The Flamingos - 20 Doo Wop Classics - I Only Have Eyes For You (2009)

The Flamingos were one of the greatest of the doo wop-era harmony groups, setting a standard for elegance, particularly on ballads, that set the bar high. They were unique in many ways, starting with the fact that they played their own instruments, making them the first real self-contained R&B vocal group, and their innovative stage choreography anticipated the look and style of later groups like the Temptations and the Four Tops, and while they might not have been as successful commercially as groups like the Drifters, the Coasters, and the Impressions, they influenced them all. This collection features mostly the Flamingos' late-'50s singles for End Records, including their definitive cover of Eddy Duchin's 1934 classic "I Only Have Eyes for You," the sturdy "Love Walked In," and their version of Sam Cooke's "Nobody Loves Me Like You," and it serves as a nice introduction to an important if somewhat overlooked group.