If you would like to share The Flamingos lyrics with other users of this site, please see the bottom of this page on how to submit The Flamingos lyrics.

Members include JakeCarey(born Jacob Carey on September 9, 1926, in Pulsaski, VA; died on December 31, 1997), bass vocals; ZekeCarey (born Ezekiel Carey on January 24, 1933, in Bluefield, WV; died on December 24, 1999, in Washington, D.C.), tenor vocals; JohnnyCarter(born on June 2, 1934, in Chicago, IL), tenor vocals; TommyHunt(born on June 18, 1934, in Pittsburgh, PA), vocals; SollieMcElroy(born on July 16, 1933, in Mississippi; died on January 15, 1995), vocals; Nate Nelson (born on April 10, 1932, in Chicago, IL; died on April 10, 1984), vocals; PaulWilson(born on January 6, 1935, in Chicago, IL; died on May 4, 1988), baritone vocals. Addresses: Record company--Collectables Records, P.O. Box 72, Narberth, PA 19072, website: http://www.oldies.com.

In 2001 the list of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included such superstars as Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, and Aerosmith. Further down the list in terms of public recognition were the Flamingos, who were best known for the 1959 hit "I Only Have Eyes for You." Although the doo wop group was not technically a one-hit wonder--it followed "I Only Have Eyes for You" with one other top 40 single on the pop charts the following year, "Nobody Loves Me Like You"--the group's name was generally unknown to music fans by the time it joined better-known acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A closer took at the Flamingos' impact on popular music, however, showed that the honor was richly deserved. They not only added a standard doo wop ballad to American popular music but also ranked as one of the most sophisticated doo wop groups in American popular music.

The Flamingos had their origins in 1949 in Chicago as a group formed by cousins Jake Carey and Zeke Carey, along with Johnny Carter and Paul Wilson, who were also cousins, under the name the Swallows. The four were all members of the Church of God and Saints of Christ, a denomination that combined the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity with elements of African American nationalism. Their religious affiliation set them apart from many of their neighbors, but it also gave them a distinctive musical training that would become a hallmark of the group's sound. In an interview later quoted in Stars of Soul and Rhythm and Blues, Nate Nelson, who joined the group in 1955, said, "Our harmonies were different because we dealt with a lot of minor chords, which is how Jewish music is written. "

The teenagers were soon joined by Earl Lewis, who remained with the group until 1951. During this period, the group also changed its name from the Swallows to the Five Flamingos. As the Five Flamingos they gained a reputation in the Chicago area as exceptional live performers, with outstanding vocals backed up by polished dance moves. In addition to earning some money performing at house parties in Chicago, the band began circulating on the talent-contest circuit. With Sollie McElroy replacing Earl Lewis, the five-member group--now known simply as the Flamingos--secured a recording contract with Chicago-based Chance Records in 1953.

The Flamingos released a half-dozen singles on the Chance label in 1953 and 1954, beginning with "If I Can't Have You." None of the releases were national hits, but they were popular with Chicago music fans who knew the group from its live performances. Despite the Flamingos' lack of success on the charts, however, they were invited to tour with some of the major acts of the era, including the Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington orchestras. The group took another stab at the charts in 1954 and 1955 with a new record label, Chicago-based Parrot Records, but their three singles--"Dream of a Lifetime," "I Really Don't Want to Know," and "I'm Yours"--again failed to have much impact. After another frustrating run at the charts, McElroy left the Flamingos in 1955; Chicago native Nate Nelson took his place.

Released Several R&B Hits

With a style that mixed blues, ballads, and R&B, the Flamingos may have been a bit ahead of the times with their first releases in the early 1950s. By the mid-1950s, however, doo wop was reaching its peak on the charts. As outlined by Anthony J. Gribin and Matthew M. Schiff in their books The Complete Book of Doo-Wop and Doo-Wop: The Forgotten Third of Rock 'n Roll, the "classical doo-wop" period beginning in 1954 brought dozens of vocal groups to national prominence. Typically these groups featured vocal harmonies that used falsetto and bass parts to highlight the lead vocal, usually a tenor. With the often-complex vocal arrangements in the forefront of the song, the lyrics and instrumentation were usually kept simple; in fact, the most popular doo wop hits of the day almost always included nonsense syllables. Indeed, the name of the genre itself, "doo wop," came from one of the most popular phrases added to a song.

The Flamingos finally broke through on the R&B charts in 1956 after they signed with a third label, Checker Records. Their fourth release on the label, "I'll Be Home," reached number five on the R&B charts and its follow-up, "A Kiss from Your Lips," reached number 12 later that year. Although "I'll Be Home" was a major hit, the Flamingos suffered a fate shared by many R&B groups of the era. Singer Pat Boone--who had already scored a number-one pop hit by recording a cover version of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" in 1955--now covered "I'll Be Home," which raced up the pop charts to number four, possibly preventing the Flamingos from enjoying similar success. Boone later covered such classics as "Tutti Frutti" and "I Almost Lost My Mind," sealing his reputation as a cover artist of R&B hits.

The group also suffered a setback when Zeke Carey and Johnny Carter were called to stints in the military beginning in 1956. Carter eventually left the band for good and was replaced by Tommy Hunt. Upon Carey's discharge, the group tried to regain its momentum with a series of single releases on Decca Records in 1957 and 1958. The releases did not match the success of "I'll Be Home" or "A Kiss from Your Lips," but the group had better success with its first release on New York City-based End Records with "Lovers Never Say Goodbye." The song hit the top 30 on the R&B charts in early 1959. The group also gained a higher profile by appearing in two rock 'n' roll films produced in association with deejay Alan Freed: "Rock, Rock, Rock," and "Go Johnny Go!"

