennessee, stopped him from using the name, he simply changed it to Red Robin. At that time, Robin 101, 103 and 105 were reissued as Red Robins. (Since a 78 rpm copy of Red Robin 105 has recently surfaced, it's reasonable to assume that number 103 will also turn up someday.) Then he switched to a more conventional system, issuing numbers 102 and 104 on Red Robin. Thus, the second Mello-Moods release would have a lower number than the first. "Where Are You" received a good review the week of December 29, 1951.

With a hit record to their credit, you'd think that the Mello-Moods would have been swamped with personal appearances. However, remember that they were young and their parents watched them like hawks. School was the most important thing, and anything that stood in its way was to be squashed. Also, they couldn't appear at any place that sold alcohol. As James says, "Our parents wouldn't let us out of their sight. They fought tooth and nail with Joel Turnero and Bobby Robinson."

They had auditions for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, but were never called to appear. Monte Owens remembered that the Mello-Moods appeared on an early TV show called "Spotlight On Harlem," which was M.C.'d by DJ Ralph Cooper (WOV). They also appeared with Earl Bostic on a radio show broadcast from the Hotel Teresa and with Nipsey Russell, in a show in downtown New York. Their biggest appearance was at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, along with Ruth Brown and Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson. More typical of their performances was the YMCA on 135th Street.

Probably in March 1952, the Mello-Moods had their second session. The two songs recorded this time were: "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night" and "And You Just Can't Go Through Life Alone." The former song, by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh, had been sung by Frank Sinatra in his first film, "Higher And Higher" (1943). The flip was written by Joel Turnero and "Schubert" Swanston.

The record was released in April and doesn't seem to have been reviewed. Its competition at the time was the Royals' "Every Beat Of My Heart," the 5 Keys' "Red Sails In The Sunset," the Dominoes' "Have Mercy Baby," the Swallows' "Beside You," Billy Bunn & the Buddies' "Until The Real Thing Comes Along," Lloyd Price's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," and Fats Domino's "Goin' Home."

Some might describe this item as a gem, one-of-a-kind, the holy grail, a first edition, grade A, top quality, 5 star, five star, a museum piece, stone mint, out of print, unavailable, rare, rarely seen, unique, psa 10, investment quality, new to the market, may never be seen again or never before seen, but I won’t.  Not in visible font anyway.