This quest proved tougher than I had expected! It seems that the Crew
Cuts' version of this song has virtually driven the Chords' earlier
version to extinction. There are several very expensive multi-CD
collections that have the Chords' performance of this classic doo-wop
song, but the song can be had much cheaper if you buy the soundtrack
album to HBO's miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon," which also
contains several other hits from the '50s and '60s.
Buy.com: From the Earth to the Moon
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=60105630&loc=109
Buy.com has a Windows Media audio clip for the song, so I verified
that this is indeed the Chords' "Sh-boom," and not the bland Crew Cuts
cover version (which is, inexplicably, available on many more albums.)
You can also get the Chords' "Sh-boom" on another CD, "America's Top
10: 50s Doo-Wop Years."
Buy.com: America's Top 10: 50s Doo-Wop Years
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=60555490&loc=109
I hope you don't mind if I ramble on a bit, because I really love this
song!
On a page that gives some history of "Sh-boom," I found this
interesting tidbit:
"Sh-Boom" is supposed to have been titled after the threat of an atom
bomb explosion -- Shhhh-BOOM! -- which, in the midst of Cold War
posturing in 1954, was a very real topic on the public's collective
consciousness. However, this demented ditty also included the
surreally optimistic message that everything was ultimately fine and
as the rest of the lyrics suggested, "life could be a dream."
History of Rock: The Chords
http://www.history-of-rock.com/dootwo.htm
Here's another page that tells a bit about the song's background:
Soul Walking: Chords
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Chords.html
And here you'll find the lyrics to "Sh-boom," as transcribed by Leo's
Lyrics:
Leo's Lyrics: The Chords - Sh-boom
http://www.leoslyrics.com/listlyrics.php?sid=%16%F0%AD%E6%2CdU%98
Thanks for a challenging and most entertaining trip down memory lane!
If any of this information requires clarification, please ask before
rating my answer.
Cordially,
pinkfreud |