Two Top 40 Pop Hits

Under End Records owner George Goldner, the Flamingos took the unprecedented step of recording an entire album for which they had almost total artistic control of the arrangements. The standout track was a cover version of an old Tin Pan Alley tune from the 1934 movie Damescalled "I Only Have Eyes for You." Although a singer named Ben Selvin turned the song into a number-two pop hit in 1934, the Flamingos' 1959 version was strikingly modern. As authors Ed Ward, Geoffrey Stokes, and Ken Tucker wrote in their book Rock of Ages: The Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll, it had "a very avant-garde arrangement featuring an echo chamber, a strange falsetto soaring above parts of the song, and sophisticated vocal harmonies that would never be heard on any corner in the world, executed with breathtaking precision. It was the apotheosis of the doo-wop sound, and in its own way the end of an era." Becoming a top-three R&B hit, "I Only Have Eyes for You" reached number eleven on the pop charts in June of 1959. It would turn out to be the group's most successful single and a classic doo wop ballad.

The Flamingos scored another crossover hit in 1960 with a song written by Sam Cooke, "Nobody Loves Me Like You," which reached the top 30 on both the R&B and pop charts. Another 1960 release, "Mio Amore," also hit the R&B top 30. However, the group would only have two other hits, "The Boogaloo Party," a top 30 R&B hit in 1966, and "Buffalo Solider," the group's final top 30 R&B hit in 1970. The band remained a popular concert act during the rest of the decade, even after Hunt and Nelson left the band in the mid-1960s. Led by Jake Carey and Zeke Carey, the Flamingos continued to release singles through 1990 on their own label, Ronze Records.

Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Jake Carey died in 1997 and his cousin followed him two years later; thus, they did not live to see the revival of interest in the Flamingos' music that accompanied the announcement that the group would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On March 19, 2001, the cousins were remembered along with the other members of the Flamingos in a presentation by doo wop singer Dion, who was himself inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989. As the official biography of the group on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website sums up, "With their elegant, intricate, and flawless vocal arrangements, the Flamingos are widely regarded as one of the best vocal groups in music history."

by Timothy Borden

The Flamingos's Career

Group formed as the Swallows in Chicago, IL, 1949; changed named to the Five Flamingos, then the Flamingos, early 1950s; released singles on Chance label, 1953-54; signed with Parrot Records, 1954; signed with Checker Records, 1956; also released singles on the Decca label; released biggest hit, "I Only Have Eyes for You," on End Records, 1959; continued to record and perform, 1960s-1990s.

The Flamingos's Awards

Induction, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2001.

Famous Works

Further Reading

Sources

BooksPeriodicalsOnlineOther

The Flamingos Lyrics

Feel free to share The Flamingos lyrics. Just click on "Add a comment…" below and paste the song name and the lyrics. However, please do not post The Flamingos lyrics unless you have received permission from the copyright owner. Make sure to include the name of the The Flamingos album along with the lyrics.

Visitor Comments Add a comment…

over 13 years ago

I Happen to catch doug Clure on channel 27 {a new haven station} and enjoyed it very much. Doug mentioned that he went to Hillhouse High and the class of '58. I looked it up in my class book but didn't see him there. Many of my friends always go to the the West Haven beach {on the deck} They would have loved to see this show. When will it air again???Many of my friends are singers also from New Haven. We listen to Do Wop ever sunday morning on the deck in West Haven Beach. Come join us......

over 13 years ago

I had the pleasure of meeting Nate Nelson when he was with Herb Reed's Platters in Marathon Fla.(1977) Nate asked me to drive his car back to Mass. as he toured with the band.My bandmates and I thought it was so cool driving Nate's canary yellow Cadilac back home! We got stopped along the way a few times, I suppose two guy's in the Caddy with Fulton County, Ga. plates turned a few heads!

almost 15 years ago

Actually, the names you are all mentioning were not original Flamingos at all. The originals are recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame www.rockhall.com and Vocal Group Hall of Fame www.vocalgroup.org . Anyone other than the following REAL pioneers is a FRAUD: Solly McElroy (deceased), Johnny Carter, Zeke & Jake Carey (both deceased), Terry Johnson, Nate Nelson (deceased), Tommy Hunt and Paul Wilson (deceased).

almost 15 years ago

The Chess Session

almost 15 years ago

The band that I play in "The Derelicts Mid-Life-Crisis" have had the opportunity to back them up at one of their performances. The thing that struck me the most (beyond their increadible talent) is that they are TRUE gentlemen. Genuine nice guys. It is OUR pleasure to back them up. I must mention Doug's wife Denise also. What a sweetheart!

about 15 years ago

I had the extreme pleasure in May of 2008 to work with Doug McClure and Sid Hall at a car show in North Haven, CT. They put on one GREAT show. I have hired them to perform at my 50th High School reunion in Sept. 2009. Everyone is talking about their voices still sounding the same. If you get a chance, get to one of their performances. You will not be dissapointed.

over 15 years ago

I do know both Doug McClure and Sid Hall, They are lead singers of the Flamingos JC Carey has the TM for this group. Coming to MA this year the FLamingos will reunite with Tommy Hunt. If you go to makingmemoriesproductions.com you will learn more about the (TradeMark) Flamingos. Mr. McClure is releasing a new CD next month go to his web page dougmccluremusic.com and purchase it tonite. If you have any other questions about these fine men feel free to drop me a line at djmakingmemories@charter.net. Thanks Ruth Bee

over 15 years ago

the 2 singers are doug McClure,& Sid Hall.I haveworked with them . they are a great group to work with. all 5 of them

almost 16 years ago

I am told that there are two men now as lead singers for the Flamingos. Sid (or Syd) and Doug something. Do you know anything about these guys? Thanks