The Shirelles
Encyclopedia
The Shirelles were an African-American girl group
that achieved popularity in the early 1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens
(later Shirley Alston-Reeves), Doris Coley
(later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McPherson), and Beverly Lee
. They have been described as either the first African-American girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100
, or the first girl group overall, with the song "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
".
Founded in 1957 for a talent show at their high school, they were signed by Florence Greenberg
of Tiara Records
. Their first single, "I Met Him on a Sunday", was released by Tiara and licensed by Decca Records
in 1958. After a brief and unsuccessful period with Decca, they went with Greenberg to her newly formed company, Scepter Records
. Working with Luther Dixon
, the group rose to fame with "Tonight's the Night
". After a successful period of collaboration with Dixon and promotion by Scepter, with seven Hot 20 hits, The Shirelles left Scepter in 1966. Afterwards, they were unable to maintain their previous popularity.
The Shirelles have been described as having a "naive schoolgirl sound" that contrasted with the sexual themes of many of their songs. Several of their hits used strings and baião-style music. They have been credited with launching the girl group genre, with much of their music reflecting the genre's essence. Their acceptance by both white and black audiences, predating that of the Motown acts, has been noted as reflecting the early success of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. They have received numerous honors, including the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation
, as well as being accepted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1996, and named one of the 100 best acts of all time by Rolling Stone
in 2004. Two of their songs, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Tonight's the Night", were selected by Rolling Stone on its list of the greatest songs of all time
.
, New Jersey
, under the name The Poquellos (or The Pequellos). The founding members, Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Addie "Micki" Harris, and Beverly Lee, entered a talent show at Passaic High School
at the suggestion of a teacher. After hearing them sing "I Met Him on a Sunday", a song they had written for the show, their classmate Mary Jane Greenberg convinced the reluctant Poquellos to meet with her mother, Florence
, the owner of Tiara Records
; After several months of avoiding Greenberg and telling her that they were not interested in singing professionally, they were booked to Tiara. By the end of the year they had changed their name to The Shirelles, a combination of the first syllable of Owens' given name and -el, reminiscent of then-popular group The Chantels
, after briefly using the name The Honeytunes. That year, they released their first song, "I Met Him on a Sunday"; after local success, it was licensed to Decca Records
for national broadcast and charted at #50. The song was influenced by doo-wop
, but infused with pop
melodies.
Tiara Records, along with The Shirelles' contract, was sold to Decca Records
in 1959 for $4000; Greenberg stayed as the manager, securing performances for the group, including one at the Howard Theatre
in Washington D.C. After two singles did poorly, including their first release — with Coley as lead vocalist — of "Dedicated to the One I Love
", a cover of The "5" Royales song of the same name, Decca returned them to Greenberg and gave up on them, considering them a one-hit act; On Greenberg's new label, Scepter Records
, they re-released "Dedicated to the One I Love" as a single, which peaked at #89; Wayne Wadhams, David Nathan, and Susan Lindsay in Inside the Hits attribute the low rating to poor distribution. In order to better promote the group, Greenberg asked songwriter Luther Dixon
, who had previously worked with Perry Como
, Nat King Cole
, and Pat Boone
and co-written the 1959 hit "16 Candles", to write for and produce songs for them. Dixon accepted.
Their first single produced with Dixon, "Tonight's the Night
", was released in 1960 and peaked at #39. The success of "Tonight's the Night" led to the girls being booked to perform with several major artists, such as Etta James
and Little Richard
, and facilitated Scepter's move to a larger office. It was followed by "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
", written by husband-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin
and Carole King
; the song went on to become either the first Billboard Number One Hit
by an African-American girl group or the first Number One Hit by any girl group. "Tonight's the Night" was later used as the title song for the 1961 album Tonight's the Night, which also included "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Dedicated to the One I Love".
After the success of their singles, The Shirelles became frequent guests of Murray the K
, who hosted them on his "All Star Rock Shows" on the New York radio station WINS
. During this same period they reissued "Dedicated to the One I Love", which peaked at #3. This was followed by "Mama Said
", written by Burt Bacharach
and Hal David
, followed by "Baby It's You", "Soldier Boy
" and "Boys
", with saxophonist King Curtis
.
