FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 4, 2017

DEAR JERRY:There is a tiny, but surprising difference, between many 1950s and 1960s group names. Most top groups in the 1950s had names like "The" Platters, "The" Coasters, or "The" Diamonds; but in the '60s, many stopped using "The."

I don't know which band started that trend, but a couple of early examples might be Jefferson Airplane, and Blues Magoos.

Can you do a group name comparison of those two decades? I'm especially interested to know if there are any from the '50s that I missed, who omitted "The."
—Craig Considine, Hammond, Ind.

DEAR CRAIG: Not only are there some 1950s' groups that you missed, it will likely surprise you to learn that, though in the minority, groups without a "The" have been around since before the turn of the century … nearly 120 years ago.

Perhaps the pioneer group was Haydn Quartet, an outfit with over five dozen popular records from 1898 to 1921. Most of their 78s were for Victor Records, and nearly all credit "Haydn Quartet."

American Quartet and Peerless Quartet vocal groups arrived on the music scene shortly after Haydn Quartet, but with even more releases.

The latter's labels often read "Sung by Peerless Quartet," showing they had no interest in being billed as "The Peerless Quartet."

Throughout history, label makers of all companies have, intentionally or not, created variations. For example, most records by groups normally without a "The" can be found with one. It was also a toss-up about whether these foursomes would be labeled a "Quartet" or "Quartette."

Now you know that groups without a "The" were nothing new in the 1960s, here's the two-decade comparison you requested, based only on Top 10 hits from the Pop charts:

The '50s began with Andrews Sisters. They had been credited that way since 1938. In the 1930s and '40s, records with Bing Crosby read "Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters," but in the 1950s even that changed to "Bing Crosby and Andrews Sisters."

The only other qualifying groups in 1950 were Ames Brothers, and Mills Brothers. Both had multiple hits that year, though it was solo vocalists dominating the charts in the first half of the '50s.

The Mills siblings began recording in the early 1930s, always as Mills Brothers, including when joined by others, such as "Louis Armstrong and Mills Brothers," and "Peggy Lee and Mills Brothers."

Understandably, most album and EP covers use a "The" in the title, even when the records within do not. "Meet the Mills Brothers" reads and sounds better than "Meet Mills Brothers."

In 1957, after 30 years with Decca, they signed with Dot Records. Not only did they switch labels, they also changed their name to The Mills Brothers. It remained that way for the rest of their career, including stints with Dot, and its various affiliations, mainly Paramount, ABC, and Ranwood (1958-1976).

Four Aces were the next group joining the Top 10 club. They charted about three dozen hits in the '50s, nearly all credited to "Four Aces Featuring Al Alberts."

It was just over two years before any "The" group appeared in the Top 10, and it was The Bell Sisters, on RCA Victor with "Bermuda." The girls had three more RCA singles, but then came two for other labels billing them as "Bell Sisters."

Also in 1952 and '53 we were introduced to The Hill Toppers (a.k.a. Hilltoppers), The Gaylords, and The Four Lads.

But it was 1954 when eight new groups flourished: The Four Knights; The Crew-Cuts; The Chords; The Four Tunes; The McGuire Sisters; The Chordettes; The Fontane Sisters; and The De Castro Sisters (later as "De Castro Sisters, but not in the Top 10). Most groups in the second half of the decade were of the "The" variety.

For the entire decade, we find eight groups without a "The," and each is shown with their first Top 10 hit:

1. Andrews Sisters "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (1950)
2. Ames Brothers "Rag Mop" (1950)
3. Mills Brothers "Daddy's Little Girl" (1950)
4. Four Aces "Sin" (1951)
5. De John Sisters "(My Baby Don't Love Me) No More" (1955)
6. Poni-Tails "Born Too Late" (1958)
7. Kalin Twins "When" (1958)
8. Royal Teens "Short Shorts" (1958)

When compared to the previous decade, the Top 10 hits of the 520 weeks that make up the 1960s indicate slightly over three times as many successful groups without a "The":

1. Hollywood Argyles "Alley-Oop" (1960)
2. Safaris with The Phantom's Band "Image of a Girl" (1960)
3. U.S. Bonds "New Orleans" (1960)
4. Pips "Every Beat of My Heart" (1961)
5. Mar-Keys "Last Night" (1961)
6. Chantay's "Pipeline" (1963)
7. Four Tops "Baby I Need Your Loving" (1964)
8. Syndicate of Sound "Little Girl" (1966)
9. Count Five "Psychotic Reaction" (1966)
10. Blues Magoos "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet" (1967)
11. Jefferson Airplane "Somebody to Love" (1967)
12. Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (1967)
13. Strawberry Alarm Clock "Incense and Peppermints" (1967)
14. Soul Survivors "Expressway (To Your Heart)" (1967
15. Classics IV "Spooky" (1968)
16. 1910 Fruitgum Co. "Simon Says" (1968)
17. Ohio Express "Yummy Yummy Yummy" (1968)
18. Cream (or The Cream) "Sunshine of Your Love" (1968)
    Issued both ways, which is very unusual
19. Steppenwolf "Born to Be Wild" (1968)
20. Brooklyn Bridge "Worst That Could Happen" (1969)
21. Creedence Clearwater Revival "Proud Mary" (1969)
22. Blood, Sweat & Tears "You've Made Me So Very Happy" (1969)
23. Mercy "Love (Can Make You Happy)" (1969)
24. Three Dog Night "One" (1969)
25. Smith "Baby It's You" (1969)
26. Steam "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (1969)

IZ ZAT SO? Because someone is bound to ask how many No. 1 hits in the 1950s and '60s are by artists not using "The," now is a good time to get in front of that. There are 10 groups with 15 No. 1 tunes on a national chart:

Andrews Sisters: "I Can Dream, Can't I?" (1950); "I Wanna Be Loved" (1950)
Ames Brothers: "Rag Mop" (1950); "Sentimental Me" (1950); "You You You" (1953)
Mills Brothers: "The Glow Worm" (1952)
Four Aces: "Three Coins in the Fountain" (1954); "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" (1955)
Hollywood Argyles "Alley-Oop" (1960)
Four Tops: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" (1964); "Reach Out, I'll Be There" (1966)
Strawberry Alarm Clock: "Incense and Peppermints" (1967)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Proud Mary" (1969); "Bad Moon Rising" (1969)
Blood, Sweat & Tears: "And When I Die" (1969)
Steam: "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (1969)

Though well outside the scope of this research, the '80s band, The The truly needed "The." Without it they would just be "The."