FLIP DOO WOP VOLUME 2 takes us into the middle years of the Flip label's vocal group output. With the majority of the sides coming from the late 50s, this compilation is a mix of the dreamy ballads, upbeat tunes and novelty items that typified the doo wop mixture of the day.

>Label mainstay Richard Berry is represented under his own name backed by the Pharoahs on three tracks, but as was quite common at the time, they also assumed another name for a record on the same label. They chose the name the Cyclones for this release and the true identity of the group is one of the reasons why their coupling of My Dear / Do You Love Me is highly sought after. Volume 2 also includes high-priced items from Arthur Lee Maye backed by an un-named group on 'Cause You're Mine Alone / Hey Pretty Girl as well as the Dukes' coupling of Looking For You backed with the novelty Groceries Sir! When complete, the Flip Doo Wop series should provide a treat for the collector in search of those hard to find sides. Volume 1 featured what is arguably the rarest record on the label, the Rhythm Masters' Patricia / Baby We Too and there's more in store for Volume 3 which will include the King Bees' Give Me Your Number / Pretty Love and the Maharajahs' Sweet Loretta / Oh Shirley. Two tracks are released for the first time on this CD - a lovely track from Arthur Lee Maye and his group and a track from the previously unknown group the Rainiers. As usual, the male vocal groups are balanced by girl- and mixed-group sounds from Trudy Williams & The Six Teens, the Dreamers and the Lockettes.

Flip's roster of artists included many groups who wrote their own songs - on this compilation items by the Maharajahs, Donald Woods & the Velaires and the Lockettes were penned by group nembers. Even though this was the case, what is remarkable is the degree of reliance that Flip's Max Feirtag placed on just two writers - Richard Berry himself and Ed Wells of the Six Teens. As Gordon Skadberg points out in his notes - "Berry wrote most of the material for the Pharaohs (aka Cyclones), Dreamers, Lockettes, and Arthur Lee Maye. Ed Wells wrote almost all of the Six Teens songs as well as the Ivy Leaguers, Emotions, and Jimmie Smith tunes (planned for Ace CD FLIP DOO WOP VOLUME 3). Indeed, over half of the songs on this CD were written by these two gifted song writers!"

by Peter Gibbon