“The group hit the top of the charts in 1964 with “Chapel of Love,” a song that Phil Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich had originally written for The Ronettes. The trio consisted of sisters Barbara and Rosa Lee Hawkins; plus their cousin Joan Johnson, from the Calliope housing project in New Orleans. They first sang together in grade school. Originally they were to be called Little Miss and the Muffets, but were named The Dixie Cups just prior to their first release.
By 1963 the trio had decided to pursue a career in music and began singing locally as the Meltones. Within a year Joe Jones, a successful singer in his own right with the Top Five 1960 single “You Talk Too Much,” became their manager. After working with them for five months, Jones took them to New York, where record producers/songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller signed them to their new Red Bird Records.
Their first release, “Chapel of Love,” proved to be their biggest hit.” (Source)
“Chapel” Charted number 1 on both the Pop and R&B charts in 1964! Now that’s how to start a career and a record company.
Chapel of Love Composed by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
Goin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Gee, I really love you
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel of loveSpring is here, th-e-e sky is blue, whoa-oh-oh
Birds all sing as if they knew
Today’s the day we’ll say “I do”
And we’ll never be lonely anymore because we’reGoin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Gee, I really love you
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel of loveBells will ring, the-e-e sun will shine, whoa-oh-oh
I’ll be his and he’ll be mine
We’ll love until the end of time
And we’ll never be lonely anymore because we’reGoin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Gee, I really love you
And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried
Goin’ to the chapel of loveYeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Goin’ to the chapel of love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
FADE
Thanks for stopping by. I so appreciate your visit.
Related posts:
- "Iko Iko" Performed by The Dixie Cups (1965)
- "Chains" Performed by The Cookies (1963)
- “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” Performed by Manfred Mann (1964)
- "Mr. Lee" Performed by The Bobbettes (1957)
- “Crying in the Chapel” Performed By The Orioles, June Valli, Darrell Glenn (1953) & Elvis Presley (1965)
Filed under: Chapel of Love, Girl Groups, Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector, Pop/R&B, Red Bird Records, Sixties, The Dixie Cups
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Greenwich New York City was home to a very unique culture and alternative lifestyles. Many thought that residents in the area were so-called beatniks or hippies and they often shunned its residents.
billboard did not print national rhythm and blues charts in 1964. in cashbox, “chapel of love” did not make the r&b top fifty while, astoundingly, the sound-alike single “people say” made it to number seven.
Hi B Rand,
I appreciate your comment.
Billboard may not have had something called an “R&B” chart in 1964 but they had a “Black Music” chart in 1964 and “Chapel of Love” was number one on it. Here is a link to my source on the All Music.
Incidentally Billboard has had “Race” charts as early as 1945 so they have a long history of covering what was first called “Race Music”, then “Black Music” and finally “R&B Music”.
Also Billboard is not now, nor was it ever, the only chart game in town, so what I wrote was not chart specific, only Genre specific. But in this case you happen to be right that the charts I were referring to in this post both were Billboard’s.
I used the terminology “R&B” in my post as I do not particularly care to use the terms “Race” or “Black”: we are all of the same human race and I have never seen a Black or white person! I find both terms offensive so I used “R&B” assuming that readers would know that I was referring to the “Black Music Only Charts” (which is how it was in those segregated times). I lived at that time to read those charts and know that they did exist.
Perhaps, in the future, I should be more specific for the younger blog readers out there so I will take your post under advisement and am sorry of I caused you any confusion.
Hope to see you again real soon. An thanks for the informations on the song’s charting on Cashbox.
Keeping the Oldies alive!
SonDan