Clyde McPhatter
Encyclopedia
Clyde McPhatter was an American R&B singer, perhaps the most widely imitated R&B singer of the 1950s and 1960s, making him a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. He is best known for his solo hit "A Lover's Question". McPhatter was lead tenor for The Mount Lebanon Singers, a gospel group he formed as a teenager.; and later, lead tenor for Billy Ward and His Dominoes. After his tenure with the Dominoes, McPhatter formed his own group called The Drifters
before going solo, leaving a legacy of over 22 years of recording history.
, on November 15, 1932, and raised in a religious Baptist
family; the son of the Rev. George McPhatter and wife Beulah (though some accounts refer to her as Eva). Starting at age five, he sang in his father's church gospel
choir along with his three brothers and three sisters. When he was ten, Clyde was the soprano-voiced soloist for the choir. In 1945, the Rev. McPhatter moved his family to Teaneck, New Jersey
where Clyde attended Chelsior High School. He worked part-time as a grocery store clerk, and eventually was promoted to shift manager upon graduating high school. The family then relocated to New York City
, where Clyde formed the gospel group The Mount Lebanon Singers.
" for Federal Records
, a song sometimes regarded as the "first record of rock 'n roll," produced by Ralph Bass
. (It is noteworthy to know that winning "Amateur night" at the Apollo is not an easy feat.)
Clyde's fervent, high-pitched tenor was a large part of the Dominoes' success. He is regarded as the main singer to infuse his gospel-steeped singing style into mainstream R&B, though blues singer Roy Brown
was actually the first to do so. Although Brown started the trend, McPhatter was more widely imitated, and was a much bigger influence in the shaping of Doo-Wop/R&B. In his book The Drifters, Bill Millar names Ben E. King
, Smokey Robinson
of the Miracles, Sammy Turner, and Marv Johnson
among the vocalists who patterned themselves after McPhatter. "Most important," he concludes, "McPhatter took hold of the Ink Spots' simple major chord harmonies, drenched them in call-and-response patterns and sang as if he were back in church. In doing so, he created a revolutionary musical style from which---thankfully---popular music will never recover." Strangely, McPhatter didn't think much of his own singing abilities. The numerous Clyde McPhatter imitators tell a different story, namely Nolan Strong of The Diablos, Bobby Day
, Dee Clark
, and an unlikely Patsy Cline
(listen to the two versions of "Someday you'll want me to want you;" the original version recorded in 1954 by McPhatter with the Drifters. Cline's delivery is imitative of the McPhatter version).
After recording several more songs, including "Have Mercy Baby
", "Do Something for Me," and "The Bells," McPhatter quit The Dominoes in 1953. He was sometimes passed off as "Clyde Ward," Billy's little brother. Others assumed it was Billy Ward doing the lead singing. Because of such occurrences, and because he was frequently at odds with Ward, McPhatter quit the Dominoes, intent on making a name for himself. McPhatter announced his intent to quit the group, which Billy Ward agreed to. Auditions were held at Detroit's Fox Theater and a young Jackie Wilson
would take over as lead tenor for the Dominoes, influencing Wilson's singing style and stage presence. "I fell in love with the man's voice. I toured with the group and watched Clyde and listened..."---and apparently learned. Privately, McPhatter and Ward often argued, but publicly Clyde expressed his appreciation to Ward for giving him his start in show business.
, founder of Atlantic Records
, eagerly sought McPhatter after noticing he was not present for an appearance The Dominoes once made at Birdland
, which was "an odd booking for the Dominoes", in Ertegun's words. After locating him, McPhatter was then signed to Atlantic on the condition that he form his own group. McPhatter promptly assembled a group and called them The Drifters. They recorded a few tracks in June 1953, including a song called "Lucille," written by McPhatter himself. This group of Drifters did not have the sound Atlantic executives were looking for, however, and Clyde was prompted to assemble another group of singers. The revised lineup recorded and released such hits as "Money Honey," "Such a Night," "Honey Love
," "White Christmas
" and "Whatcha Gonna Do," with the record label proudly displaying the group name "Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters." (The story of The Drifters is full of personnel changes. The first group of Drifters Clyde assembled were mostly members of The Mount Lebanon Singers.)
