Both the 'Sopranos', and 'Jersey Shore', wants to hire the Imaginations to star as actors in their TV series. This video of these damn cool young guys is precious as hell. You people may not know that this group should have been America's Top group. I am really liking some of the Moms being in the video making sure these young studs are behaving just a little bit okay...
58 Chevy--Did you guys do any Christmas songs? Time to get them out here. And I am wishing all of you talented special young American Doo Wop stars a Merry Christmas...You guys are soon to become a cult music group, maybe like the Rolling Stones(though your style and harmony is way more attractive--and damn it, you guys are way better looking than those Stones ever were...
sorry to say no xmas songs Garent, but would loved to have sung "O Holy Night" by the Blue Notes....we appreciate your comments and would also like to wish you a fun and meaningful Christmas 2016 for you and yours!
Hi Garent,, I love Doo Wop & I cant stand the Beatles. They killed off real music, Glad you like the song I suggested, It was part written by Ernie Maresca, so you know it will be good. Try his own recording of "Loreli" if you like that kind of thing. There are so many great Doo Wop songs & so little time to listen to them all.
Garent, to answer your rarlier question, the reason you are drawn to this group is because they are so damn good. How they never made it big time is completely beyond me. In my very humble opinion, these guys are the best Doo Wop group ever. Likr you I can listen to them non stop & I only wish they had issued more songs.
Was thinking the Demensions were the BEST group ever, but damn it, I'm not sure. Never knew these guys earlier but I can't stop listening to them now...
this is a totally amazing song,,,absolutely love it and play it over and over. but what may be more amazing is that if you listen to this 1961 cut and then flip right to the legends doing this same song, its like frank mancuso and his incredible voice got into a time machine and fast-forwarded 50 years! hats off to you frank......you havent missed a beat, and to be able to keep that range and pitch for all these years is a true gift! thank you!
we gave it our best shot there's alot of very good groups out at the same time we were lucky to have gotten as far as we did considering all the bad luck we had with timing, record companies and air play
When it comes to doo-wops, there are few people like us who appreciate them. When this record was out in early 1962, the radio stations were pushing twist records. Only hard core doo-wop lovers, especially from the New York- area know this.
Tony--I am agreeing with you. But these guys stayed good. Everything they sang was sweet and good. Maybe big time record label stuff would have changed them. They sure are a special sound doowop group and I am compelled to listen to them...
my58chevy Thats amazing man, music and stuff like this make me cry. Thats amazing. This music will live on forever my good sir, thanks for doing what you did :)
Hey sorry to bother you again, but was wondering, if you can name them according to how they were on 0:30-0:34 as in who was who Left to Right, thanks a bunch sir! Amazing music once again!
Bobby Bloom was in this group, he had a No1 with Montego bay. The lead, Frank Mancuso is now in The Legends of Doo Wop. The rest of the group were brothers Phil & Pete Agtuca & the bass was Richie Le Causi. They also recorded as Bobby Caupin & The Ebonaires & they are probably the best Doo Wop group that never hit the big time, great posting.
Damn, Malcolm pelling--you provide some interesting information about this group that has captured me. You evidently know something about this music and this era. Thanks for your information contribution.
Hi Gareth, Yep, I love Doo wop & the Imaginations are one of the very best. Here in England im in the minority, but ive been collecting it for over 40 years. If you have never heard it, try to find "Stop that wedding" by the Goldbugs from 1964, you will love it. Regards Malcolm.
Malcolm--Stop that Wedding--never heard it before you suggested this hot uptempo cool song...I'm glad you Brits are not still listening to the Beatles. Malcolm--don't know you well enough to tease you yet so pardon me. I am enjoying this communication with you. I had some fine experience with your 2nd British Para unit on the island of Malta. Also got to know some Dorcetshire Regiment Infantrymen--I apologize for not accurately describing their units. It is exciting to interact with an exemplary person from England--Where do you live in England? What do you do? I am still working as a carpenter with my own small business. A pleasure to type words to you..Garent Gunther
Garent, I live in Worthing on the South coast of England & I am retired due to severe illness, but that wont stop me listening to Doo Wop. Happy to talk about this music to anyone. Not sure if I can put my Email address here. I have close on 10,000 songs, mostly Doo Wop. The music lives on.
