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The Chiffons

April 07, 2024

Not to be confused with the British band The Four Pennies.

The Chiffons were an American girl group originating from the Bronx, a borough of New York City, in 1960.

The Chiffons
The Chiffons in 1966
Background information
Also known asThe Four Pennies
OriginThe Bronx, New York City, United States
GenresPop[1]
Years active1960–present
LabelsLaurie
Members
Past members
  • Barbara Lee
  • Sylvia Peterson

History edit

Origins edit

The group was originally a trio of schoolmates - lead singer Judy Craig, backed by Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee - enrolled at James Monroe High School in the Bronx in 1960.[2] In 1962, at the suggestion of songwriter Ronnie Mack, the group added Sylvia Peterson, who had sung with Little Jimmy & the Tops at age 14, sharing lead vocals with Jimmy on "Say You Love Me", the B-side of the Tops' 1959 local hit "Puppy Love".

Recordings edit

The group chose the name The Chiffons while recording and releasing their first single, "He's So Fine",[2] written by Ronnie Mack, produced by The Tokens of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" fame, and released on the Laurie Records label. "He's So Fine" hit No. 1 in the United States, selling over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[3] (This sales figure would have qualified the record for platinum status under the current [as of 2011] RIAA certification standards, effective since 1975, that lowered the "gold" certification threshold to 500,000 copies and set the "platinum" threshold at 1 million.)

The Chiffons immediately released their first LP He's So Fine (which charted at No. 97) and began touring the East Coast and Midwest states primarily. Within a few months, the group released their second LP, One Fine Day.[2]

The group also released two singles in 1963 as the Four Pennies (with Sylvia on lead) on the Laurie Records subsidiary Rust, but they abandoned the Four Pennies name as the success of "He's So Fine" became clear. This first hit was followed by other notable tunes such as Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "One Fine Day", "Sweet Talkin' Guy" and "I Have A Boyfriend". As the 1960s progressed, Peterson assumed a more prominent role in the group, singing lead on the Chiffons' "Why Am I So Shy"; "Strange, Strange Feeling"; "The Real Thing"; "Up On The Bridge"; and "My Block" (written by Jimmy Radcliffe, Carl Spencer and Bert Berns).

Shortly after the first round of hits, the Chiffons had business problems but still continued to tour the US throughout 1964 (including Murray the K Shows and as part of a package tour headlined by Gene Pitney). In mid-1965, they signed directly to the Laurie label, and had a hit with "Nobody Knows What's Going On In My Mind But Me". To promote the record, Sylvia and Barbara flew to the West Coast to premiere the disc on a July 1965 Shindig episode, with two substitute members as Judy and Pat were on maternity leave.

The next Top 10 hit for the Chiffons was "Sweet-Talking Guy" in mid 1966.The success of the song resulted in the Chiffons releasing their third LP, Sweet Talking Guy which peaked at #149 on the Billboard Top 200 LP chart.[2] The Chiffons did their first overseas tour of England and Germany in June 1967; on one of their London club dates (the Chiffons were one of the opening acts for Jimi Hendrix), members of the Beatles and Stones were in the audience.

Laurie released several minor US chart hits on the Chiffons (including “Up On The Bridge”, “My Boyfriend’s Back)” until the end of the 60s. One track “Just For Tonight” was a big Canadian hit in 1968.

Personnel changes edit

Tiring of the constant touring and lack of hits, Judy Craig left the group in 1972, and she took a bank job in Manhattan. The remaining trio continued to do live shows with Sylvia now as permanent lead singer. Eventually, Sylvia, Pat, and Barbara took on regular 9-5 jobs, but continued to do live shows on weekends. Sylvia eventually left, and her spot was taken by alternating friends of the group.

In 1970, George Harrison released the song "My Sweet Lord", whose musical similarities to "He's So Fine" prompted the estate of Ronnie Mack to file a copyright infringement claim.[2] The Chiffons went on to record "My Sweet Lord" in 1975.[2] A judge later found that Harrison had unintentionally plagiarized the earlier song.[4]

Sylvia returned to the Chiffons during the 1980s. On May 15, 1992, Barbara Lee died from a heart attack, and Craig returned to the group. Peterson retired shortly thereafter and was replaced by Connie Harvey. Harvey has since left to pursue a solo career and Bennett has retired from the group.[citation needed]

As of 2023, Judy Craig occasionally performs with her eldest daughter and a niece. Pat Bennett lives in Georgia. Sylvia Peterson retired from her career in healthcare, and died on July 28, 2023, at the age of 77.[5][6]