In late 1954, McPhatter was drafted
into the Army and assigned to Special Services in the continental United States, which allowed him to continue recording. After his tour of duty was up, he left The Drifters and launched a solo career.
- "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown
). He released several R&B recordings in the next few years, including "Seven Days" (later a bigger hit for Tom Jones
), "Treasure of Love," "Just to Hold my Hand", and his biggest solo hit, "A Lover's Question
," written by Brook Benton
and Clyde Otis
, which peaked at No. 6 in 1958. In 1962, the song "Lover Please," written by country artist Billy Swan was released. His 1956 recording "Treasure of Love" saw his first solo No. 1 on the R&B charts and one week in the UK Singles Chart
. It reached No. 16 on the U.S. Pop charts.
After leaving Atlantic Records, McPhatter then signed on with MGM Records
, and released several more songs, including "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) and his first single for Mercury Records
"Ta Ta." He recorded more singles, including "I Never Knew" and his final Top Ten hit "Lover Please," which made it to No. 7 in 1962. It was after "Lover Please" that McPhatter saw a downward turn in his career, as musical styles and tastes were constantly changing during the 1960s.
In 1968, McPhatter moved to England, where he was still highly revered, and he was backed by UK band "ICE".
McPhatter returned to America
in 1970, making a few appearances in rock 'n roll revival tours, but remaining mostly a recluse. Hopes for a major comeback with a Decca album were crushed on June 13, 1972, when Clyde McPhatter died in his sleep at the age of 39 from complications of heart
, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse - abuse that had been fueled by a failed career and the resentment he harbored towards the fans he felt had deserted him. In a 1971 interview with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter told Vance "I have no fans."
McPhatter was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey
at the time of his death. He was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey
.
Ruth Brown acknowledged in her later years that McPhatter was the actual father of her son Ronald, born in 1954. Ron now tours occasionally with a show of Drifters songs.
.
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame
recognized his pioneering efforts.
The Original Drifters were inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 1998.
The United States Postal Service
issued a stamp in his honor in 1993.
The song "Money Honey" (1953) was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
No album he recorded ever appeared on the charts.
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
before going solo, leaving a legacy of over 22 years of recording history.
Early life
Clyde Lensley McPhatter was born in the tobacco town community of Hayti, Durham, North CarolinaHayti, Durham, North Carolina
Hayti is the African American community in the city of Durham, North Carolina. The business section was also known as "Lil" Mexico in the early 1920s and 30s. Over 200 Africian American businesses were located along Fayetteville, Pettigrew and Pine Streets, the boundaries of Hayti during it's...
, on November 15, 1932, and raised in a religious Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
family; the son of the Rev. George McPhatter and wife Beulah (though some accounts refer to her as Eva). Starting at age five, he sang in his father's church gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
choir along with his three brothers and three sisters. When he was ten, Clyde was the soprano-voiced soloist for the choir. In 1945, the Rev. McPhatter moved his family to Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
where Clyde attended Chelsior High School. He worked part-time as a grocery store clerk, and eventually was promoted to shift manager upon graduating high school. The family then relocated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where Clyde formed the gospel group The Mount Lebanon Singers.
Membership in Billy Ward & The Dominoes (1950-53)
In 1950, after winning "Amateur Night" at Harlem's Apollo Theater, McPhatter returned to his job as store manager but later was recruited by Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute ManSixty Minute Man
"Sixty Minute Man" is a rhythm and blues record released in 1951 by The Dominoes. It was written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks and was one of the first R&B hit records to cross over to become a pop hit on the pop charts...
" for Federal Records
Federal Records
Federal Records was an American record label founded in 1950 as a subsidiary of Syd Nathan's King Records and based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was run by famed record producer Ralph Bass and was mainly devoted to Rhythm & Blues releases. But also hillbilly and rockabilly recordings were released,...
