The Shirelles

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The Shirelles
The Shirelles, 1962
The Shirelles, 1962
General information
Genre (s) soul
founding 1958 as The Poquellos
resolution 1982
Founding members
Doris Coley
singing
 Addie "Micki" Harris
singing
 Shirley Owens
singing
 Beverly Lee
Last occupation
singing
 Doris Kenner-Jackson
singing
 Addie Harris
singing
 Beverly Lee

The Shirelles was a soul - singing group that was especially successful in the 1960s. The biggest hits are Tonight's the Night and Will You Love Me Tomorrow? (1960), Dedicated to the One I Love and Mama Said (1961) and Soldier Boy (1962).

Band history

The band was founded in 1958 in Passaic ( New Jersey based) than the schoolgirls Doris Coley, Addie Harris, Shirley Owens and Beverly Lee as The Poquellos at a talent show their school participated with the song I Met Him on a Sunday , they had written themselves . A school friend heard the performance and gave the four singers the opportunity to audition with their mother Florence Greenberg , who ran a small record label. Greenberg then decided to be the manager of the band and proposed a change of name to "The Shirelles" before. The name is made up of Owens' first name Shirley and the name of the doo-wop band The Chantels .

In the same year the Shirelles got a contract with Decca Records . I Met Him on a Sunday also made it into the top 50 of the charts, but after the two following singles flopped, Decca quit the band. Thereupon Greenberg got the band a contract with their own label Scepter Records and was able to win Luther Dixon as producer for the next recordings. Dedicated for the One I Love initially only made it to the bottom of the pop charts for a short time, while Tonight's the Night made it into the top 20 of the R&B charts in 1960. But the Shirelles only had their breakthrough at the end of the year with the Gerry Goffin / Carole King composition Will You Love Me Tomorrow .

The song topped the pop charts and made it to number 2 on the R&B charts. As a result, Dedicated to the One I Love made it to the top 5 in both the pop and R&B charts in 1961, Mama Said did the same and Big John reached number 2. In 1962 the Shirelles continued their success: The Greenberg- / Dixon's song Soldier Boy became another number one hit, and Baby It's You , later covered by the Beatles , also made it into the top 10. But a little later Dixon left the label. The Shirelles had another top 10 hit in 1963 with Foolish Little Girl , then the success initially ebbed.

In the following years, the band made recordings for the film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and helped Dionne Warwick with her first successes. Owens and Coley took a short break to get married. In the meantime, British bands began to cover songs by the Shirelles again and again: In addition to Baby It's You , the Beatles also released a version of the 1960s title Boys in 1963 , and Manfred Mann made Sha La La a hit. The Shirelles themselves made it to the lower regions of the charts a few more times, the last time in 1967 with Last Minute Miracle .

Coley, who was now called Doris Kenner-Jackson, left the band some time later to devote himself to her family. The other three band members stayed together and continued to make recordings in the early 1970s, with little success. In 1975 Owens, whose name was now Shirley Alston, also left the band to start a solo career; but Kenner-Jackson came back. After Harris died of a heart attack on June 10, 1982 during a concert in Atlanta , the band decided to split up. The last time the three remaining former members played together was in 1983 on a Dionne Warwick recording. In 1996 the Shirelles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .

The Rolling Stone listed the Shirelles as 76th of the 100 greatest musicians of all time .

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
1963 Foolish Little Girl - US133 (2 weeks)
US 		-
First published: August 1963

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

  • 1961: Tonight's the Night
  • 1961: Sing to Trumpets and Strings
  • 1962: Baby It's You
  • 1962: Give a Twist Party (with King Curtis )
  • 1963: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
  • 1965: Hear & Now
  • 1965: Swing the Most
  • 1967: Spontaneous Combustion
  • 1968: Eternally Soul (with King Curtis )
  • 1971: Happy and in Love
  • 1972: The Shirelles
  • 1972: Remember When - Volume 1

Compilations

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
1963 The Shirelles' Greatest Hits - US67 (20 weeks)
US 		-
First published: August 1963

