The Shirelles Big Hit Album Baby It's You |
By 1962, we thought the Shirelles were as solid a part of our lives as the buttons on our car radios. For the past two years, and we know how long two years is in the life of a teenager, we had heard them broadcast several times a day.
In 1962, they had a number one hit with "Soldier Boy", just like the number one they'd had in 1960 with "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow". In 61 there was no #1 but they were everywhere with 7 charted hits for the year. Two of those were numbers 3 and 4. Repeat play was the name of the radio game back then. If an artist had a hit, it would be heard several times a day on each station. If the radio was on 1960 to 64, I promise, you would have known the words to just about every Shirelles song.
The Shirrels |
They were good enough to listen to over and over. We, the teenagers at the time, loved to sing along with them. Their music was always about the things in a teenager's life. Judging by the record sales number, we obviously identified with them and their lyrics. Why wouldn't we ? They were just kids about our own age.
The Shirelles |
They were a group of teenage friends from a high school in Passiac, New Jersey. There's that New Jersey connection again. They found someone to listen and make them into a marketable product. They had hit after hit until the Beatles. They had a modicum of success in 64 but nothing big. After that the hits quit coming.
The Shirelles music left a huge impression on us. We had lived the five years of hits with them. As a result, later, much later they would receive all kinds of honors.
The Shirelles |
The Shirelles are now in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone Magazine named them #76 out of the top 100 rock artists of all time. Rolling Stone also recognized "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" was named #125 and "Tonights the Night" was named #401 of the Top 500 best songs of all time.
That pretty darned good for a handful of high school girls who liked to sing together. They set out to see if anyone would think enough of them to put them on a record. They found help and the rest is history. The Shirelles were the first of the rock and roll "girl groups" to have a number one hit. They broke that glass ceiling not once but twice.
The Shirelles |
They recorded hits from 1958 to 67. In that time they had 34 hits with 14 in the Top 50, and 6 in the Top 10. The Shirelles had two Number 1's. Pretty darned good for those teenage gals from New Jersey.
The Shirelles |
Here are a few links. Go ahead. Punch that video link and put your self back about 50 years. Let the memories sweep over you like the waves of a cranked up car radio. You'll be glad you did, I promise !
Web site Info Videos R&R
Web Site Vocal RS
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