Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about purpose, awe and good vibrations. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe (birth, death, love, the big picture); and our personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. Here, you’ll encounter interviews, essays and some episodes created simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Maurice Williams' Song Stayed Around Long Enough to Become a Hit Multiple Times
The music career of Maurice Williams spanned more than six decades, with groups that evolved from the Junior Harmonizers to the Royal Charms, the Gladiolas and, finally, the Zodiacs.
Williams recorded his first hit, "Little Darlin'," with the Gladiolas in 1957. The song reached number four on Billboard's R&B chart.
He was only 17 in 1955 when he wrote "Stay" after unsuccessfully trying to convince a girl to "stay a little longer." At first, Williams didn't like the song but ultimately released it as the B side of a record. "Stay" ended up being the hit, reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 on November 21, 1960.
To watch the Zodiacs performing "Stay" in 1967, you can go to this video from the Reelin' In The Years Archives.
To listen to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons doing the song, go here, and for one of Jackson Browne's versions, go here.
The photo in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is a publicity shot of Williams (pictured in the middle of the first row) and the Zodiacs in 1960. It's available on Wikimedia Commons.
This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.
Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Audible, iHeart and Spotify.
Sheldon:
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Maurice Williams played his music for more than
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six decades,
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but his career might never have started if
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the 17-year-old hadn't begged his girlfriend
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to stay a little longer.
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Williams died August 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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No cause of death was given. He was
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86.
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The Song of the Day is paying tribute
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to the singers,
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songwriters
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and musicians
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who died in 2024.
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Williams always could sing. He sang at the
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church when he was 6.
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Doo-wop and rock and roll soon became
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his pulpit.
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His group, the Junior Harmonizers,
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morphed into the Royal Charms,
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then into the Gladiolas
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and, finally, the Zodiacs.
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Williams recorded his first hit, "Little Darlin,'" with
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the Gladiolas in 1957.
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The song reached number four on Billboard's
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R&B chart and 41 on the
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singles chart.
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A white Canadian group, the Diamonds, covered it
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the same year, and it reached number two
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on the singles chart.
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Williams was 17 when he wrote "Stay" in
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1955.
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He was trying to persuade
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Mary Shropshire,
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who he had a crush on, to stay
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past her 10 p.m. curfew.
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He also wrote "Little Darlin'" about her.
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Shropshire
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didn't stay, but the idea for a song
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stayed in his head.
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He woke up the next morning and wrote
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down snippets of their conversation.
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He didn't like the song and tossed it
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out until the little sister of his girlfriend
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asked him to sing it.
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It originally was the B side of another
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recording.
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The single reached number one November 21,
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1960.
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It was the shortest number one record on
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Billboard's Hot 100,
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running one minute, 38 seconds. The song
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was short in length
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but had staying power. The Four Seasons
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and Jackson Browne had hits with it.
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It was on the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack.
Kate:
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That was Song of the Day creator Sheldon
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Zoldan. And I'm Kate Jones, host of Everyday
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Creation.
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Thank you for joining us.
