(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet- The Beat Is Infectious!

The Orlons- A Philly Compulsion

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With me, the Orlons are becoming a compulsion.

The ‘60’s Philly-soul group hadn’t yet been on my radar screen when I was a youth listening to pop music of the American Graffiti era. Now that I’m older, I listen in a different way, and my curiosity is piqued.

Having grown up on ‘oldies but goodies’ collections as well as the personal faves of my older brothers and sisters, my ears became jaded to some of the more heavily played songs. I think that, while for most a collection would be enough, I’m starting to learn how to listen to pop music in a whole new way; in context. By that I mean, in the context of other music recorded at the time.

For instance, a playing of the Orlons first hit ‘Wah Watusi’ out of context (as it is on oldies radio stations) detracts from it a little. It’s a great stand-alone song, but playing in the context of other 1962 hits (the year it was released) reveals what a stunning, simple classic it really is.

‘Wah Watusi’ is charming and light, with a neat arrangement that is not overdone. The crisp harmonies reveal a genuine love of singing by the group and I think that might be part of what is missing in later music, too; today we’re so ‘bottom-line’ oriented we forget to just have fun and be ourselves.

But the Orlons, well, they’re having a party, and we’re invited.

Note: Video is actually the Orlons performing 'Spinning Top'-

just to give you an example of the Orlon's sound-