Discography edit

The Four Pennies edit

Singles

The Chiffons edit

Standard albums

  1. "He's So Fine"
  2. "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
  3. "Oh My Lover"
  4. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
  5. "My Block"
  6. "ABC-123"
  7. "Lucky Me"
  8. "Why Am I So Shy"
  9. "See You in September"
  10. "Wishing"
  11. "Mystic Voice"
  12. "When I Go to Sleep at Night"
  • 1963: One Fine Day Laurie Records – LLP 2020[7]
  1. "One Fine Day"
  2. "It's My Party"
  3. "The Loco-Motion"
  4. "Tonight I Met an Angel"
  5. "Only My Friend"
  6. "Da Doo Ron Ron"
  7. "I Wonder Why”
  8. "Foolish Little Girl"
  9. "I'm Going to Dry My Eyes"
  10. "Did You Ever Go Steady"
  11. "When Summer's Through"
  12. "Love Is Like a Merry Go Round"
  13. "My Boyfriend's Back"
  • 1966: Sweet Talkin' Guy Laurie Records – SLP 2036[7] (US #149)
  1. "Sweet Talkin' Guy"
  2. "Up On the Bridge"
  3. "Nobody Knows What's Going On"
  4. "Thumbs Down"
  5. "Just a Boy"
  6. "Down Down Down"
  7. "Out of This World"
  8. "My Boyfriend's Back"
  9. "Open Your Eyes"
  10. "March"
  11. "Keep the Boy Happy"
  12. "See You in September"
  1. "Secret Love"
  2. "You're The Love Of A Lifetime"
  3. "Soul"
  4. "I Don't Deserve A Boy Like You"
  5. "Strange Strange Feeling"
  6. "Now That You're My Baby"
  7. "The First And Last"
  8. "Remember Me Baby"
  9. "It Hurts To Be Sixteen"
  10. "Every Boy And Every Girl"


Compilation albums

  • 1974: Everything You Always Wanted to Hear by the Chiffons but Couldn't Get
  • 1979: The Chiffons Sing the Hits of the 50s & 60s
  • 2004: Absolutely The Best!
  • 2006: Sweet Talkin' Girls

Singles

  • 1963: "He's So Fine"/"Oh My Lover" (US #1, R&B #1, UK #16)
  • 1963: "Lucky Me"/"Why Am I So Shy"
  • 1963: "One Fine Day"/"Why Am I So Shy" (US #5, R&B #6, UK #29)
  • 1963: "A Love So Fine"/"Only My Friend" (US #40, R&B #50)
  • 1963: "I Have a Boyfriend"/"I'm Gonna Dry My Eyes" (US #36, R&B #6)
  • 1964: "Sailor Boy"/"When the Summer Is Through" (US #81, R&B #24)
  • 1964: "Easy to Love"/"Tonight I Met an Angel"
  • 1964: "What Am I Gonna Do With You (Hey Baby)"/"Strange, Strange Feeling"
  • 1965: "Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind but Me)"/"Did You Ever Go Steady" (US #49)
  • 1965: "Nobody Knows What's Goin' On (In My Mind but Me)"/"The Real Thing"
  • 1965: "Tonight I'm Gonna Dream"/"Heavenly Place"
  • 1966: "Out of This World"/"Just a Boy" (US #67)
  • 1966: "Stop, Look and Listen"/"March" (US #85)
  • 1966: "Sweet Talkin' Guy"/"Did You Ever Go Steady" (US #10, UK #31) (UK #4 (1972 re-issue))
  • 1966: "My Boyfriend's Back"/"I Got Plenty of Nuttin'"
  • 1967: "If I Knew Then"/"Keep the Boy Happy"
  • 1968: "Up on the Bridge"/"March"
  • 1968: "Just for Tonight"/"Teach Me How"
  • 1969: "Love Me Like You're Gonna Lose Me"/"Three Dips of Ice Cream"
  • 1970: "So Much in Love"/"Strange Strange Feeling"
  • 1975: "My Sweet Lord"/"Main Nerve"
  • 1976: "Dream Dream Dream"/"Oh My Lover"

In popular culture edit

References edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Chiffons.
  1. ^ MacLeod, Sean (2015). Leaders of the Pack. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 81. ISBN 9781442252028.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 111. ISBN 0-7535-0149-X.
  3. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 157. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  4. ^ "Bright Tunes Music v. Harrisongs Music". Columbia Law School Arthur W. Diamond Law Library Music Plagiarism Project. 2002. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  5. ^ "Sylvia Peterson". Forever Missed. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  6. ^ "RIP Sylvia Peterson of the Chiffons". Billy Vera on Facebook. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Laurie Album Discography, Part 1". Bsnpubs.com. Retrieved 25 October 2017.