Malcolm--I am hoping that you are still enjoying your life despite your illness. Do not display your email address as this might cause you some dismay in unwanted communications. I am thinking that you are a unique man, especially with your experience and knowledge of this doowop music genre--my Life in music, maybe yours, too. My last comment mentioned the Beatles--but they are imbedded, positively, in my memory forever as something amazing. Not so amazing as those British 2nd Para Soldiers I had the honor of interacting with during some practice maneuvers on the island of Malta. I was even allowed to eat in the British NCO mess during some of the training which was much better than the field C rations I would have endured had I not been invited by these Brit paratroopers. I certainly enjoyed the Hop Leaf Ale that was actually made in Malta. Sorry to get distracted, Malcolm. Again, I am hoping that you are okay these days. Thinking that you are a valuable man.
58Chevy--Sorry for the dumb question. I should have known you were a tenor. One of the young Carpenter apprentices that works with me is also a musician, plays guitar, and accordion. He remonstrated me for not knowing the soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass sequence. Now I have to guess which one of those cool stud young Italian guys in the fast video was you.
My night off. Don't have to be on any jobs tomorrow(Sunday) I hope... Guess I will have to guess which one of these cool studs you were from the video. Were any of your guys related? This video alone makes you guys as famous as the Demensions...58Chevy, If I am becoming a pain in the ass bothering you too much just cut it off...Goddamn, I am dwelling in the past big time these days...
These videos are the best...Kind of like real young blue collar working family kids(young men) having some talent and using it...Hoping you guys would have made it big time.
Damn I am drawn to this harmony sound. 58Chevy--you guys probably never thought you were so damn good. Pretty good production behind the bad guy good harmony...
58Chevy--videos of you guys are hard cool...Can't get past this good harmony sound you guys had/have...But most compelling is the video showing you guys partying and acting like real people besides being stellar singers. Did any of your group go overseas? You guys might have been too old and missed the Vietnam cutoff...
These guys are a Real Reality TV show, except that they had some damn good real sound and harmony talent...and I am pretty sure they were hell raising, bad asses even while they were cutting these songs...
+Garent Gunther yes they were the best of times Garent but was not enough to make a living. I spent about 31 years in the laser optics field had a good life there, thanks for your interest...Phil
58Chevy--Damn neat to get a personal response from you. Sounds like you were grounded enough to realize that stardom is a fleeting thing...Thinking you had some other good aspects to successfully make it in the laser optics industry. Continuously growing field. Not that I know a damn thing about anything these days, though when I was younger I pretty much thought I knew everything...
+my58chevy Phil its Nancy your aunt roses daughter used to live in Lindenhurst now live in Bradenton Fla saw u and Pete on fb he befriended me u disappeared ?been sharing these with friends and my younger sister Maryellen and her kids in California
I LOVE the Doo Wop sound. I just found the Imaginations about a month ago. These guys blow away the other Doo Wop sound! Thanks goodness for Utube. Frank has got THE best lead vocals I've ever heard. These guys should have been big time!
Love this song by these pre bad assed dudes--love the video--Hoping they all did good in their lives...Goddamn they are cool in this video...And besides themselves they put out some great harmony...
58Chevy--thanks for the response--I was sort of a 69GTO after I got out of the Marines...If you are one of the group I commend you for making some of my memories...
58Chevy--Sorry to keep bothering you about this/your talented group...Damn you guys had a marketable sound. And you looked good. What did you do in your life? Did you stay with music? None of my business for sure. but damn, you guys were damn noticeable.
Amazing to find this!! I went to school with these guys, I was younger and in awe of them! We loved all their music and of course the girls were crazy about them, especially Phil! Sad about Bobby Bloom. He lived around the corner from me. How could it be so long ago STILL be so great!
this is so cool! my great grandpa was the one who filmed it and my grandfather is Richard lecausi who was in the imaginations and I love that people still love them!