In 1963 Dixon left Scepter, which preceded a large decrease in the number of The Shirelles' songs to chart. However, they carried on performing and recording. Dionne Warwick
replaced Owens and Coley, who took leave to marry their fiancés, in concerts and the group continued to record material. That year, they had a cameo in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
and their song "Foolish Little Girl" reached the pop/R&B Top 10. However, later in 1963 they learned that the trust
— holding their royalties — that they were supposed to receive from Scepter on their 21st birthday did not exist. In response, they left the label, and later filed a breach of contract
suit against the company. Scepter met this with a countersuit for quiting; both suits were withdrawn in 1965, after an agreement was reached. Knowing that Scepter had lied about the trust disappointed The Shirelles, who felt deceived. In a 1981 interview with Bruce Pollock, Owens said that Greenberg has put on a "mother routine", which the girls had "fall[en] for ... completely".
and the heavy competition from other girl groups, including The Chiffons
, The Dixie Cups
, The Ronettes
, The Supremes
, and The Crystals
. During this period, Warwick often replaced Coley due to the latter's family commitments. The Shirelles were still bound to Scepter and thus unable to record for another company until the end of their contract in 1966. Their last single to chart was 1967's "Last Minute Miracle", which peaked at #99.
After the commercial failure of their most recent releases, in 1968 Coley left the group to attend to her family. The remaining three Shirelles recorded songs for several labels, including Bell Records
, RCA
, and United Artists
until 1971. Afterwards, they toured singing their older songs, and participated in the filming of the 1973 documentary Let the Good Times Roll
, recording two songs for it. Coley returned as lead singer in 1975, replacing Owens, who left that year to pursue a solo career. In 1982 Harris died of a heart attack in the Hyatt Regency
after two performances in Atlanta, Georgia with the group. The following year, the remaining three original members performed "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" with Warwick on her album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
.
Afterwards the original members toured in different, separate, groups, although the trademark to The Shirelles name was eventually acquired by Lee. Coley died in Sacramento
, California
on February 4, 2000, of breast cancer.
, calls a "naive schoolgirl sound". The lyrics sung by The Shirelles tended to be fairly simple and "barely" concealed the subtexts of the songs. The songs were implicitly directed at female listeners, with the male subjects of songs being referred to as "he" instead of "you"; this was a change from previous female-written songs, which tended to be more gender neutral, and helped pave the way for the "confessional" songs of 70s singers like Joni Mitchell
and Carole King
.
Musically, their works with Dixon were influenced by Brazilian baião and featured numerous instances of syncopation
.
Michael Campbell notes that The Shirelles' success reflected the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He indicates that works such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", written by a white couple, produced by an African-American man, with vocals by young African-American women and strings sounding like they were targeted at a white audience, conveyed a "color-blind" message on top of its more obvious sexual one.
with the Pioneer Award for their contributions to music. The award was accepted by Owens, Lee, and Kenner. As Coley was accepting her award, she said "This is dedicated to the one I love", and sang an impromptu rendition of "Soldier Boy" together with Owens and Lee. Two years later they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
, together with Gladys Knight
and The Pips. At the ceremony in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
in New York, the three surviving members sang a medley of songs after being presented the awards by Merry Clayton
, Marianne Faithfull
, and Darlene Love
. In 2002, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
. Lee and Owens accepted the award.
In 2004, Rolling Stone
ranked them #76 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Paul Shaffer
, who did the write-up, wrote that the girl-group sound, originated by them, was "everything to [him]"; he also described their impromptu performance of "Soldier Boy" as inspiring. They also included two of The Shirelles' songs, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
" and "Tonight's the Night
", on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
. In the 2010 edition, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" was ranked 126th, while "Tonight's the Night" was ranked 409th.
