TV Free Baltimore just did a great interview with some of the members of The Lafayettes, a Baltimore, Maryland, based group that recorded for RCA/Victor records. Their song, "Life's Too Short,' was a hit all around the country, and massively popular abroad. The song was featured in the film Tin Men by Barry Levinson and Hairspray by John Waters.
Although they are not frequently discussed today, they developed an appreciative fan base including Marshall Crenshaw, Brian Eno, Robert Plant and The Beatles. The Lafayettes are mentioned in Mark Levinsohn's great book The Beatles: All These Years. Tune In:
"The Beatles' intense drive to stay one step ahead of every rival (and they were already at least fifty clear) was taken to extremes by Paul in July/August 1962 when sleuthing songs unknown or unconsidered by others. A good find was "Nobody But You," a B-side by a group from Towson, Maryland, called the Lafayettes. Beyond a mawkish introduction, this was a strong call-and-response number in the style of Kansas City. “
Being covered by the Beatles. Not bad.
The songs "Life's Too Short" and "Nobody Like You" were both co-written by my friend Lee Bonner, who also co-wrote and directed my first feature 21 Eyes. I am glad to see him and the other guys getting a little well-deserved recognition!
Here's the interview:
Here's some of their songs:
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