The Rivingtons - History

History

Their first hit was "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" (Liberty #55427, 1962). Like many such songs, it began with the bass chanting nonsense syllables (in this case the title), followed by the tenor singing over repetitions of it. "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow," an even more baroque rewrite of the theme, failed to sell, but they returned to the charts the following year with the similar "The Bird's The Word." The B-side of "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow" was "Waiting."(Liberty #55528)

Previously, the Rivingtons had been known as the Sharps, and they had already had success in the charts with Thurston Harris's "Little Bitty Pretty One" in 1957, after which they appeared on several Duane Eddy recordings when any extraneous sounds of rebel yells were required, as on Eddy's 1958 hit "Rebel Rouser." They also recorded on Warner Brothers Records as The Crenshaws in 1961.

After their two hit singles, the Rivingtons struggled to find another hit. However, "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and "The Bird's The Word" were revived, courtesy of a Minnesota-based group calling itself the Trashmen, who made a song up in 1963 from the two songs' nonsense syllables, calling it "Surfin' Bird." The Trashmen recorded the selection over a record shop and passed it off as their own work. It was a medley of the choruses without the verses. However, the Rivingtons's management reported it to their lawyers, and the group members were ordered to add the surnames of the Rivingtons to the credits. The Rivingtons recorded several more songs in the '60s, and after the Columbia single "A Rose Growing In The Ruins" flopped, their recording career ended. They took up performing again in the '70s, with Madero White replacing Al Frazier.

Carl White died at age 47, of acute tonsillitis, in his Los Angeles home. Al Frazier, Sonny Harris, and Rocky Wilson played the oldies circuit extensively throughout the 1980s, Replacing White with Clay Hammond until 1987, then Andrew Butler into the 1990s. In 1989, the Rivingtons appeared in an episode of L.A. Law as a doo-wop group, "The Sensations." They were later featured in an 1990 episode of Night Court, "Razing Bull" as Mac's former group-mates "The Starlights."

After the publicity surrounding the allegations in Billboard, the Trashmen had to share the writing credits on not only this recording but also a later one as a sign of good faith. "Surfin' Bird" itself was revived in the 1970s by the Ramones and The Cramps.