Comments: 8

• Michael Silva from American In The PhilippinesThe Honeydrippers version is perfection. Beautifully arranged, the backup singers and Robert Plant. Plant let it go without making it sentimental and here we are still listening to it and it will go on until the end of time. The way Plant belted out the last verse, he sang it the way he wanted to and his approach is awkward but not dark. It gives the track tremendous style and remains a unique love song with simple lyrics. The instrumentation and arrangements are so lovely from the first note to the last. Yes, it came out of the 1980's. What a decade for original music from some of the best artists in music history. "Sea of Love" isn't an original piece but the Honeydrippers were an all-star band that made their version of the song the best one by far.
• Currell Pattie from Keswick, VaThis song has an eerie, dreamlike, mesmerizing quality that I can't quite describe. One of a kind. I was a teenager when it was released, liked it then as now.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: www.legacy.com
  Phil Phillips passed away on March 14th, 2020 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He was 94 years old...
  He was a singer and songwriter best known for his 1959 hit “Sea of Love”*. The song was a million-seller that was later covered by other artists, including popular versions by Del Shannon in 1981 and the Honeydrippers in 1984...
  May he R.I.P.
  * "Sea of Love" entered Billboard's Top 100 chart on July 6th, 1959 at position #85, seven weeks later it would peak at #2 {for 2 weeks} and it spent eighteen weeks on the Top 100.
  For the two weeks "Sea of Love" was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "The Three Bells" by the Browns...
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 15, 1984, a video of the Honey Dripper's "Sea of Love" was aired on the Dick Clark ABC-TV Saturday-afternoon program, 'American Bandstand'...
  At the time the song was at #5 on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two weeks later it would peak at #3 {for 1 week} and it spent eighteen weeks on the Top 100...
  And on December 9th, 1984 it reached #1 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 5, 1959, Phil Phillips performed "Sea of Love" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV weekday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
  At the time the song was at #21 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, three weeks later it would peak at #2* {for 2 weeks} and it spent 18 weeks on the Top 100...
  The Honeydrippers covered the song in 1984, their version peaked at #3 on the Top 100...
  Phil Phillips, born Philip Baptiste, will celebrate his 92nd birthday come next March 14th, 2018...
  *The two weeks that "Sea of Love" was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "The Three Bells" by the Browns.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 31, 1965, the Hondells performed "Sea of Love*" on the Dick Clark ABC-TV network Saturday-afternoon program 'American Bandstand'...
  Their covered version didn't made Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; between 1964 and 1966 they had three Top 100 records, "Little Honda" {#9 in 1964}, "My Buddy Seat" {#87 in 1965} and a covered version the Lovin' Spoonful's "Younger Girl" {#52 in 1966}...
  * The original version of "Sea of Love" by Phil Phillips peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} in 1959, and Del Shannon covered it in 1982, his version peaked at #33 {for 2 weeks}.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 3rd 1979, a sold-out concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper...
  Wolfman Jack hosted the show, and one of the acts* to perform was Del Shannon...
  It had been thirteen years since Del had his last charted record on Billboard's Hot Top 100; on May 1st, 1966 his covered version of Miss Toni Fisher's "The Big Hurt" entered the Top 100 at position #95, the following week it rose one position to #94 and that was it 2nd and last week on the chart...
  Two years later in 1981 his last charted record, "Sea of Love", debut on the Top 100 on December 6th, 1981 at #81 {See the next post below}...
  * Others acts on the bill were Jimmy Clanton, the Drifters, and a special appearance by original Cricket, Nikki Sullivan.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 16th 1982, Del Shannon performed "Sea of Love" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  One month earlier December 6th, 1981 his covered version entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on January 31st, 1982 it peaked at #33 (for 2 weeks) and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
  It was his 17th and last record to entered the Top 100 chart (three of them made the Top 10, with one peaking at #1, "Runaway", for 4 weeks in 1961)...
  R.I.P. Mr. Shannon, born Charles Weedon Westover, (1934 - 1990).

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