Name that oldie-but-goodie

June 27, 2009 1:41 AM

Dodie Stevens was a one-hit wonder in '59 with 'Tan Shoes And Pink Shoelaces'. But my folks had a 45 rpm record of a song by some kind of doo-wop or similar black vocal group that I want to date earlier than that - the song also referred to tan shoes and pink shoelaces. Who sang it?

I don't know the title for sure, nor do I know the name of the group - but I remember the first verse and the chorus:

Found a lantern that looked so weird,
I rubbed it hard and a genie appeared,
I said to the genie 'I'll set you free,
But first you have to tell me what you got for me.'

(spoken by the bass)
'I've got diamonds, rubies, em'ralds and pearls,
A great big harem filled with girls,
(something) car, a two-tone yacht,
But that ain't the only thing I got'

(sung by the bass)
'I got tan shoes and pink shoelaces
An LP record that'll never stop,
And if that ain't enough for you
I gotta permanent supply of she-bop she-bop.'

There was a nasty sax very prominent in the recording.

Does this ring a bell with any hardcore oldies/doowop fans? It's a silly little song, but it was a favorite of us kids in the family...if it belonged to my mom or dad as teens, that would have been in the early to mid '50s (they don't remember it). I wouldn't be surprise if the title was simple 'The Genie' but I'd really like the name of the group as well.

posted by DandyRandy to grab bag (3 comments total)

I can't help you, but I had to comment since your post is the only other reference to this song I've ever come across. I know this song by heart and sometimes wondered if I was the only one.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 9:35 AM on June 27

Thanks, Bananas - at least I know that we didn't have the only copy ever pressed!
posted by DandyRandy at 2:33 PM on June 27

Well, AskMeFi is haranguing me to resolve this thread, but there is no resolution. A query to the host of 'DooWop Express', Ron Norwood, resulted in him sending it out to his minions for research with no success, that maybe somehow it was a local or regional hit.

Thanks anyway, MeFiers.
posted by DandyRandy at 12:24 PM on July 27