Contents

The Vibrations

The Vibrations were an American soul vocal group from Los Angeles, California, active from the mid-1950s to 1976.^[2] Most notable among the group's hit singles were "My Girl Sloopy" (1964) and "Love in Them There Hills" (1968). They also had a hit with the up-tempo song “Surprise party for baby” (1971) in the UK on the Northern Soul scene. The quintet's members included Don Bradley, Carl Fisher, Dave Govan, James Johnson and Ricky Owens.^[3]

The group initially began recording as The Jay Hawks, and had a hit in 1956 with "Stranded in the Jungle" (US No. 18).^[2] After a few lineup changes, the group had another hit with the song "The Watusi" in 1961 (US No. 25); concurrently, they had a hit under the name The Marathons with "Peanut Butter", a rewritten version of the Olympics' "Hully Gully" with new lyrics by Hidle Brown Barnum and Martin Cooper (No. 20).^[4]

The group recorded a couple of Northern soul classics since their initial hit on Atlantic Records in 1963. A cover version of their song "My Girl Sloopy", retitled "Hang On Sloopy", was a hit for the McCoys in 1965.^[2]

Their 1968 track "Cause You're Mine" (Epic Records 5-10418, although originally on Okeh Records) is listed at number 48 in The Northern Soul Top 500 by Kev Roberts. Roberts stated: "This track knocks you sideways by the 4th bar and continues to race against time, leaving you collapsed in a heap of delight!".^[5]

A later single, "Surprise Party for Baby" attributed to The Vibrating Vibrations (Neptune Records N-28) is listed at number 188 in The Northern Soul Top 500, and was practically a new single when used in the Northern soul scene at Blackpool Mecca in 1971. Roberts added: "The intro and subsequent 'Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey' harmony works a treat into dragging you onto the dance floor. A further hook, 'Hope She's Going to Show Up' is typical Gamble and Huff, being reminiscent of the Intruders cuts a couple of years later".^[5]

The Vibrations briefly broke up in 1971. At this time, Owens became a member of the Temptations, although he was let go after his first few engagements. Owens and the other Vibrations regrouped and continued, eventually becoming a nightclub act in the mid-1970s, before officially dissolving the group in 1976.^[1][3] Ricky Owens died in 1995.^[6]

• Watusi! (Checker Records, 1961)
• Peanut Butter (Arvee Records, 1961) (as the Marathons)
• Misty (Okeh Records, 1964)
• Shout! (Okeh Records, 1965)
• New Vibrations (Okeh Records, 1966)
• Taking a New Step (Mandala Records, 1972)

• Discography
• The Vibrations discography at Discogs

This article on a United States R&B/soul music band, group, or collective is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.