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More compilations

  • 1963: hits
  • 1964: Sing the Golden Oldies
  • 1967: The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol II.
  • 1972: Remember When (2 LPs)
  • 1972: Sweet Soul from the Shirelles (2 LPs)
  • 1972: The Best of the Shirelles (appeared in DE 1976 as Boys )
  • 1973: Golden Hour of the Shirelles' Greatest Hits
  • 1973: Sing Their Very Best
  • 1975: The Very Best of the Shirelles
  • 1977: 16 greatest hits
  • 1980: To Know Him Is to Love Him
  • 1981: Juke Box Giants: 20 Hits of the Shirelles
  • 1981: The Shirelles
  • 1983: The Shirelles Greatest Hits
  • 1984: Anthology 1959–1964 (2 LPs)
  • 1984: Soulfully Yours
  • 1985: Mama Said
  • 1985: Sha La La La La
  • 1986: The 21 Greatest Hits
  • 1987: Lost and Found
  • 1988: Will You Love Me Tomorrow
  • 1989: Dedicated to You
  • 1990: Greatest Hits
  • 1990: The Collection
  • 1991: The Fabulous Shirelles
  • 1994: The World's Greatest Girls Group (2 CDs)
  • 1994: Lost & Found: Rare & Previously Unissued
  • 1994: For Collectors Only (3 CDs)
  • 1994: The Very Best of the Shirelles
  • 1995: Greatest Hits
  • 1996: The Definitive Collection (2 CDs)
  • 1997: The Masters
  • 1999: Greatest Hits: The Scepter Years
  • 2001: The Shirelles
  • 2005: Will You Love Me Tomorrow ?: The Anthology (2 CDs)
  • 2012: Will You Love Me Tomorrow: The Scepter and Top Rank Records Story (2 CDs)
  • 2013: The Shirelles Forever
  • 2013: Two Classic Albums Plus Singles (2 CDs)
  • 2015: The Singles Collection

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US US R&B R&B
1958 I Met Him on a Sunday (Ronde-Ronde)
 - US50 (10 weeks)
US 		-
First published: February 1958
Authors: Addie Harris, Beverly Lee, Doris Coley, Shirley Owens
1959 Dedicated to the One I Love
Tonight’s the Night 		- US3 (20 weeks)
US 		R&B2 (9 weeks)
R&B
First published: May 1959
R&B Hall of Fame
R&B chart entry and Top 10 of the Hot 100 only in 1961
Authors: Ralph Bass , Lowman Pauling
Original: The "5" Royales , 1957
1960 Tonight's the Night
Tonight's the Night 		- US39 (12 weeks)
US 		R&B14 (9 weeks)
R&B
First published: April 1960
409th place on the Rolling Stone 500 (2010 list)
Authors: Luther Dixon, Shirley Owens
Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
Tonight's the night 		UK4 (15 weeks)
UK 		US1 (19 weeks)
US 		R&B2 (12 weeks)
R&B
First published: November 1960
Grammy Hall of Fame + R&B Hall of Fame
Number 126 on the Rolling Stone 500 (2010 list)
Number 179 in the Songs of the Century ( RIAA , 2001 list)
Authors: Gerry Goffin , Carole King
1961 Mama Said
Sing to Trumpets and Strings 		- US4 (11 weeks)
US 		R&B2 (8 weeks)
R&B
First published: April 1961
Authors: Willie Denson, Luther Dixon
A Thing of the Past
Baby It's You 		- US41 (8 weeks)
US 		R&B26 (2 weeks)
R&B
B-side of What a Sweet Thing That Was
Authors: Bob Brass, Irwin Levine
What a Sweet Thing That Was
Sing to Trumpets and Strings 		- US54 (6 weeks)
US 		-
First published: June 1961
Authors: Gerry Goffin , Carole King
Big John (Ain't You Gonna Marry Me)
Baby It's You 		- US21 (9 weeks)
US 		R&B2 (9 weeks)
R&B
First published: September 1961
Authors: Amiel Summers, John Patton
Baby It's You,
Baby It's You 		- US8 (14 weeks)
US 		R&B3 (13 weeks)
R&B
First published: November 1961
Authors: Mack David , Barney Williams, Burt Bacharach
1962 Soldier Boy
Baby It's You 		UK23 (9 weeks)
UK 		US1 (14 weeks)
US 		R&B3 (13 weeks)
R&B
First published: March 1962
Authors: Luther Dixon, Florence Green
Welcome Home Baby
Give a Twist Party 		- US22 (8 weeks)
US 		R&B20 (6 weeks)
R&B
First published: June 1962
Author: Luther Dixon
Stop the Music
The Shirelles' Greatest Hits 		- US36 (8 weeks)
US 		-
First published: August 1962
Authors: Willie Denson, Van McCoy
Everybody Loves a Lover
The Shirelles' Greatest Hits 		- US19 (12 weeks)
US 		R&B15 (7 weeks)
R&B
First published: November 1962
Authors: Richard Adler , Robert Allen
Original: Doris Day and Frank De Vol , 1958
1963 Foolish Little Girl
Foolish Little Girl 		UK38 (5 weeks)
UK 		US4 (14 weeks)
US 		R&B9 (11 weeks)
R&B
First published: March 23, 1963
Authors: Helen Miller, Howard Greenfield
Not for All the Money in the World
Foolish Little Girl 		- US100 (1 week)
US 		-
B-side by Foolish Little Girl
Authors: Lee Porter, Ron Miller
Don't Say Goodnight and Mean Goodbye
Foolish Little Girl 		- US26 (9 weeks)
US 		-
First published: June 1963
Authors: Charles Partee, Joe de Angelis
What Does a Girl Do?
Swing the must 		- US53 (6 weeks)
US 		-
First published: August 1963
Author: Ed Townsend
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World 		- US92 (2 weeks)
US 		-
First published: October 1963
Authors: Ernest Gold , Mack David
31 Flavors
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World 		- US97 (1 week)
US 		-
B-side of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Authors: Ernest Gold, Mack David
1964 Tonight You're Gonna Fall in Love with Me
Hear & Now 		- US57 (5 weeks)
US 		R&B4 (10 weeks)
R&B
First published: December 1963
Authors: Art Kornfeld, Toni Wine
Sha-La-La
Hear & Now 		- US69 (4 weeks)
US 		R&B15 (9 weeks)
R&B
First published: March 1964
Authors: Luther Dixon, Robert Mosely,
Curtis Ousley, Robert Taylor
Thank You Baby
The Shirelles' Greatest Hits Vol II 		- US63 (7 weeks)
US 		-
First published: July 1964
Author: Beverly Lee
Maybe Tonight
Hear & Now 		- US88 (2 weeks)
US 		-
First published: October 1964
Author: Van McCoy
Are you still my baby
 - US91 (4 weeks)
US 		R&B37 (3 weeks)
R&B
1967 Last Minute Miracle
Spontaneous Combustion 		- US99 (2 weeks)
US 		R&B41 (5 weeks)
R&B
First published: June 26, 1967
Authors: George Kerr, Gerald Harris