, a song sometimes regarded as the "first record of rock 'n roll," produced by Ralph Bass
Ralph Bass
Ralph Bass , born in The Bronx, New York of an Italian-American-Catholic father, and a German-American-Jewish mother, was an influential rhythm and blues record producer and talent scout for several independent labels and was responsible for many hit records. He was a pioneer in bringing black...
. (It is noteworthy to know that winning "Amateur night" at the Apollo is not an easy feat.)
Clyde's fervent, high-pitched tenor was a large part of the Dominoes' success. He is regarded as the main singer to infuse his gospel-steeped singing style into mainstream R&B, though blues singer Roy Brown
Roy Brown (blues musician)
Roy James Brown was an American R&B singer, songwriter and musician, who had an influence on the early development of rock and roll music. His "Good Rocking Tonight" was covered by Wynonie Harris, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, and the rock group Montrose. In addition,...
was actually the first to do so. Although Brown started the trend, McPhatter was more widely imitated, and was a much bigger influence in the shaping of Doo-Wop/R&B. In his book The Drifters, Bill Millar names Ben E. King
Ben E. King
Benjamin Earl King , better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a U.S...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
of the Miracles, Sammy Turner, and Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson was an American R&B and soul singer, most notable for performing on the first record to be issued from what became Motown.-Biography:...
among the vocalists who patterned themselves after McPhatter. "Most important," he concludes, "McPhatter took hold of the Ink Spots' simple major chord harmonies, drenched them in call-and-response patterns and sang as if he were back in church. In doing so, he created a revolutionary musical style from which---thankfully---popular music will never recover." Strangely, McPhatter didn't think much of his own singing abilities. The numerous Clyde McPhatter imitators tell a different story, namely Nolan Strong of The Diablos, Bobby Day
Bobby Day
Bobby Day , was an early African American rock and roll and R&B musician.Born Robert James Byrd, , in Fort Worth, Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of 15...
, Dee Clark
Dee Clark
Dee Clark was an African-American soul singer best known for a string of R&B and pop hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the ballad "Raindrops," which became a million-seller in the United States in 1961....
, and an unlikely Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
(listen to the two versions of "Someday you'll want me to want you;" the original version recorded in 1954 by McPhatter with the Drifters. Cline's delivery is imitative of the McPhatter version).
After recording several more songs, including "Have Mercy Baby
Have Mercy Baby
"Have Mercy Baby" is a popular rhythm and blues song, written by Billy Ward and Rose Marks, recorded by The Dominoes in Cincinnati, produced by Ralph Bass, and released by Federal Records in 1952...
", "Do Something for Me," and "The Bells," McPhatter quit The Dominoes in 1953. He was sometimes passed off as "Clyde Ward," Billy's little brother. Others assumed it was Billy Ward doing the lead singing. Because of such occurrences, and because he was frequently at odds with Ward, McPhatter quit the Dominoes, intent on making a name for himself. McPhatter announced his intent to quit the group, which Billy Ward agreed to. Auditions were held at Detroit's Fox Theater and a young Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
would take over as lead tenor for the Dominoes, influencing Wilson's singing style and stage presence. "I fell in love with the man's voice. I toured with the group and watched Clyde and listened..."---and apparently learned. Privately, McPhatter and Ward often argued, but publicly Clyde expressed his appreciation to Ward for giving him his start in show business.
Founder of The Drifters (1953-1954)
Ahmet ErtegunAhmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
, founder of Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, eagerly sought McPhatter after noticing he was not present for an appearance The Dominoes once made at Birdland
Birdland
Birdland may refer to:In music:* Birdland , a club in New York City* Birdland, a jazz club in Vienna founded by Joe Zawinul* "Birdland" , an instrumental composed by Joe Zawinul, originally recorded by his band Weather Report...
, which was "an odd booking for the Dominoes", in Ertegun's words. After locating him, McPhatter was then signed to Atlantic on the condition that he form his own group. McPhatter promptly assembled a group and called them The Drifters. They recorded a few tracks in June 1953, including a song called "Lucille," written by McPhatter himself. This group of Drifters did not have the sound Atlantic executives were looking for, however, and Clyde was prompted to assemble another group of singers. The revised lineup recorded and released such hits as "Money Honey," "Such a Night," "Honey Love
Honey Love (The Drifters song)
"Honey Love" is a 1954 song by The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter. "Honey Love" was the group's third single release, fourth release on the charts and second number one single on the R&B chart.-See also:...
," "White Christmas
White Christmas (song)
"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.Accounts vary as...
" and "Whatcha Gonna Do," with the record label proudly displaying the group name "Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters." (The story of The Drifters is full of personnel changes. The first group of Drifters Clyde assembled were mostly members of The Mount Lebanon Singers.)
In late 1954, McPhatter was drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the Army and assigned to Special Services in the continental United States, which allowed him to continue recording. After his tour of duty was up, he left The Drifters and launched a solo career.
Solo career
McPhatter's first solo hit occurred just after being dischargedMilitary discharge
A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...
- "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, composer and actress, noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and " He Treats Your Daughter Mean".For these...
). He released several R&B recordings in the next few years, including "Seven Days" (later a bigger hit for Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
), "Treasure of Love," "Just to Hold my Hand", and his biggest solo hit, "A Lover's Question
A Lover's Question
"A Lover's Question" is a 1958 pop/R&B hit for Clyde McPhatter. The single was written by Brook Benton and Jimmy T. Williams and was Clyde McPhatter's most successful pop and R&B release. "A Lover's Question" made it to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was #1 for one week on the R&B chart...
," written by Brook Benton
Brook Benton
Brook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970...
and Clyde Otis
Clyde Otis
Clyde Otis, born in Prentiss, Mississippi, , was an American songwriter and producer best known for his collaboration with singer Brook Benton, and for being one of the first African American A&R executive for a major label.According to the music licensing organization Broadcast Music Inc., Otis is...
, which peaked at No. 6 in 1958. In 1962, the song "Lover Please," written by country artist Billy Swan was released. His 1956 recording "Treasure of Love" saw his first solo No. 1 on the R&B charts and one week in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It reached No. 16 on the U.S. Pop charts.
After leaving Atlantic Records, McPhatter then signed on with MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
, and released several more songs, including "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) and his first single for Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
"Ta Ta." He recorded more singles, including "I Never Knew" and his final Top Ten hit "Lover Please," which made it to No. 7 in 1962. It was after "Lover Please" that McPhatter saw a downward turn in his career, as musical styles and tastes were constantly changing during the 1960s.
In 1968, McPhatter moved to England, where he was still highly revered, and he was backed by UK band "ICE".
McPhatter returned to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1970, making a few appearances in rock 'n roll revival tours, but remaining mostly a recluse. Hopes for a major comeback with a Decca album were crushed on June 13, 1972, when Clyde McPhatter died in his sleep at the age of 39 from complications of heart
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, liver, and kidney disease, brought on by alcohol abuse - abuse that had been fueled by a failed career and the resentment he harbored towards the fans he felt had deserted him. In a 1971 interview with journalist Marcia Vance, McPhatter told Vance "I have no fans."
McPhatter was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
at the time of his death. He was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
.
Ruth Brown acknowledged in her later years that McPhatter was the actual father of her son Ronald, born in 1954. Ron now tours occasionally with a show of Drifters songs.
Legacy and honors
In 1987 was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
recognized his pioneering efforts.
The Original Drifters were inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 1998.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
issued a stamp in his honor in 1993.
The song "Money Honey" (1953) was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Singles
| Title | Peak Pop Billboard ranking |
Peak R&B Billboard ranking |
Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money Honey (with The Drifters The Drifters The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953... ) |
- | 1 | 1953 | Atlantic |
| Such a Night Such a Night "Such a Night" is a popular song from 1953, written by Lincoln Chase and first recorded by The Drifters.The Drifters' original version, featuring Clyde McPhatter, was recorded in November 1953 and released in January 1954... / Lucille (with The Drifters The Drifters The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953... ) |
- | 5 | 1954 | |
| Honey Love Honey Love (The Drifters song) "Honey Love" is a 1954 song by The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter. "Honey Love" was the group's third single release, fourth release on the charts and second number one single on the R&B chart.-See also:... (with The Drifters The Drifters The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953... ) |
21 | 1 | ||
| Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You) "Someday " is a popular song. It was written by Jimmie Hodges and was published in 1944.The song has become a standard, recorded by many pop and country music singers.-Charting versions:... (with The Drifters The Drifters The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953... ) |
- | - | ||
| White Christmas White Christmas (song) "White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.Accounts vary as... (with The Drifters The Drifters The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953... ) |
80 | 2 | ||
| Love Has Joined Us Together /I Gotta Have You (with Ruth Brown Ruth Brown Ruth Brown was an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, composer and actress, noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and " He Treats Your Daughter Mean".For these... ) |
- | 8 | 1955 | |
| Seven Days | 44 | 2 | 1956 | |
| Treasure of Love | 16 | 1 | ||
| Without Love (There Is Nothing)/I make Believe | 19 | 4 | 1957 | |
| Just to Hold My Hand | 26 | 6 | ||
| Thirty Days | - | - | ||
| Long Lonely Nights | 49 | 1 | ||
| Rock and Cry | 93 | - | ||
| Come What May | 43 | 3 | 1958 | |
| Lover Please | 32 | 4 | ||
| A Lover's Question A Lover's Question "A Lover's Question" is a 1958 pop/R&B hit for Clyde McPhatter. The single was written by Brook Benton and Jimmy T. Williams and was Clyde McPhatter's most successful pop and R&B release. "A Lover's Question" made it to #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was #1 for one week on the R&B chart... |
6 | 1 | ||
| Lovey Dovey | 49 | 12 | 1959 | Atlantic |
| I Told Myself a Lie | 70 | MGM | ||
| Since You've Been Gone | 39 | 14 | Atlantic | |
| Twice As Nice | 91 | MGM | ||
| You Went Back on Your Word | 72 | 13 | Atlantic | |
| Let's Try Again | 48 | 13 | MGM | |
| Just Give Me a Ring | 96 | 1960 | Atlantic | |
| Deep Sea Ball / Let the Boogie-Woogie Roll | - | - | ||
| Think Me a Kiss | 66 | MGM | ||
| Ta Ta (Just Like a Baby) | 23 | 7 | Mercury | |
| This Is Not Goodbye / One Right After Another | - | - | MGM | |
| Tomorrow Is a-Comin | 103 | - | 1961 | Mercury |
| I'll Love You Til the Cows Come Home | 110 | - | ||
| A Whole Heap of Love | - | - | ||
| I Never Knew | 56 | 17 | ||
| Same Time Same Place | - | - | ||
| Lover Please | 7 | - | 1962 | |
| Little Bitty Pretty One | 25 | - | ||
| Maybe / I Do Believe | - | - | ||
| The Best Man Cried | 118 | - | ||
| From One To One | 127 | - | 1963 | |
| Deep In the Heart of Harlem | 90 | 90 | ||
| Second Window, Second Floor | - | - | 1964 | |
| Baby Baby / Lucille | - | - | ||
| Crying Won't Help You Now | 117 | 22 | 1965 | |
| A Shot of Rhythm and Blues / I'm Not Going to Work Today | - | - | 1966 | Amy |
| Sweet and Innocent / Lavender Lace | - | - | 1967 | |
| Baby You Got It | - | - | 1968 | Deram |
| I'll Belong to You /Book of Memories | - | - | 1970 | Decca |
| Why Can't We Get Together / Mixed Up Cup | - | - |
No album he recorded ever appeared on the charts.