For Father’s Day, today’s classic song of the day is “Daddy’s Home” by Shep and the Limelites. Released in March of 1961, this doo-wop classic peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the Cash Box Top 100.
“Daddy’s Home” was written by the three members of the Limelites, James “Shep” Sheppard, Clarence Bassett, and Charles Baskerville. The song was a sequel of sorts to another song written by Mr. Sheppard, “A Thousand Miles Away,” which was a hit for his former group the Heartbeats in 1956. Both songs have a similar chord and melodic structure (they sound almost identical, to be honest) and deal with a man being away from the one he loves—and, in the second instance, finally coming home.
Shep and the Limelites were a doo-wop trio led by James Sheppard, AKA “Shep.” As noted, Shep himself was previously with doo-wop group the Heartbeats; Clarence Bassett was formerly with the Five Sharps, and both Bassett and Charles Baskerville were in the Videos. They formed their new group in 1960 and signed with Hull Records that summer. “Daddy’s Home” was their first and biggest hit; later but lesser-performing singles included “What Did Daddy Do,” “Ready for Your Love,” and “Our Anniversary,” making a true song cycle with “A Thousand Miles Away” and “Daddy’s Home.”
The Limelites broke up in 1966. Shep Sheppard joined the Flamingos and Baskerville joined the Players and then a later version of the Drifters. Sheppard reformed the Limelites in the late ’60s but was shot and killed during a robbery in 1970; he was only 34 years old. Charles Baskerville passed away in 1995, age 58; Bassett died in 2005, age 68.
Jermaine Jackson covered “Daddy’s Home” in 1972 as his first solo single. His version, which featured the rest of the Jackson 5 on background vocals, peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is today’s daily bonus track of the day.
