“Little Darlin'” is a popular Top 40 song.
It was written by Maurice Williams with both melody and doo-wop accompaniment strongly emphasizing the clave rhythm. It was first recorded by Excello Records in January 1957 and quickly released as a rhythm-and-blues song by Williams’s R&B group, The Gladiolas. The song is noted for its spoken recitation by the lead singer (“Oh Darlin’ I need you…”).
It was soon covered successfully by The Diamonds, a pop group that had been performing the song as an encore. The Diamonds’ version was number two by sales for eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley for his final album, Moody Blue (1977).
“The Gladiolas, featuring Williams, were from Lancaster, South Carolina, where they had been together since high school. Their original version of the song peaked at number 11 on the R&B charts in April 1957, having had its thunder stolen by “The Diamonds’ inferior (in the eyes of R&B lovers) cover version, but it remains an all-time R&B classic”.
Excello Records is known for recording blues songs commonly called “swamp blues” because of their unique sounds and a recording studio located in Crowley, Louisiana. By 1959, Williams’s group had morphed into “Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs” and had a R&B hit with “Stay” in 1960.
Rock-and-roll-revival group Sha Na Na performed “Little Darlin'” at the Woodstock Festival, held in White Lake, New York, in 1969.

By The Diamonds

Lyrics

Eye, yi-eye-eye-eye
Yi-eye-eye-eye
Ya-ya-ya-ahh
Little darlin’, oh, little darlin’
Oh-oh-oh where a-are you?
My love-a, I was wrong-a
To-oo try to lo-ove two
A-hoopa, a-hoopa, hoopa
Kno-ow well-a that my love-a
Wa-as just fo-or you, oh only you
My darlin’, I need you
To call my own and never do wrong
To hold in mine your little hand
I’ll know too soon that all is so grand
Please, hold my hand
My dear-a I, I was wrong-a
To-oo try to lo-ove two
A-hoopa, a-hoopa, hoopa
Know well-a that my love-a
Wa-as just fo-or you, oh only you