Bibliography edit

External links edit

  • Official Website
  • Last.FM- The Chiffons Page
  • Yahoo! Music- The Chiffons page

April 07, 2024
chiffons, confused, with, british, band, four, pennies, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspa. Not to be confused with the British band The Four Pennies This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Chiffons news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Chiffons were an American girl group originating from the Bronx a borough of New York City in 1960 The ChiffonsThe Chiffons in 1966Background informationAlso known asThe Four PenniesOriginThe Bronx New York City United StatesGenresPop 1 Years active1960 presentLabelsLaurieMembersJudy Craig Patricia Bennett Connie HarveyPast membersBarbara Lee Sylvia Peterson Contents 1 History 1 1 Origins 1 2 Recordings 1 3 Personnel changes 2 Discography 2 1 The Four Pennies 2 2 The Chiffons 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editOrigins edit The group was originally a trio of schoolmates lead singer Judy Craig backed by Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee enrolled at James Monroe High School in the Bronx in 1960 2 In 1962 at the suggestion of songwriter Ronnie Mack the group added Sylvia Peterson who had sung with Little Jimmy amp the Tops at age 14 sharing lead vocals with Jimmy on Say You Love Me the B side of the Tops 1959 local hit Puppy Love Recordings edit The group chose the name The Chiffons while recording and releasing their first single He s So Fine 2 written by Ronnie Mack produced by The Tokens of The Lion Sleeps Tonight fame and released on the Laurie Records label He s So Fine hit No 1 in the United States selling over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc 3 This sales figure would have qualified the record for platinum status under the current as of 2011 RIAA certification standards effective since 1975 that lowered the gold certification threshold to 500 000 copies and set the platinum threshold at 1 million The Chiffons immediately released their first LP He s So Fine which charted at No 97 and began touring the East Coast and Midwest states primarily Within a few months the group released their second LP One Fine Day 2 The group also released two singles in 1963 as the Four Pennies with Sylvia on lead on the Laurie Records subsidiary Rust but they abandoned the Four Pennies name as the success of He s So Fine became clear This first hit was followed by other notable tunes such as Gerry Goffin and Carole King s One Fine Day Sweet Talkin Guy and I Have A Boyfriend As the 1960s progressed Peterson assumed a more prominent role in the group singing lead on the Chiffons Why Am I So Shy Strange Strange Feeling The Real Thing Up On The Bridge and My Block written by Jimmy Radcliffe Carl Spencer and Bert Berns Shortly after the first round of hits the Chiffons had business problems but still continued to tour the US throughout 1964 including Murray the K Shows and as part of a package tour headlined by Gene Pitney In mid 1965 they signed directly to the Laurie label and had a hit with Nobody Knows What s Going On In My Mind But Me To promote the record Sylvia and Barbara flew to the West Coast to premiere the disc on a July 1965 Shindig episode with two substitute members as Judy and Pat were on maternity leave The next Top 10 hit for the Chiffons was Sweet Talking Guy in mid 1966 The success of the song resulted in the Chiffons releasing their third LP Sweet Talking Guy which peaked at 149 on the Billboard Top 200 LP chart 2 The Chiffons did their first overseas tour of England and Germany in June 1967 on one of their London club dates the Chiffons were one of the opening acts for Jimi Hendrix members of the Beatles and Stones were in the audience Laurie released several minor US chart hits on the Chiffons including Up On The Bridge My Boyfriend s Back until the end of the 60s One track Just For Tonight was a big Canadian hit in 1968 Personnel changes edit Tiring of the constant touring and lack of hits Judy Craig left the group in 1972 and she took a bank job in Manhattan The remaining trio continued to do live shows with Sylvia now as permanent lead singer Eventually Sylvia Pat and Barbara took on regular 9 5 jobs but continued to do live shows on weekends Sylvia eventually left and her spot was taken by alternating friends of the group In 1970 George Harrison released the song My Sweet Lord whose musical similarities to He s So Fine prompted the estate of Ronnie Mack to file a copyright infringement claim 2 The Chiffons went on to record My Sweet Lord in 1975 2 