Memories of El Monte
"Memories of El Monte" is a doo-wop song released in 1963 by the Penguins featuring Cleve Duncan. It was written by Frank Zappa and Ray Collins before they were in the Mothers of Invention. The song was first released as Original Sound 27.[2]
"Memories of El Monte"
Composition[edit]
In 1960, Art Laboe released one of the first oldies compilations, Memories of El Monte, a collection of songs by bands that used to play at the dances Laboe organized at Legion Stadium in El Monte, California.[3]
At some point in the next few years, Ray Collins visited Frank Zappa at his house at 314 W. G Street in Ontario, California.[4] Frank told him that he and a friend had thought of writing a song entitled "Memories of El Monte." Ray had been to the dances at El Monte Legion Stadium and had played there with tenor saxophonist Chuck Higgins. Ray sat down at Frank's piano, played the "Earth Angel" chord changes and immediately came up with the first lyrics for "Memories of El Monte."
Frank Zappa took the song to Art Laboe, who loved it.[3] Laboe came up with the idea of adding a section that named doo-wop groups and having the Penguins impersonate their songs.[3]
"Memories of El Monte" was recorded at Paul Buff’s Pal Recording Studio in Cucamonga, California in 1963.[5] The song was copyrighted on February 20, 1963.[6]
Although the track is credited to the Penguins featuring Cleve Duncan, and Zappa claimed it was recorded by "a bunch of guys from the car wash," it was actually sung by Cleve Duncan of the Penguins, backed by the Viceroys.
"Memories of El Monte" was released five times as a single:[16][17]
"Memories of El Monte" appears on a 1984 live LP from Ace Records called Big Jay McNeely Meets the Penguins, as part of a medley with "Earth Angel". The original version also appears on the following compilations:
Pop culture references[edit]
A chapter in the book, Generations of youth: youth cultures and history in twentieth-century America by Joe Austin and Michael Willard, is entitled “Memories of El Monte" Intercultural Dance Halls in Post-World War II Los Angeles.[19]
"Memories of El Monte" was used in the movie Colors.[20] It is the name of an annual oldies show in El Monte.[19] It is also the name of a textbook about El Monte.[21]
When the Mothers of Invention played at The Trip, a club in Los Angeles, they got a lot of requests for "Help, I'm a Rock" and "Memories of El Monte." No one danced during these songs because there are spoken sections which would cause the audience to stop dancing and listen. Elmer Valentine wanted people to dance in his club because if someone looked in the door and saw an empty dance floor they wouldn't come in. One night, the Mothers of Invention played the "Help, I'm a Rock" and "Memories of El Monte" for an hour and no one danced. Immediately after that they were selling pop bottles to get money for cigarettes and bologna.[3][14]