From 1956 to 1961, The Coasters released a string of classic songs that reflected the life of the 50s American teenager with keen wit and rocking harmonies, but they were also one of the few bands in rock history to successfully straddle the line between music and comedy. Their undeniably funny lyrics and on stage antics might suggest a group of clowns.

Almost all these songs were written, produced and arranged by the remarkable songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The union of a black doo-wop with two white songwriters was one of the most favorable in rock history. Leiber and Stoller's witty, street-smart songs were sung with the sly humor of The Coasters and were often accompanied by the smoking saxophone of King Curtis.

They also made good use of their R&B roots by delivering Leiber and Stoller's comic songs in an up-tempo doo-wop style. Underneath all the humor, the songs often made easy to understand points about American culture for those willing to look a little deeper.

Leiber has described the style of The Coasters as "a white kid's view of a black person's understanding of white society." In fact, the group's success shows us how thin the line between R&B and rock n' roll was in the 50s. Liber also said that the songs that he and Stoller wrote started out as R&B songs that white kids liked and when people bought it, they became rock n' roll songs.

The group had 14 songs on the R&B charts with eight that crossed over into the mainstream pop charts. From 1957 to 1959, The Coasters unleashed half dozen songs that dominated the charts in one of the most formidable hit parades in rock n' roll history with hits like "Searchin'", "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," and "Young Blood."

With such a powerful mix of songwriting and performing talent, The Coasters also had a plethora of lesser known but equally great songs like "That Is Rock and Roll," “What About Us," and "Run Red Run."

The group was also quite popular over in England where The Beatles and The Rolling Stones covered their songs. Sadly, It was the British Invasion that marked the commercial end for 50s groups like The Coasters. While Leiber and Stoller continued to work with the group, The Coasters would never again be as big as they once were.

The Coasters were the first doo-wop group to tear down the wall between R&B and rock n’ roll and them incorporating humor into their music makes it all the more enjoyable. Plus, you also have the incredible songwriting of Leiber and Stoller. While all the member of the group have passed on, if you listen to the music of Parliament/Funkadelic or James Brown, you can hear elements of the Coasters' music.

Posted by Andrew on Saturday, 02/15/2014 @ 22:44pm

Great writeup, Andrew. Wonderful group.

Posted by Paul in KY on Monday, 02/17/2014 @ 07:37am

Amen

Posted by Matthew Bein on Sunday, 06/19/2022 @ 07:29am