The song “(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet” was written by Bob Hamilton and Freddie Gorman, a singer and songwriter for Motown (e.g. “Please Mr. Postman”). Gorman thought it was a good fit for The Reflections, a blue-eyed soul group with a doo wop style. They weren’t wild about the song, but they recorded it for Golden World Records. They sang the vocals and added the falsetto “doo doot doots.” Gorman liked those and kept them in, as well as some of their handclaps. After the instrumental tracks, which were done by some of the fabulous Motown session musicians, were there, The Reflections liked the song a lot better. It did well for them, going to #6 on the Billboard Hot100, #9 on Cash Box, and #3 on the Cash Box R&B Chart in 1964. There have been covers by Mental as Anything, Michael and the Messengers, Sha Na Na, Fallen Angels, Stephen Bishop, and Little Caesar and the Consuls.
The Reflections were from Detroit, Michigan. Original members were Tony Micale (lead vocals), Phil Castrodale (first tenor), Dan Bennie (second tenor), Ray Steinberg (baritonr), and John Dean (bass). They have continued to tour and perform over the years.
