1954
EARTH ANGEL * THE PENGUINS * LONDON 8114 * UK
This Earth Angel (a divine ballad) is one of those records that could have a book devoted to it on its own; the bare facts are: it was the second release for the group on Dootsie Williams, Dootone label # 348, it was released in October 1954 after being hurriedly pressed up from what was just meant as a demo copy to give an idea of the song to the said Dootsie Williams. The demo was recorded on a one track machine in somebody's backyard garage, and after a tremendous response when it was given test play over the air at John Dolphins record store, the record was pressed up without further ado. When played on the radio it went ballistic and not only spent three weeks at number 1 on the R&B charts but entered the Pop top ten; in it's first flush it sold about 2 million copies, but carried on selling and has sold well over 10 million copies since then, it was even, so it is said, selling a thousand copies a week world wide in 1983!
Originally released as the B side of Dootone 348 in 1954, it was subsequently released in the UK in January 1956, on both the 78 and 45 RPM speeds. Not surprisingly Earth Angel spawned a multitude of cover versions, one such was a British version by The Southlanders (see below) on Parlophone R 4025. The group seemed to specialize in recording cover versions, that, might be said, were easier on the ear than the originals.
SHEET MUSIC FOR EARTH ANGEL BY THE SOUTHLANDERS