{"id":14784,"date":"2019-09-01T00:11:24","date_gmt":"2019-09-01T07:11:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/?p=14784"},"modified":"2019-09-06T09:37:21","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T16:37:21","slug":"beehives-and-hand-claps-the-enduring-quality-of-girl-groups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/beehives-and-hand-claps-the-enduring-quality-of-girl-groups\/","title":{"rendered":"Beehives and Hand Claps: The Enduring Quality of Girl Groups"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Chantels<\/p><\/div>\n

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Evie Sands<\/p><\/div>\n

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Little Eva, 1962<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Ronettes<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Shangri-Las<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Shirelles<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The girl group sound may be found in three factors: the sheer exuberance of the vocals, creative songwriting, and record producers in cahoots with crack groups of musicians from LA (the famed Wrecking Crew of session players), Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

The earliest example of a girl group record? A tough call. It would be like circling the wagons around the campfire and holding a debate on whether Jackie Brenston\u2019s \u201cRocket 88\u201d is the alpha recording of the rock \u2018n\u2019 roll era. But if it\u2019s possible to put on the brakes on a certain date in the 20th century musical time line, the contributions of lead singer Arlene Smith of the Chantels on the song \u201cMaybe\u201d (1958) seems an appropriate place for jump starting the girl group era.<\/p>\n

After \u201cMaybe,\u201d the flood gates opened and record company representatives searched the country for charming trios or quartets of femmes. The following categories may provide an overview.<\/p>\n

THE GROUPS:<\/strong> The Ronettes (\u201cBe My Baby\u201d), The Crystals (\u201cHe\u2019s a Rebel\u201d), the Shirelles (\u201cWill You Still Love Me Tomorrow?\u201d), the Orlons (\u201cDon\u2019t Hang Up\u201d), the Essex (\u201cEasier Said Than Done\u201d), the Angels (\u201cMy Boyfriend\u2019s Back\u201d), the Chiffons (\u201cOne Fine Day\u201d), the Cookies (\u201cDon\u2019t Say Nothing Bad About My Baby\u201d), the Shangri-Las (\u201cGive Him a Great Big Kiss\u201d), the Exciters (\u201cTell Him\u201d), the Supremes (\u201cYou Can\u2019t Hurry Love\u201d), Martha and the Vandellas (\u201cDancing in the Street\u201d), the Marvelettes (\u201cPlease Mister Postman\u201d).<\/p>\n

THE SOLO ACTS:<\/strong> Brenda Lee (\u201cSweet Nothin\u2019s\u201d ), Connie Francis (\u201cDon\u2019t Ever Leave Me\u201d), Lesley Gore (\u201cYou Don\u2019t Own Me\u201d), Barbara Lewis (\u201cMake Me Your Baby\u201d), Marcie Blaine (\u201cBobby\u2019s Girl\u201d), Darlene Love (\u201cA Fine, Fine Boy), Barbara Mason (\u201cYes, I\u2019m Ready\u201d), Carla Thomas (\u201cGee Whiz\u201d), Mary Wells (\u201cYou Beat Me to the Punch\u201d), Little Eva (\u201cThe Locomotion\u201d), Annette (\u201cBeach Party\u201d). Skeeter Davis (\u201cI Can\u2019t Stay Mad at You\u201d), Barbara George (\u201cI know\u201d).<\/p>\n

By no means are these definitive lists, but they serve as good introductions to the eventual treasure trove of lesser known artists out there worth hearing.<\/p>\n

THE PRODUCERS AND ARRANGERS: <\/strong>Every Christmas in the mall, shoppers happily hum along to the Ronettes\u2019 version of \u201cSleigh Ride\u201d or the Crystals\u2019 take on \u201cSanta Claus Is Coming to Town,\u201d most of them unaware that the artistic force behind the recordings is doing lengthy time in the big house. In 2001, famed record producer Phil Spector was found guilty of second degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. Before his memorable appearance in a courtroom, donning a wig which seemed to be growing by itself, Spector was known for his famed Wall of Sound recordings, many of them featuring the best female singers around, with the superb acoustics of the Gold Star Studios in Hollywood providing the perfect backdrop. Spector\u2019s arranger, Jack \u201cShades\u201d Nitzsche, later became a legend in girl group circles, recording such memorable discs as \u201cDaddy, You Gotta Let Him In,\u201d by the Satisfactions and \u201cBaby, That\u2019s Me\u201d by the Cake. On the East Coast, there was another free spirit: George \u201cShadow\u201d Morton worked with a number of girl groups, most memorably with a very tough quartet of chicks who called themselves the Shangri-Las. Best remembered for the motorcycle epic, \u201cLeader of the Pack,\u201d Morton and the Shangri-Las created an impressive body of work, sounding more like soundtrack music to film noir storylines than Spector\u2019s Wall of Sound. Songs that still resonate are \u201cRemember (Walking in the Sand),\u201d \u201cI Can Never Go Home,\u201d and the extraordinary \u201cPast, Present and Future.\u201d Primarily a monologue by lead singer Mary Weiss, \u201cPast\u2026\u201d left an impact on both sides of the pond. Pete Townshend found the song intriguing, allowing him to visualize the story-telling potential of rock. It resulted in Townshend working on two rock operas, Tommy<\/em> and Quadrophenia<\/em>. And since we\u2019re on the subject of the English\u2026<\/p>\n