In September 2008, the Shirelles' hometown of Passaic honored the group by renaming a section of Paulison Avenue between Passaic and Pennington Avenues (the section where Passaic High School is located) "Shirelles Boulevard". The dedication ceremony was attended by both surviving Shirelles. Owens said that it was different than when they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, as it was their home town. She noted that "the people who loves us and we loved are right here."
and Colin Escott, which follows the story of Greenberg and Scepter Records. The show opened on Broadway
at the Broadhurst Theatre
and was directed by Sheldon Epps
and starring Beth Leavel
as Florence. Christina Sajous played Owens, Erica Ash
played Harris, Kyra DaCosta played Lee, and Crystal Starr Knighton played Coley. The use of their likenesses without permission led to Lee, as well as the estates of Coley and Harris, to sue Warner Bros.
The revue had a run of 148 performances, opening at the Broadhurst Theatre
on April 27, 2011 and closing on September 4 of the same year.
The show received mixed to negative reviews. Entertainment Weekly
Clark Collis gave the musical a "B-" rating. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times
called it "dismal" and Steven Suskin of Variety
wrote that it had "a tunestack only one quarter as imperishable" as Jersey Boys
. The musical received some positive recognition; Leavel was nominated for a both a Tony
and Drama Desk Award for best leading actress.
| * no RnB Charts printed by Billboard during these chart runs
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
that achieved popularity in the early 1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens
Shirley Owens
Shirley Alston Reeves was the lead member of the hit singing group, The Shirelles. As well as Owens, the Shirelles consisted of classmates of hers from Passaic High School, New Jersey: Addie "Micki" Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, and Beverly Lee. Through marriages, she became Shirley Alston and...
(later Shirley Alston-Reeves), Doris Coley
Doris Coley
Doris Coley was a member of the Shirelles. She initially left the group in 1968, but returned in 1975....
(later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McPherson), and Beverly Lee
Beverly Lee
Beverly Lee was a member of the all girl vocal pop group, The Shirelles. She was born on August 3, 1941, in Passaic, New Jersey.Today, she holds the trademark for the Shirelles' name.-External links:*...
. They have been described as either the first African-American girl group to top the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, or the first girl group overall, with the song "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
".
Founded in 1957 for a talent show at their high school, they were signed by Florence Greenberg
Florence Greenberg
Florence Greenberg was an American record label owner, music executive and a record producer.- Life and career :...
of Tiara Records
Tiara Records
Tiara Records was a record label, started in 1958 by Florence Greenberg. When she had a local hit with I Met Him on a Sunday by The Shirelles, she sold the group with the label to Decca Records for $4000. With that money she started Scepter Records in 1959....
. Their first single, "I Met Him on a Sunday", was released by Tiara and licensed by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1958. After a brief and unsuccessful period with Decca, they went with Greenberg to her newly formed company, Scepter Records
Scepter Records
Scepter Records is a record company founded in 1959 by Florence Greenberg. She had just sold Tiara Records with The Shirelles for $4000 to Decca Records. When The Shirelles didn't produce any hits for Decca, they were given back to Greenberg, who promptly signed them. By 1961 Greenberg launched a...
. Working with Luther Dixon
Luther Dixon
Luther Dixon was an American songwriter, record producer, and singer. Dixon's songs achieved their greatest success in the 1950s and 60s, and were recorded by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Jackson 5, B.B. King, Dusty Springfield, and others...
, the group rose to fame with "Tonight's the Night
Tonight's the Night (song)
"Tonight's the Night" is the title and lead track from The Shirelles' 1961 album Tonight's the Night. Written by Luther Dixon and Shirley Owens, the song dealt with a woman's feelings before losing her virginity and was released as the pre-album's second single in 1960...
". After a successful period of collaboration with Dixon and promotion by Scepter, with seven Hot 20 hits, The Shirelles left Scepter in 1966. Afterwards, they were unable to maintain their previous popularity.
The Shirelles have been described as having a "naive schoolgirl sound" that contrasted with the sexual themes of many of their songs. Several of their hits used strings and baião-style music. They have been credited with launching the girl group genre, with much of their music reflecting the genre's essence. Their acceptance by both white and black audiences, predating that of the Motown acts, has been noted as reflecting the early success of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. They have received numerous honors, including the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation
Rhythm and Blues Foundation
The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music....
, as well as being accepted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1996, and named one of the 100 best acts of all time by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
in 2004. Two of their songs, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Tonight's the Night", were selected by Rolling Stone on its list of the greatest songs of all time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
.