More singles

  • 1958: My Love Is a Charm (release: June)
  • 1958: I Got the Message (release: November)
  • 1959: Doin 'the Ronde (release: September)
  • 1960: Please Be My Boyfriend (release: February)
  • 1960: The Dance Is Over (release: April)
  • 1965: Shhh, I'm Watching the Movie (released March)
  • 1965: March (You'll Be Sorry) (released in May)
  • 1965: My Heart Belongs to You (release: September)
  • 1966: I Met Him on a Sunday - '66 (released February)
  • 1966: Que Sera, Sera (released June)
  • 1966: When the Boys Talk About the Girls (release: September)
  • 1966: After Midnight (promo; release: September)
  • 1966: Teasin 'Me (released November)
  • 1967: Don't Go Home (My Little Darlin ') (released January)
  • 1967: Bright Shiny Colors (released April)
  • 1968: Wild and Sweet
  • 1968: Don't Mess with Cupid (release: June)
  • 1968: Call Me (If You Want Me) (release: November)
  • 1969: A Most Unusual Boy (as Shirley and the Shirelles; released January)
  • 1969: Playthings (as Shirley and the Shirelles; released April)
  • 1969: Go Away and Find Yourself (as Shirley and the Shirelles; release: August)
  • 1970: There Goes My Baby - Be My Baby (released March)
  • 1970: It's Gonna Take a Miracle (release: July)

literature

  • Irwin Stambler: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd revised edition. St. Martin's Press, New York City, New York 1989, p. 613, ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .
  • Jay Warner: The Billboard Book of American Singing Groups. A History 1940–1990 . Billboard Books, New York City / New York 1992, pp. 449-452.

swell

  1. ↑ For the interpretation of the text and the musical historical relevance of Will You Love Me Tomorrow see Werner Faulstich : The Shirelles: "Will You Still Love Tomorrow" - naive innocence and knowing willingness . In: Werner Faulstich: From Rock'n'Roll to Bob Dylan. Tübingen lectures on rock history. Part I: 1955-1963 . Gelsenkirchen: Rockpaed Verlag, 1983, pp. 128-130
  2. ↑ To the song compare: Bronson, Fred: The Billboard Book of Number One Hits . 3rd revised and expanded edition. New York City, New York: Billboard Publications, 1992, p. 83
  3. ↑ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Shirelles in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
  4. ↑ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone , December 2, 2010, accessed August 8, 2017 .
  5. ↑ a b c Chart sources: Singles UK Billboard 200
  6. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
  7. ↑ a b RS500 Songs (List 2010)
  8. ↑ Songs of the Century, RIAA (List 2001)

Web links

Commons : The Shirelles  - Collection of images, videos and audio files