The 5 Royales
The "5" Royales were a relatively unheralded, but significant, link between early R&B and early soul in their combination of doo wop, jump blues, and gospel styles. Their commercial success was relatively modest -- they had seven Top Ten R&B hits in the 1950s, most recorded in the span of little over a year between late 1952 and late 1953. A few of their singles would prove extremely popular in cover versions by other artists, though -- James Brown and Aretha Franklin tore it up with "Think," Ray Charles covered "Tell the Truth," and the Shirelles (and later the Mamas & the Papas) had pop success with "Dedicated to the One I Love." Almost all of their material was written by guitarist Lowman Pauling, who influenced Steve Cropper with his biting and bluesy guitar lines, which at their most ferocious almost sound like a precursor to blues-rock.
Pauling's guitar is pretty muted on their early sides, though, which sometimes walk the line between gospel and R&B. The gospel elements aren't surprising, given that the Royales were originally known as the Royal Sons Quintet when they formed in Winston-Salem, N.C. In fact, they were still known as the Royal Sons Quintet when they began recording for Apollo in the early '50s, although they had six members. They would change their name to the "5" Royales in 1952, although they would, confusingly, remain a six-man outfit for a while; the quotes around the 5 in their billing were designed to alleviate some of the confusion. The Apollo singles "Baby Don't Do It" and "Help Me Somebody" made number one on the R&B charts in 1953, and they had a few other hits for Apollo before being lured away to King Records in 1954.
Although the group would remain on King for the rest of the 1950s, they would only enter the R&B Top Ten two more times, with "Think" and "Tears of Joy" (both in 1957). Their later sides, however, are their best, as Pauling became much more assertive on the guitar, dashing off some piercing and fluid solos. Some of these solos are among the heaviest and wildest in '50s rock, on both relatively well-known cuts like "Think," and virtually unknown numbers like "The Slummer the Slum." Greil Marcus once wrote something to the effect that a young Eric Clapton would have once paid to hold Pauling's coat. They remained primarily a harmony vocal group, though, and if their late-'50s sides are considerably more modernized than their early Apollo hits, they're still a lot closer to doo wop than soul.
Even when their records weren't selling, the "5" Royales were a popular touring band. Their constant activity at King Records, in all likelihood, had some influence on the young James Brown, then starting his career on the same label; one of Brown's first big R&B hits was a frenetic cover of "Think." They couldn't sustain themselves without more hits, though. After leaving King and recording some more sides in the early '60s, they finally broke up by 1965.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Think
R&B - Paru chez Wind & Broomfield Records le 24 juil. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Essential 5 Royales Vol 3
Soul - Paru chez Acetate le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Double or Nothing
R&B - Paru chez Music All Records le 27 mars 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Right Round the Corner
Jazz - Paru chez Black Sheep Music le 14 déc. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The 5 Royales' Baby Don't Do It
R&B - Paru chez Charly Records le 24 juin 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just As I Am: The Best of the 5 Royales
R&B - Paru chez Lumi OMP le 16 déc. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Diamond Collection (Original Recordings)
R&B - Paru chez X Select Records le 27 mars 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Essential 5 Royales Vol 2
Soul - Paru chez Acetate le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Essential 5 Royales Vol 4
Soul - Paru chez Acetate le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Essential 5 Royales Vol 1
Soul - Paru chez Acetate le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
It's Hard but It's Fair
Jazz - Paru chez Black Sheep Music le 6 déc. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Listen to the 5 Royales (All Tracks Remastered)
R&B - Paru chez jjjedizionimusicali le 19 juin 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Think / Don't Be Ashamed (Remastered)
Soul - Paru chez Stacks le 12 janv. 1958
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baby Don't Do It
Pop - Paru chez Black Sheep Music le 12 août 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Help Me Somebody
Pop - Paru chez Black Sheep Music le 12 août 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Greatest Of Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, The Flamingos & The 5 Royales (All Tracks Remastered)
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, The Flamingos, The 5 Royales
R&B - Paru chez Millennium Digital Remaster le 17 sept. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Magical Three: The 5 Royales, The Clovers & The Flamingos (All Tracks Remastered)
The 5 Royales, The Clovers, The Flamingos
Divers - Paru chez Hit Singles Records le 28 avr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Valley Records Collection (Original Recording)
R&B - Paru chez Valley Records le 7 juil. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo