Daily Doo Wop, Feb 23, 2015
“They often call me Speedo but my real name is Mr. Earl,” sings the group’s lead Earl Carroll -- and his nickname was Speedo. The Cadillacs, from Harlem, New York, are known for their choreography and great performances as well as their singing. The group had numerous personnel changes over the years, but for the “Speedoo” recording, the members were Earl Carroll, LaVerne Drake, Robert Phillips, Charles Brooks, and Earl Wade with the Jesse Powell Orchestra. In 1955, the song went to #3 on the R&B Chart and #17 on the U.S. Pop Chart. Songs such as "Speedoo" helped to make this type of music (doo-wop, rock and roll) attractive to a larger audience. The group also had success with "Gloria," "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, "Peek-A-Boo," and "What You Bet."
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases the 1955 R&B/Doo-Wop song "Speedo" by The Cadillacs.
This post also presents my conclusions about why that song on came to me real early in the morning of November 5, 2025 and wouldn't leave until I started working on this pancocojams post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, aesthetic, political, and spiritual purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the Cadillacs for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-african-american-vernacular-english.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "The African American Vernacular English Phrase "Showed Up And Showed Out" In Comments From A YouTube Video Discussion Thread About The Results Of The November 4, 2025 Virginia Governor's Election".
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE CADILLACS (Music Group)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cadillacs
"The
Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New
York, active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit
"Speedoo", written by Esther Navarro, which was instrumental in
attracting white audiences to black rock and roll performers.
History
The group came together as The Carnations in 1953, with the
members Earl Carroll (lead vocalist), Bobby Phillips, Lavern Drake (bass
vocalist), and Gus Willingham. As the group moved into the recording studios,
James "Poppa" Clark was added as a fifth member, and the name
"The Cadillacs" was given to them. The group's first recording came
in July 1954, with Josie Records #765, featuring "Gloria" and "I
Wonder Why."
In 1955, Willingham and Clark left the group and were replaced by Earl Wade and Charles Brooks. At this time, the group first began to experiment with choreography, suggested by manager Esther Navarro. Later that year came the group's biggest hit, "Speedoo", Carroll's nickname..
[...]
Also known as The
Carnations, The Four Cadillacs, Earl Carroll and the Cadillacs, Jesse Powell
and the Caddys
Origin Harlem, New
York, United States
Genres: Rock and rolldoo-wop
Years active: 1953–1962,
1979-2011
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LYRICS- SPEEDO (written by Esther Navarro)
[Verse 1]
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
Known for meetin' brand new fellas
And takin' other folks' girl
[Verse 2]
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
'Cause I don't believe in wastin' time
Umm-hm-hm
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
'Cause I don't believe in wastin' time
Umm-hm-hm
Well, I've known some pretty women
And that's caused them to change their minds
Umm-hm-hm
[Bridge]
Well now, some may call me Joe
Some may call me Moe
Just remember Speedoo
He don't never take it slow
[Verse 3]
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
[Verse 4]
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
Well now, they often call me Speedoo
But my real name is Mr. Earl
Umm-hm-hm
And now they got to call me Speedoo
'Til they call off makin' pretty girls
Umm-hm-hm, um-hm-hm-hm
Hm-hm-hm-hm
Hm-hm-hm-hm
Hm-hm-hm-hm
Online source- https://genius.com/The-cadillacs-speedoo-lyrics
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WHY THE SONG "SPEEDO" POPPED INTO MY HEAD THE NIGHT UNITED STATES DEMOCRATS HAD A BLUE ELECTION TSUNAMI*
by Azizi Powell, November 5, 2025
I began working on this pancocojams post at 2:02 AM. That's pretty early for me or pretty late for me to be up.
After surfing online channels for coverage about the major November 4th, 2025 elections in the USA, I eventually got to Election Night LIVE with Reese waters podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqSFF-RqGTg.
I'm so glad that I found that election coverage. I watched that podcast and read some of the live chat comments, and there's no denying that I was relieved that we (the Democrats and all other Americans who voted for Democrats) did so well in those elections. We really did have the Blue Tsunami that I (and so many others) had hoped we would have last year.
I turned off the computer and went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned in bed while lyrics from the song "Speedo" kept singing in my head. "Some people call me "Speedo" but my real name is Mr. Earl".[followed by "doo wop do wop" or some such sounds. Then "Some people call me "Speedo" but my real name is Mr. Earl" (and those same sounds)... .
"Okay, Speedo/Mr.Earl. I hear you. But why am I thinking about your song NOW? It's past 12 o'clock, and now it's past 1 o'clock and okay I know your nickname and your real name. And, yes, Speedo/Mr.Earl, I really like your song. But why do I keep singing it? Why is it going going round and round in my head?"
Speedo/Mr. Earl didn't answer me and I couldn't figure out what was it about that "Speedo" song that made me think about it and keep singing the lyrics that I remembered not from 1955 but when I was a young married woman (Maybe my musician husband introduced Speedo/Mr Earl to me, but I can't remember when that was and I can't ask him because he's no longer on this plane.)
So eventually, at about 1:30 in the morning, I gave up on sleeping and got up. I turned on my computer, and looked up that "Speedo" record on YouTube. I listened to "Speedo" and then looked up some information about it on Wikipedia. I found out that it was recorded in 1955 by the Cadillacs. (Prior to reading that Wikipedia page I didn't know who recorded that song and didn't know until I read it that that group's lead singer Mr. Earl's nickname was Speedo.
I also didn't know that that group had a number of name changes due to the group splitting up, forming different groups and other drama. And I noticed that the name of one of the groups was Jessie Powell and The Caddys.
My last name is Powell. Could that be the reason why I keep hearing this song in my head? That reason didn't feel it fit.
I noticed in that Wikipedia write-up that the Cadillacs and those other groups were from Harlem, New York. Hmmm. Maybe that was one reason why that song came to me since one of the elections I was really interested in last night (November 4th) was the mayor's race in New York City and Harlem is a neighborhood in New York City....But I still felt that wasn't the real reason why Speedo wouldn't let me sleep.
I said to myself "What the heck. Maybe Speedo/Mr. Earl wants me to publish a pancocojams post about his song. I don't think I've done a post on that song before.**
So I started working on this post and Voila! the words "Full speed ahead!" came into my mind.
And THAT fit. That's why that song came to me. My mind, my soul, my spirit was confirming that we (this troubled nation) had turned a significant corner in this crazy, terrible time line we've been in since November 5, 2024 (and before then).
Although we are still in very troubled waters*, that Speedo song confirmed that we were now moving full speed ahead to better times.
(It just occurred to me that one of the introductions that African American podcaster Reese Waters has for some of his videos is "I'm Reese Waters and I'm troubled" or something like that.)
I LOVE when Spirit/s talks to me like this. Thank you Spirit/s!
-snip-
*AI Overview Write-up
"A "blue tsunami" is a political term for a
decisive, overwhelming victory for the Democratic party, so large that it is
compared to a powerful tsunami. The term uses "blue" as the color
representing the Democratic party and "tsunami" to emphasize the
scale of a potential landslide win in an election. This phrase suggests a
victory so large it washes over opponents, similar to a natural disaster.
Origin: The phrase was popularized to describe an
anticipated large victory for Democrats.
"Blue": "Blue" is the color
traditionally associated with the Democratic Party in the United States.
"Tsunami": The "tsunami" part indicates
the scale of victory—a significant, overwhelming, and landslide win, as opposed
to a narrow or moderate one."
-snip-
**I just checked and it turns out that I HAD published a post on The Cadillacs' record Speedo before in 2022, but I had forgotten all about it.
That post is much more comprehensive than this one. Here's the link to that post" https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-cadillacs-speedoo-1955-doo-wop.html "The Cadillacs - "Speedoo" (1955 Doo Wop Classic Sound File, Film Clips, Information, & Lyrics)"
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ADDENDUM
Here's an excerpt of an article about the results of some the November 4, 2025 elections in the United States:
From https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/04/election-2025-live-updates-results/86572339007/ "Election 2025 recap: Democrats sweep California, NJ, Virginia races, reports say" by Zac Andeson, Ayesha Baqchi, Kathryn Palmer et. al, November 4, 2025 , updated November , 2025
"It was a good night for Democrats.
A year after former Vice President Kamala Harris suffered an electoral beating by President Donald Trump, Democrats across the country – from Virginia to California – notched major victories in a sign of growing momentum ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
In Virginia, a state with thousands of federal workers affected by the government shutdown and Department of Government Efficiency cuts, Abigail Spanberger soundly defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome-Earle Sears, reports say. In New Jersey, which last year saw hoards of voters move toward Trump, projections say Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill won against Republican businessman Jack Ciattarelli.
Next door, in New York City, voters chose progressive Zohran
Mamdani and his affordability platform over the more centrist former Democratic
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
And in California, voters overwhelmingly
supported Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting referendum allowing the state
legislature to redo congressional maps and add up to five new
Democratic-leaning seats ahead of the 2026 election."...
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