Record #0864: Sh-Boom / Little Maiden – THE CHORDS

Cat 104 (original), USA, June 1954
Words & Music by:  Side A – James Keyes, Claude & Carl Feaster, Floyd McRae, William Edwards; Side B – Keyes, Feaster, McRae, Edwards
Musicians:  Carl Feaster (lead tenor), Claude Feaster (baritone vocals), Jimmy Keyes (first tenor), Floyd "Buddy" McRae (second tenor), William "Ricky" Edwards (bass vocals), Sam “the Man” Taylor (tenor sax), Rupert Branker (piano), others unknown
Recording sessions:  Produced by Jesse Stone (and engineered by Tom Dowd) at Atlantic Studios, New York, NY, on 15. March 1954
Highest chart positions:  Side A – US #5, US R&B #2, US Cashbox #1; Side B – none

“Sh-Boom” was originally released in April 1954 as the flipside to a cover of Patti Page’s pop hit "Cross Over the Bridge." However, radio DJs completely ignored the A-side and started spinning "Sh-Boom" instead. The response was so explosive that Cat Records had to quickly rush-release a new version of Cat 104, flipping "Sh-Boom" to the A-side and replacing the other track with "Little Maiden."

Shortly after the record became a massive hit, a white group named “the Chords” threatened legal action because they already owned the rights to the name. To avoid a lawsuit while their record was climbing the charts, the group was forced to hastily change their name to The Chordcats. Because of this, some later pressings of the Cat 104 shellac record feature the name "The Chordcats" instead of "The Chords," making those specific pressings highly prized by collectors.

The pianist Rupert Branker later joined the Platters. He was murdered in Los Angeles in 1961.

List price: Les Docks lists this at $7-$10. The median price on Discogs is $13,34. 45cat.com price guide shows €89. 39 copies have been sold in eBay in the range of $20 - $150.