+Allison Monacelli Do we still like them, i mean i've always loved them when i was younger and remember when Goodnight Baby came out i'd wait and wait and listen not to miss them playing it on the radio, then when Hey You came out the same thing i'd go to the record store and keep asking the owner when the record was coming in, love looking at this video, you have no idea how now you can see some behind the scenes family in the video and your great grand father taking the video, how cool is all of that, back then isn't like now you really knew very little about the recording artists i've done my research over the years and know at least 3 members in the video but not sure who's who of the other two,
Allison Monacelli---Your comment is pertinent. Your grandfather is Richard Lecausi, filmed by your great grandfather. Damn, Allison, you are part of the history of this profound group. I am imagining that you have a talented, sweet voice or some other music talent, because of all this good dna...These Imaginations were surely one of the top ten harmony groups ever, but they weren't plugged into the proper payola payoff power group at the time....Kind of interesting that finally some attention is being given to how goddamn good these guys were...
soupdee--I didn't know them earlier. That you did is emphatic. My Philadelphia music area didn't do much showcasing of New York City groups...Heard these guys long after my earlier youth stuff including some college(which I could never figure out) and some Marine Corps(which I had to figure out too fast)...I am thinking this group is one of the best, comparable even to the Duprees, and even the Demensions. Anyway, enjoyed seeing your post to Allison so here is my take...Nice to talk to you.
I just got my mind completely blown..... My mother and father are in this video. From the stories I've heard, this might be where they actually met. Yes my father was Frank "Frankie Love" Montanaro and my mother Vivienne is the first girl on the left at about 3:47. I would love to know who shot this footage, who has the raw footage and if I can get a copy. I have my fathers records but never actually saw him sing. This is the first time. I'm in shock right now. Somebody please get back to me.
I can help answer this question Big Chester! ..his father Frankie was lead singer of the Gleams from Wantagh and lived 3 blocks away from the Imaginations (my group) we were friends back in the days and occasionally got together to sing. this was about 1961
This HOME film from 1961 is very rare indeed, especially based on SCARCITY of finding other 50/60's home or studio films posted from other Doo Wop artists.I have this video on my BABY BOOMER ga-ga TALK facebook. The film belongs in the ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME.It is an early candid film of what was typical in 1961; the HAIR STYLES AND SUITS along with the home fixtures and other things. The Imaginations had a GREAT sound with amazing flip sides, Also their names noted on record label was unique those days.....PLEASE *click* ON to my facebook if you get a moment.
I grew up in Brooklyn and purchased the Guardian Angel 45 in a local toy store on Bay Parkway near Seth Low Jr H.S and loved both sides. A special HELLO to Tony. Also like to note the 1st film is a CLASSIC with the 1950's hair styles and suits. I now live on long Island and will put this video on my facebook,com/bobbykoolradio along with my other DOO WOP and baby boomer interesting items. .
hi Tony looking forward to hearing and seeing your post...we took several takes on our songs sometimes more than 10 or so. We had studio musicians who worked out the songs before they came into the studio. We do not have any of the masters...the music industry back then was very unforgiving on young naive talent, anxious to record
Thanks.We,The Mallorkings,will sing your song,Mystery of you, in our second show next Friday.When I have the video it will be posted.By the way, I would like to know how it was in those days when you and the group entered in the studio to record.A lot of rehearsals? Just one take and you got the master?Me and my friends, vocal groups lovers,are always thinking about that, the moment when your group and, of course, the rest of more than 10 thousand groups did the same in the best years of music.
Totally agree Tony, it could has been the commercial tune we needed to break through and keep the group together but alot was going on at the time internally and in the country and we lost our opportunity for its release in the US.... I've heard it may have been released in England, but don't know for sure
Beyond awesome!! Still LOVELOVELOVE The Imaginations! This video just takes me back in time to the good ole Wantagh, NY days! Can't help but listen to this over & over again!!! Thank you for sharing!!
Bobby was the first tenor in the group, he went on to become very successful on his own in the business with songs like Mony Mony and Montego Bay, thanks for your interest!
