This article is about the vocal quartet. For the film, see The Four Deuces.
"W-P-L-J" redirects here. The term may also refer to the New York City radio station, WPLJ.
The Four Deuces were an Americanrhythm and blues vocal quartet, formed in the mid-1950s in Salinas, California. The band was started by lead singer Luther McDaniel, and recorded several songs before they broke up in 1959. While active, the Four Deuces had moderate but short-lived popularity, mainly along the West Coast, mostly due to the frequent radio airplay of their hit song, "W-P-L-J."
The band was formed when Luther McDaniel and a group of army friends from Fort Ord got together and began to sing gospel songs. They soon moved to rhythm and blues, and began to look for a record deal.
Moving to San Francisco, the band came into contact with Ray Dobard and his company, Music City Records. Once in the studio, they recorded "W-P-L-J", and a B-side called "Here Lies My Love." This record was released in February 1956 (see 1956 in music), and received wide radio airplay across the US. Besides in their home territory of San Francisco, the Four Deuces were especially popular in Philadelphia.[1]
The Four Deuces returned to the studio later in the year and released another record, which featured "Down it Went" and "The Goose is Gone", but these were not as popular. The group broke up shortly after.
There has been one more recording released by the group, "Yellow Shoes/Pretty Polly" on Everest Records; however, there is some dispute about the authenticity of the record.
W-P-L-JEdit
The Four Deuces were best known for their song "W-P-L-J", which stands for white port and lemon juice. This later became the jingle for wine producer Italian Swiss Colony.
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention covered the song in 1969, releasing it in 1970 on the album Burnt Weeny Sandwich. This version was both a satire of and a homage to the original, and Zappa has conceded admiringly that he could not have written a song any more absurd.[3]
The song prompted[4][5] a rock radio station in New York then known as WABC-FM to change its call letters to WPLJ on February 14, 1971; it still uses the callsign to this day. A cover of the song by Hall and Oates was the last song played by the station as a commercial outlet on May 31, 2019.[6]
^JCMarion (2005). "The Four Deuces Remembered". Home.earthlink.net. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
^"WPLJ/My Guitar - Frank Zappa/The Mothers Of Invention". Zappafrenzy.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
^Kelly Fisher Lowe, The Words and Music of Frank Zappa.
^"For the record." Broadcasting, March 8, 1971, pg. 59
^Neer, Richard (2001). FM: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio. Random House Publishing. p. 85. ISBN9781588360731.
^Ellis Feaster (2019-05-31), WPLJ 95.5 New York - End of PLJ & Launch of K-Love - May 31 2019, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2019-06-02
External linksEdit
"DooWop Nation" article - "Remembering the Four Deuces"
August 27, 2023
four, deuces, this, article, about, vocal, quartet, film, redirects, here, term, also, refer, york, city, radio, station, wplj, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, source. This article is about the vocal quartet For the film see The Four Deuces W P L J redirects here The term may also refer to the New York City radio station WPLJ This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Four Deuces news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Four Deuces were an American rhythm and blues vocal quartet formed in the mid 1950s in Salinas California The band was started by lead singer Luther McDaniel and recorded several songs before they broke up in 1959 While active the Four Deuces had moderate but short lived popularity mainly along the West Coast mostly due to the frequent radio airplay of their hit song W P L J Contents 1 History 2 W P L J 2 1 The Mothers of Invention version 3 Discography 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThe band was formed when Luther McDaniel and a group of army friends from Fort Ord got together and began to sing gospel songs They soon moved to rhythm and blues and began to look for a record deal Moving to San Francisco the band came into contact with Ray Dobard and his company Music City Records Once in the studio they recorded W P L J and a B side called Here Lies My Love This record was released in February 1956 see 1956 in music and received wide radio airplay across the US Besides in their home territory of San Francisco the Four Deuces were especially popular in Philadelphia 1 The Four Deuces returned to the studio later in the year and released another record which featured Down it Went and The Goose is Gone but these were not as popular The group broke up shortly after There has been one more recording released by the group Yellow Shoes Pretty Polly on Everest Records however there is some dispute about the authenticity of the record W P L J EditThe Four Deuces were best known for their song W P L J which stands for white port and lemon juice This later became the jingle for wine producer Italian Swiss Colony The Mothers of Invention version Edit WPLJ Single by The Mothers of Inventionfrom the album Burnt Weeny SandwichB side My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama Released1969 2 GenreDoo wopLength3 02LabelBizarreSongwriter s Ray Dobard Luther McDanielProducer s Frank ZappaFrank Zappa singles chronology Anyway the Wind Blows 1969 WPLJ 1969 My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama 1969 Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention covered the song in 1969 releasing it in 1970 on the album Burnt Weeny Sandwich This version was both a satire of and a homage to the original and Zappa has conceded admiringly that he could not have written a song any more absurd 3 The song prompted 4 5 a rock radio station in New York then known as WABC FM to change its call letters to WPLJ on February 14 1971 it still uses the callsign to this day A cover of the song by Hall and Oates was the last song played by the station as a commercial outlet on May 31 2019 6 Discography Edit W P L J Here Lies My Love 1956 Down it Went The Goose is Gone 1956 Yellow Shoes Pretty Polly 1959 See also EditDoo WopReferences Edit JCMarion 2005 The Four Deuces Remembered Home earthlink net Retrieved 2016 10 02 WPLJ My Guitar Frank Zappa The Mothers Of Invention Zappafrenzy com Retrieved 2016 10 02 Kelly Fisher Lowe The Words and Music of Frank Zappa For the record Broadcasting March 8 1971 pg 59 Neer Richard 2001 FM The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio Random House Publishing p 85 ISBN 9781588360731 Ellis Feaster 2019 05 31 WPLJ 95 5 New York End of PLJ amp Launch of K Love May 31 2019 archived from the original on 2021 12 12 retrieved 2019 06 02External links Edit DooWop Nation article Remembering the Four Deuces Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Four Deuces amp oldid 1059981236 W P L J, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
