Sixty Minute Man
| "Sixty Minute Man" | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Song by The Dominoes | |
| Released | May 1951 |
| Recorded | December 30, 1950 |
| Genre |
Rhythm and blues Beach music Rock and roll |
| Length | 2:31 |
| Label | Federal Records |
| Writer(s) | Billy Ward, Rose Marks |
"Sixty Minute Man" is a rhythm and blues (R&B) record released in 1951 by The Dominoes. It was written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks and was one of the first R&B hit records to cross over to become a hit on the pop charts. It is regarded as one of the most important of the recordings that helped generate and shape rock and roll.
The Dominoes were a black vocal group consisting of Clyde McPhatter (1932–1972), who later left the group to form the Drifters; Bill Brown (1936-1956); Charlie White (1930-2005); and Joe Lamont (d. 1998), led by their pianist, manager and songwriter, Billy Ward (1921–2002). Ward was a black, classically trained vocal coach who had formed a business partnership with a white New York talent agent, Rose Marks.
The pair decided to put together a smooth vocal group to rival The Ink Spots, the Orioles, and similar groups who were beginning to win acceptance with white audiences. In 1950, the Dominoes were signed to Federal Records and held a series of recording sessions at the National Studios in New York in November and December of that year.
Their initial release, "Do Something For Me", was the first record on which McPhatter sang lead. The song was musically a gospel song with gospel-style melismas but was lyrically secular. A success, the song entered the R&B charts at the beginning of February 1951. Less successful was its follow-up, the pop standard "Harbor Lights", recorded on December 30 1950.
The record company then turned to the other sharply contrasting, straight R&B song which the group had recorded on the same day, "Sixty Minute Man". It was issued in May 1951 (on Federal 12022), and by the end of the month had reached #1 on the R&B charts, a position it held for an almost unprecedented 14 weeks. The single also made it to number 17, on the pop singles chart and was voted "Song of the year" for 1951.
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