A judge later found that Harrison had unintentionally plagiarized the earlier song 4 Sylvia returned to the Chiffons during the 1980s On May 15 1992 Barbara Lee died from a heart attack and Craig returned to the group Peterson retired shortly thereafter and was replaced by Connie Harvey Harvey has since left to pursue a solo career and Bennett has retired from the group citation needed As of 2023 Judy Craig occasionally performs with her eldest daughter and a niece Pat Bennett lives in Georgia Sylvia Peterson retired from her career in healthcare and died on July 28 2023 at the age of 77 5 6 Discography editThe Four Pennies edit Singles 1963 My Block Jimmy Radcliffe Carl Spencer Bert Berns US 67 1963 When the Boy s Happy US 95 The Chiffons edit Standard albums 1963 He s So Fine Laurie Records LLP 2018 7 US 97 He s So Fine Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow Oh My Lover Why Do Fools Fall in Love My Block ABC 123 Lucky Me Why Am I So Shy See You in September Wishing Mystic Voice When I Go to Sleep at Night 1963 One Fine Day Laurie Records LLP 2020 7 One Fine Day It s My Party The Loco Motion Tonight I Met an Angel Only My Friend Da Doo Ron Ron I Wonder Why Foolish Little Girl I m Going to Dry My Eyes Did You Ever Go Steady When Summer s Through Love Is Like a Merry Go Round My Boyfriend s Back 1966 Sweet Talkin Guy Laurie Records SLP 2036 7 US 149 Sweet Talkin Guy Up On the Bridge Nobody Knows What s Going On Thumbs Down Just a Boy Down Down Down Out of This World My Boyfriend s Back Open Your Eyes March Keep the Boy Happy See You in September 1970 My Secret Love B T Puppy Records BTPS 1011 Secret Love You re The Love Of A Lifetime Soul I Don t Deserve A Boy Like You Strange Strange Feeling Now That You re My Baby The First And Last Remember Me Baby It Hurts To Be Sixteen Every Boy And Every Girl Compilation albums 1974 Everything You Always Wanted to Hear by the Chiffons but Couldn t Get 1979 The Chiffons Sing the Hits of the 50s amp 60s 2004 Absolutely The Best 2006 Sweet Talkin GirlsSingles 1963 He s So Fine Oh My Lover US 1 R amp B 1 UK 16 1963 Lucky Me Why Am I So Shy 1963 One Fine Day Why Am I So Shy US 5 R amp B 6 UK 29 1963 A Love So Fine Only My Friend US 40 R amp B 50 1963 I Have a Boyfriend I m Gonna Dry My Eyes US 36 R amp B 6 1964 Sailor Boy When the Summer Is Through US 81 R amp B 24 1964 Easy to Love Tonight I Met an Angel 1964 What Am I Gonna Do With You Hey Baby Strange Strange Feeling 1965 Nobody Knows What s Goin On In My Mind but Me Did You Ever Go Steady US 49 1965 Nobody Knows What s Goin On In My Mind but Me The Real Thing 1965 Tonight I m Gonna Dream Heavenly Place 1966 Out of This World Just a Boy US 67 1966 Stop Look and Listen March US 85 1966 Sweet Talkin Guy Did You Ever Go Steady US 10 UK 31 UK 4 1972 re issue 1966 My Boyfriend s Back I Got Plenty of Nuttin 1967 If I Knew Then Keep the Boy Happy 1968 Up on the Bridge March 1968 Just for Tonight Teach Me How 1969 Love Me Like You re Gonna Lose Me Three Dips of Ice Cream 1970 So Much in Love Strange Strange Feeling 1975 My Sweet Lord Main Nerve 1976 Dream Dream Dream Oh My Lover In popular culture editChiffon is the name of one of the girl group inspired narrators in the musical Little Shop of Horrors References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Chiffons MacLeod Sean 2015 Leaders of the Pack Rowman amp Littlefield p 81 ISBN 9781442252028 a b c d e f Colin Larkin ed 1997 The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music First ed Virgin Books p 111 ISBN 0 7535 0149 X Murrells Joseph 1978 The Book of Golden Discs 2nd ed London Barrie and Jenkins Ltd p 157 ISBN 0 214 20512 6 Bright Tunes Music v Harrisongs Music Columbia Law School Arthur W Diamond Law Library Music Plagiarism Project 2002 Retrieved 2007 09 05 Sylvia Peterson Forever Missed Retrieved 13 February 2024 RIP Sylvia Peterson of the Chiffons Billy Vera on Facebook 31 July 2023 Retrieved 13 February 2024 a b c Laurie Album Discography Part 1 Bsnpubs com Retrieved 25 October 2017 Bibliography editClemente John 2000 Girl Groups Fabulous Females That Rocked The World Iola Wisconsin Krause Publications p 276 ISBN 0 87341 816 6 Clemente John 2013 Girl Groups Fabulous Females Who Rocked The World Bloomington Indiana Authorhouse Publications p 623 ISBN 978 1 4772 7633 4 sc ISBN 978 1 4772 8128 4 e External links editOfficial Website Last FM The Chiffons Page Yahoo Music The Chiffons page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Chiffons amp oldid 1206972975, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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