The Brief Career of One-Hit Wonders The Gadabouts

Introduction:

The Gadabouts were a 1950s white doo-wop group who faded as quickly as they came. They came from Chicago, Illinois. Now one of the several one-hit wonder acts, they are now know for their only charting single, a cover of the Jayhawks’ “Stranded In The Jungle” (released on Mercury) in 1956. They made a handful of other records like “Go Boom,” “Oochi Pachi,” “By The Waters Of The Minnetonka,” “Giuseppe Mandoli” but none of them made any impact and the group soon disbanded.

The Gadabouts’ short career and their version of “Stranded in the Jungle”

The Gadabouts were a short-lived white doo-wop trio based in Chicago, Illinois They consisted Larry Craig, Johnnie Barr and Eddie Hayes. They were active in the 50s music era. Not much is known about the early years of their brief musical career.

During the 1940s and 1950s, recording cover renditions was pretty much a standard way in the music industry. The song “Stranded in the Jungle” was recorded and re-recorded by a number of artists. R&B and doo-wop group the Jay Hawks (not the rock group of the same name) were the original performers of the song. Their own version, released in 1956, peaked at #18 on the Billboard “Best Selling Popular Retail Records Chart” (which can be equivalent to the Hot 100).

The Cadets’ first cover of the song was the best-performing version, peaking at #16 on the Billboard pop chart in the same year. It was released moments after the Jay Hawks one.

The Gadabouts’ version was released also in 1956, pretty much after the Cadets’ own version. It peaked at #39 on the pop chart. It was to be their one and only charting hit single.

They made a handful of other oldies music pieces like “Go Boom,” “Oochi Pachi,” “By The Waters Of The Minnetonka,” “Giuseppe Mandoli” but none of them charted. They disappeared from the music scene as quickly as they came, becoming a one-hit wonder.

Discography (may be impartial)

1. (1954)

A: “By the Waters of Minnetoka”
B: “Giuseppe Mandolino”

2.(1955)

A: “(You Make My Heart) Go Boom Boom”
B: “Oochi Pachi”

3.(1955)

A: “Two Things I Love”
B: “Glass Heart”

5.(1955)

A: “Teen-age Rock”
B: “If You Only Had a Heart”

6.(1956)

A: “Too Much Monkey Business”
B: “To Be with You”

7.(1956)

A: “Busy Body Rock”
B: “All My Love Belongs to You”