Initial career and success
The group that later became The Shirelles was formed in 1957 by four teenage friends from PassaicPassaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, under the name The Poquellos (or The Pequellos). The founding members, Shirley Owens, Doris Coley, Addie "Micki" Harris, and Beverly Lee, entered a talent show at Passaic High School
Passaic High School
Passaic High School is a four-year community public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Passaic, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Passaic City School District...
at the suggestion of a teacher. After hearing them sing "I Met Him on a Sunday", a song they had written for the show, their classmate Mary Jane Greenberg convinced the reluctant Poquellos to meet with her mother, Florence
Florence Greenberg
Florence Greenberg was an American record label owner, music executive and a record producer.- Life and career :...
, the owner of Tiara Records
Tiara Records
Tiara Records was a record label, started in 1958 by Florence Greenberg. When she had a local hit with I Met Him on a Sunday by The Shirelles, she sold the group with the label to Decca Records for $4000. With that money she started Scepter Records in 1959....
; After several months of avoiding Greenberg and telling her that they were not interested in singing professionally, they were booked to Tiara. By the end of the year they had changed their name to The Shirelles, a combination of the first syllable of Owens' given name and -el, reminiscent of then-popular group The Chantels
The Chantels
The Chantels were the second African-American girl group to have nationwide success in the United States, preceded by The Bobbettes. The group was established in the early 1950s and attended St. Anthony of Padua school in The Bronx...
, after briefly using the name The Honeytunes. That year, they released their first song, "I Met Him on a Sunday"; after local success, it was licensed to Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
for national broadcast and charted at #50. The song was influenced by doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
, but infused with pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
melodies.
Tiara Records, along with The Shirelles' contract, was sold to Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in 1959 for $4000; Greenberg stayed as the manager, securing performances for the group, including one at the Howard Theatre
Howard Theatre
The Howard Theatre is a historic theatre, located at 620 T Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C..Opened in 1910, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974....
in Washington D.C. After two singles did poorly, including their first release — with Coley as lead vocalist — of "Dedicated to the One I Love
Dedicated to the One I Love
"Dedicated to the One I Love" is the name of a song written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass. Pauling was the guitarist of The "5" Royales, the group that recorded the original version of this song, Bass was the producer. A version by The Shirelles was a minor hit for them in 1959. The "5" Royales...
", a cover of The "5" Royales song of the same name, Decca returned them to Greenberg and gave up on them, considering them a one-hit act; On Greenberg's new label, Scepter Records
Scepter Records
Scepter Records is a record company founded in 1959 by Florence Greenberg. She had just sold Tiara Records with The Shirelles for $4000 to Decca Records. When The Shirelles didn't produce any hits for Decca, they were given back to Greenberg, who promptly signed them. By 1961 Greenberg launched a...
, they re-released "Dedicated to the One I Love" as a single, which peaked at #89; Wayne Wadhams, David Nathan, and Susan Lindsay in Inside the Hits attribute the low rating to poor distribution. In order to better promote the group, Greenberg asked songwriter Luther Dixon
Luther Dixon
Luther Dixon was an American songwriter, record producer, and singer. Dixon's songs achieved their greatest success in the 1950s and 60s, and were recorded by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Jackson 5, B.B. King, Dusty Springfield, and others...
, who had previously worked with Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, and Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
and co-written the 1959 hit "16 Candles", to write for and produce songs for them. Dixon accepted.
Their first single produced with Dixon, "Tonight's the Night
Tonight's the Night (song)
"Tonight's the Night" is the title and lead track from The Shirelles' 1961 album Tonight's the Night. Written by Luther Dixon and Shirley Owens, the song dealt with a woman's feelings before losing her virginity and was released as the pre-album's second single in 1960...
", was released in 1960 and peaked at #39. The success of "Tonight's the Night" led to the girls being booked to perform with several major artists, such as Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
and Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, and facilitated Scepter's move to a larger office. It was followed by "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
", written by husband-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
; the song went on to become either the first Billboard Number One Hit
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
by an African-American girl group or the first Number One Hit by any girl group. "Tonight's the Night" was later used as the title song for the 1961 album Tonight's the Night, which also included "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Dedicated to the One I Love".
After the success of their singles, The Shirelles became frequent guests of Murray the K
Murray the K
Murray Kaufman , professionally known as Murray the K, was an influential rock and roll impresario and disc jockey of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s...
, who hosted them on his "All Star Rock Shows" on the New York radio station WINS
WINS (AM)
WINS , known on-air as "Ten-Ten Wins", is a radio station in New York City, owned by CBS Radio. WINS's studios are in the combined CBS Radio facility at 345 Hudson Street in the TriBeCa section of Manhattan, and transmitting towers in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.WINS is one of the nation's oldest...
. During this same period they reissued "Dedicated to the One I Love", which peaked at #3. This was followed by "Mama Said
Mama Said (The Shirelles song)
"Mama Said" is a song performed by The Shirelles, written by Luther Dixon and Willie Denson. It became a top ten hit, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released as a single in 1961. It has been covered by American Spring, Dusty Springfield, and The Stereos as well as a...
", written by Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
and Hal David
Hal David
Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
, followed by "Baby It's You", "Soldier Boy
Soldier Boy (song)
"Soldier Boy" is the name of a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Green. The song was released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 and met with great success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100...
" and "Boys
Boys (The Shirelles song)
"Boys" is a song by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell, originally performed by The Shirelles and released as the B-side of their "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" single in November 1960.-The Beatles' version:...
", with saxophonist King Curtis
King Curtis
Curtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
.
In 1963 Dixon left Scepter, which preceded a large decrease in the number of The Shirelles' songs to chart. However, they carried on performing and recording. Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
replaced Owens and Coley, who took leave to marry their fiancés, in concerts and the group continued to record material. That year, they had a cameo in the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 in stolen cash by a diverse and colorful group of strangers...
and their song "Foolish Little Girl" reached the pop/R&B Top 10. However, later in 1963 they learned that the trust
Income trust
An income trust is an investment that may hold equities, debt instruments, royalty interests or real properties. The trust can receive interest, royalty or lease payments from an operating entity carrying on a business, as well as dividends and a return of capital.The main attraction of income...
— holding their royalties — that they were supposed to receive from Scepter on their 21st birthday did not exist. In response, they left the label, and later filed a breach of contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
suit against the company. Scepter met this with a countersuit for quiting; both suits were withdrawn in 1965, after an agreement was reached. Knowing that Scepter had lied about the trust disappointed The Shirelles, who felt deceived. In a 1981 interview with Bruce Pollock, Owens said that Greenberg has put on a "mother routine", which the girls had "fall[en] for ... completely".
Later career
In later years, The Shirelles' songs became less popular owing to pressure from the British InvasionBritish Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
and the heavy competition from other girl groups, including The Chiffons
The Chiffons
The Chiffons was an all girl group originating from the Bronx area of New York in 1960.-Biography:The Chiffons were one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s...
, The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups
The Dixie Cups are an American pop music girl group of the 1960s. They are best known for their 1964 million selling disc, "Chapel of Love".-Career:...
, The Ronettes
The Ronettes
The Ronettes were a 1960s girl group from New York City, best known for their work with producer Phil Spector. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett ; her older sister, Estelle Bennett; and their cousin Nedra Talley...
, The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, and The Crystals
The Crystals
The Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead...
. During this period, Warwick often replaced Coley due to the latter's family commitments. The Shirelles were still bound to Scepter and thus unable to record for another company until the end of their contract in 1966. Their last single to chart was 1967's "Last Minute Miracle", which peaked at #99.
After the commercial failure of their most recent releases, in 1968 Coley left the group to attend to her family. The remaining three Shirelles recorded songs for several labels, including Bell Records
Bell Records
Bell Records was an American record label founded in 1952 by Arthur Shimkin in New York, the owner of children's record label Golden Records, and initially a unit of Pocket Books, after the rights to the name were acquired from Benny Bell who used the Bell name to issue risque novelty records. A...
, RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
, and United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
until 1971. Afterwards, they toured singing their older songs, and participated in the filming of the 1973 documentary Let the Good Times Roll
Let the Good Times Roll (film)
Let the Good Times Roll is a 1973 rockumentary / concert film directed by Robert Abel and Sidney Levin. It features numerous stars from the American pop and rock music scene of the 1950s.-Summary:...
, recording two songs for it. Coley returned as lead singer in 1975, replacing Owens, who left that year to pursue a solo career. In 1982 Harris died of a heart attack in the Hyatt Regency
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
The Hyatt Regency Atlanta, located on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, is an award winning hotel which opened in 1967. The John C. Portman, Jr. designed building was the first hotel constructed around an atrium, and has influenced hotel design since...
after two performances in Atlanta, Georgia with the group. The following year, the remaining three original members performed "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" with Warwick on her album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
How Many Times Must We Say Goodbye is an album by Dionne Warwick released in 1983. It was produced by R&B mainstay Luther Vandross and included the hit title track which was a duet with Vandross. Also the title track was featured on Vandross's own Busy Body album...
.
Afterwards the original members toured in different, separate, groups, although the trademark to The Shirelles name was eventually acquired by Lee. Coley died in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on February 4, 2000, of breast cancer.
Style
Wadhams, Nathan, and Lindsay describe the style of The Shirelles early work as "tight, almost doo-wop harmony". Owens' vocals, described by rock n' roll writer Alwyn W. Turner as being "wonderfully expressive", were capable of sounding "almost, but not quite" out of tune, which in his opinion led to Owens' sounding innocent in her songs; music critic Albin Zak describes her vocals as being able to intone desire and vulnerability. The other members, singing backup, also convey what Michael Campbell, a professor of music at Western Illinois UniversityWestern Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
, calls a "naive schoolgirl sound". The lyrics sung by The Shirelles tended to be fairly simple and "barely" concealed the subtexts of the songs. The songs were implicitly directed at female listeners, with the male subjects of songs being referred to as "he" instead of "you"; this was a change from previous female-written songs, which tended to be more gender neutral, and helped pave the way for the "confessional" songs of 70s singers like Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
.
Musically, their works with Dixon were influenced by Brazilian baião and featured numerous instances of syncopation
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
.
Influences
Steve Huey of Allmusic notes that The Shirelles defined "the so-called girl group sound with their soft, sweet harmonies and yearning innocence", with their songs predating Motown in their widespread crossing of racial demographics, both in the US and in Britain. He also notes that they spawned "legions of imitators", and laid a blueprint for future female pop stars to follow. Alwyn Turner writes that The Shirelles "launched [the girl group] genre", noting that their early work already included "the essence" of the genre; Alwyn Zak expands on the statement, noting that the influx of female groups started after the success of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow".Michael Campbell notes that The Shirelles' success reflected the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He indicates that works such as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", written by a white couple, produced by an African-American man, with vocals by young African-American women and strings sounding like they were targeted at a white audience, conveyed a "color-blind" message on top of its more obvious sexual one.
Accolades
In 1994, The Shirelles were honored by the Rhythm and Blues FoundationRhythm and Blues Foundation
The Rhythm and Blues Foundation is an independent American nonprofit organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music....
with the Pioneer Award for their contributions to music. The award was accepted by Owens, Lee, and Kenner. As Coley was accepting her award, she said "This is dedicated to the one I love", and sang an impromptu rendition of "Soldier Boy" together with Owens and Lee. Two years later they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, together with Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
and The Pips. At the ceremony in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
in New York, the three surviving members sang a medley of songs after being presented the awards by Merry Clayton
Merry Clayton
Merry Clayton is an American soul and gospel singer , and an actress...
, Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
, and Darlene Love
Darlene Love
Darlene Love is an American popular music singer and actress. She gained prominence in the 1960s for the song "He's a Rebel," a #1 American single in 1962, and was part of the Phil Spector stable that produced a celebrated Christmas album in 1963....
. In 2002, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
. Lee and Owens accepted the award.
In 2004, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
ranked them #76 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
, who did the write-up, wrote that the girl-group sound, originated by them, was "everything to [him]"; he also described their impromptu performance of "Soldier Boy" as inspiring. They also included two of The Shirelles' songs, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
" and "Tonight's the Night
Tonight's the Night (song)
"Tonight's the Night" is the title and lead track from The Shirelles' 1961 album Tonight's the Night. Written by Luther Dixon and Shirley Owens, the song dealt with a woman's feelings before losing her virginity and was released as the pre-album's second single in 1960...
", on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone, issue number 963, published December 9, 2004, a year after the magazine published its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time"....
. In the 2010 edition, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" was ranked 126th, while "Tonight's the Night" was ranked 409th.
In September 2008, the Shirelles' hometown of Passaic honored the group by renaming a section of Paulison Avenue between Passaic and Pennington Avenues (the section where Passaic High School is located) "Shirelles Boulevard". The dedication ceremony was attended by both surviving Shirelles. Owens said that it was different than when they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, as it was their home town. She noted that "the people who loves us and we loved are right here."
Stage musical
The Shirelles' story was shown in Baby It's You!, a musical revue written by Floyd MutruxFloyd Mutrux
Floyd Mutrux is an American stage and film director, writer, producer, and screenwriter.- Career :He began his work in Hollywood as an uncredited writer for Two-Lane Blacktop...
and Colin Escott, which follows the story of Greenberg and Scepter Records. The show opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Broadhurst Theatre
Broadhurst Theatre
The Broadhurst Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 235 West 44th Street in midtown Manhattan.It was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, a well-known theatre designer who had been working directly with the Shubert brothers; the Broadhurst opened 27 September 1917...
and was directed by Sheldon Epps
Sheldon Epps
Sheldon Epps is an American television and theatre director.-Career:Sheldon Epps was born in Los Angeles, California. He moved to Teaneck, New Jersey when he was 11 years old, where he attended the local public schools, and was first drawn to the stage while at Teaneck High School...
and starring Beth Leavel
Beth Leavel
-Biography:Leavel was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She attended Meredith College, earning a degree in social work. She completed a graduate theatre degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1980. She acted during college, appearing in productions such as Cabaret and Hello,...
as Florence. Christina Sajous played Owens, Erica Ash
Erica Ash
Erica Ash is an American actress, comedienne, singer and model. She was a cast member on the sketch comedy programs MadTV and The Big Gay Sketch Show.-Early years:...
played Harris, Kyra DaCosta played Lee, and Crystal Starr Knighton played Coley. The use of their likenesses without permission led to Lee, as well as the estates of Coley and Harris, to sue Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
The revue had a run of 148 performances, opening at the Broadhurst Theatre
Broadhurst Theatre
The Broadhurst Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 235 West 44th Street in midtown Manhattan.It was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, a well-known theatre designer who had been working directly with the Shubert brothers; the Broadhurst opened 27 September 1917...
on April 27, 2011 and closing on September 4 of the same year.
The show received mixed to negative reviews. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
Clark Collis gave the musical a "B-" rating. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "dismal" and Steven Suskin of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
wrote that it had "a tunestack only one quarter as imperishable" as Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons...
. The musical received some positive recognition; Leavel was nominated for a both a Tony
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
and Drama Desk Award for best leading actress.
Studio albums
(Based on Billboard information)- 1961: Tonight's the Night
- 1961: The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets and Strings
- 1962: Baby It's YouBaby It's You (album)Baby It's You is a 1962 R&B/pop album by The Shirelles. It contains the 1962 hits "Baby It's You" and "Soldier Boy".-Side one:#"Baby It's You" – 2:43...
(US #59) - 1962: The Shirelles and King Curtis Give a Twist Party (duets album with King CurtisKing CurtisCurtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
) - 1963: Foolish Little GirlFoolish Little GirlFoolish Little Girl is a 1963 album by The Shirelles. The title track turned out to be the last of the group's big hits, stopping at number four on the U.S. pop charts. The album's other single, "Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye," was The Shirelles' last top forty US hit. Despite their...
(US #68) - 1963: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
- 1965: The Shirelles Swing the Most
- 1965: Hear and Now
- 1967: Spontaneous Combustion (Live album)
- 1968: Eternally, Soul (duets album with King Curtis)
- 1972: Happy and in Love (RCA)
- 1973: The Shirelles (RCA)
- 1975: Shirley Alston: With a Little Help From My Friends (Prodigal)
- 1976: The Shirelles: Let's Give Each Other Love (RCA)
- 1977; Lady Rose (Shirley Alston) (Strawberry)
- 1977; Lady Rose Sings the Shirelles' Greatest Hits (Shirley Alston) (Strawberry)
Compilations
- 1963: Greatest Hits (US #19)
- 1964: The Shirelles Sing the Golden Oldies
- 1967: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
- 1972: Remember When
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1958 | "I Met Him On a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde)" | 49 | ||
| 1959 | "Dedicated to the One I Love Dedicated to the One I Love "Dedicated to the One I Love" is the name of a song written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass. Pauling was the guitarist of The "5" Royales, the group that recorded the original version of this song, Bass was the producer. A version by The Shirelles was a minor hit for them in 1959. The "5" Royales... " |
83 | ||
| 1960 | "Tonight's the Night Tonight's the Night (song) "Tonight's the Night" is the title and lead track from The Shirelles' 1961 album Tonight's the Night. Written by Luther Dixon and Shirley Owens, the song dealt with a woman's feelings before losing her virginity and was released as the pre-album's second single in 1960... " |
39 | 14 | |
| "Will You Love Me Tomorrow Will You Love Me Tomorrow "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125... " |
1 | 2 | 4 | |
| 1961 | "Dedicated to the One I Love Dedicated to the One I Love "Dedicated to the One I Love" is the name of a song written by Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass. Pauling was the guitarist of The "5" Royales, the group that recorded the original version of this song, Bass was the producer. A version by The Shirelles was a minor hit for them in 1959. The "5" Royales... " (reissue) |
3 | 2 | |
| "Mama Said Mama Said (The Shirelles song) "Mama Said" is a song performed by The Shirelles, written by Luther Dixon and Willie Denson. It became a top ten hit, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released as a single in 1961. It has been covered by American Spring, Dusty Springfield, and The Stereos as well as a... " |
4 | 2 | ||
| "A Thing of the Past" / | 41 | 26 | ||
| "What a Sweet Thing That Was" (B-side) | 54 | |||
| "Big John" | 21 | 2 | ||
| "Baby It's You Baby It's You "Baby It's You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach , and Luther Dixon and Mack David . It was recorded by The Shirelles and The Beatles, and became hits for both... " / |
8 | 3 | ||
| "The Things I Want To Hear (Pretty Words)" (B-side) | 107 | |||
| 1962 | "Soldier Boy Soldier Boy (song) "Soldier Boy" is the name of a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Green. The song was released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 and met with great success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100... " / |
1 | 3 | 23 |
| "Love Is a Swingin' Thing" (B-side) | 109 | |||
| "Welcome Home, Baby" / | 22 | 20 | ||
| "Mama, Here Comes the Bride" (B-side) | 104 | |||
| "Stop the Music" / | 36 | |||
| "It's Love That Really Counts (In the Long Run)" (B-side) | 102 | |||
| "Everybody Loves a Lover Everybody Loves a Lover "Everybody Loves a Lover" is a popular song.The writers were both people who were best known for collaborations with other partners. The music was written by Robert Allen and the lyrics by Richard Adler .The recording by Doris Day was released by Columbia Records as catalog... " |
19 | 15 | ||
| 1963 | "Foolish Little Girl" / | 4 | 9 | 38 |
| "Not For All the Money In the World" (B-side) | 100 | |||
| "Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye" | 26 | |||
| "What Does a Girl Do?" | 53 | * | ||
| "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" / | 92 | * | ||
| "31 Flavors" (B-side) | 97 | * | ||
| 1964 | "Tonight You're Gonna Fall In Love With Me" | 57 | * | |
| "Sha-la-la" | 69 | * | ||
| "Thank You Baby" | 63 | * | ||
| "Maybe Tonight" / | 88 | * | ||
| "Lost Love" (B-side) | 125 | * | ||
| "Are You Still My Baby" | 91 | * | ||
| 1965 | "March (You'll Be Sorry)" | 108 | ||
| "My Heart Belongs To You" | 125 | |||
| 1966 | "Shades of Blue" | 122 | ||
| 1967 | "Don't Go Home (My Little Darlin')" | 110 | ||
| "Last Minute Miracle" | 99 | 41 | ||
| * no RnB Charts printed by Billboard during these chart runs