THE BRITISH INVASION:<\/strong> For a musical tidal wave that brought the girl group era to an end, it\u2019s remarkable how many British groups relied on girl group covers to get their feet into America\u2019s door. The Searchers struck gold with \u201cNeedles and PIns (originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon),\u201d the Hollies\u2019 \u201cI Can\u2019t Let Go (Evie Sands),\u201d Manfred Mann\u2019s \u201cDo Wah Diddy (the Exciters),\u201d Herman\u2019s Hermits\u2019 \u201cI\u2019m into Something Good (Earl-Jean),\u201d and the Rolling Stones\u2019 \u201cTime Is on My Side\u201d (Irma Thomas). Before Beatle albums became totally original John Lennon-Paul McCartney works (with the occasional George Harrison tune), the Fab Four covered \u201cChains\u201d by the Cookies and two Shirelles songs, \u201cBaby, It\u2019s You\u201d and \u201cBoys.\u201d In a dressing room prior to a San Diego show in the early \u201980s, Doris Jackson of the Shirelles proudly showed me her Beatles Fan Club Card signed by Lennon during an early \u201960s UK tour by the girl group. \u201cJohn told me the Shirelles were his favorite girl group,\u201d said a beaming Doris. Before I leave the discussion about old Blighty, I need to mention the significant girl group contributions of Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield. \u201cPet\u201d Clark had in her corner the closest British songwriter to resemble the style of Burt Bacharach: Tony Hatch. Clark and Hatch were never out of the American hit parade in the mid-\u201960s, creating pop music bliss with \u201cDowntown,\u201d \u201cI Know a Place,\u201d and \u201cSign of the Times.\u201d Springfield\u2019s soulful vocalizing on \u201cI Only Want to Be With You\u201d and \u201cStay Awhile\u201d caught the attention of Motown\u2019s Martha Reeves, who made Dusty an honorary Vandella.<\/p>\n

POST GIRL GROUP ERA:<\/strong> Eventually, the girl groups advanced beyond the choreography and embraced the world of guitar and amps. The Pleasure Seekers gave the world Suzi Quatro and Fanny was another first-class rock outfit. ABBA, the initials for group members Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, seemed to be Sweden\u2019s answer to the Mamas and Papas, but since most of the singing was done by the ladies, ABBA embraced the girl group spirit. Were they overplayed? Perhaps. But it\u2019s difficult not to be impressed by the Brill Building-inspired songwriting found on \u201cWaterloo,\u201d \u201cSOS,\u201d and, yes, even \u201cDancing Queen.\u201d Townshend, Ray Davies, and Elvis Costello are fans, so who am I to argue? Los Angeles bands the Go-Gos and the Bangles worked their way up through the club circuit to find commercial success, as did CBGB pioneers like Blondie.<\/p>\n

The Spice Girls had a fine sense of fashion but their songwriting skills\u2014or we should say the songs tossed to them\u2014lacked the formula to make them a great girl group. The Spice Girls weren\u2019t going to make anyone forget the Ronettes.<\/p>\n

FINAL COUNTDOWN:<\/strong> Here\u2019s my top ten. Subject to change (maybe as early as next week.)
\n1. \u201cBe My Baby,\u201d the Ronettes
\n2. \u201cOne and Only Jimmy Boy,\u201d the Girlfriends
\n3. \u201cA Fine, Fine Boy,\u201d Darlene Love
\n4. \u201cWhat Am I Gonna Do With You,\u201d Lesley Gore
\n5. \u201cWill You Still Love Me Tomorrow?\u201d the Shirelles
\n6. \u201cGo Now,\u201d Bessie Banks
\n7. \u201cI Just Don\u2019t Know What to Do With Myself,\u201d Dusty Springfield
\n8. \u201cDo Right Baby Do Right,\u201d Chris Clarke
\n9. \u201cYou Can\u2019t Hurry Love,\u201d Supremes
\n10. \u201cYou Better Watch Out Boy,\u201d Sandi and the Accents<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The girl group sound may be found in three factors: the sheer exuberance of the vocals, creative songwriting, and record producers in cahoots with crack groups of musicians from LA (the famed Wrecking Crew of session players), Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. The earliest example of a girl group record? A tough call. It would be like circling the wagons around the campfire and holding a debate on whether Jackie Brenston\u2019s \u201cRocket 88\u201d is the alpha recording of the rock \u2018n\u2019 roll era. But if it\u2019s possible to put on the brakes on a certain date in the 20th century musical time line, the contributions of lead singer Arlene Smith of the Chantels on the song \u201cMaybe\u201d (1958) seems an appropriate place for jump starting the girl group era. After \u201cMaybe,\u201d the flood gates opened and record company representatives searched the country for charming trios or quartets of femmes. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":14879,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[134],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sonic-universse"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14784"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14888,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14784\/revisions\/14888"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14879"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandiegotroubadour.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}