“Mama Said” reached #4 Pop and #2 R&B in the spring of 1961.
There is not too much more to say about these great ladies that hasn’t been said in the three earlier posts here on this blog about the Shirelles. This is just another one of their many great hits. In addition to the single release, “Mama Said” appeared on the girls third LP release of 1963 entitled “The Shirelles Sing to Trumpets & Strings”, on the Sundazed label and pictured here. (Once again I was unable to upload graphics on this buggy new WP interface: hope to able to do it soon. Sorry)
Just a quick introduction for those of you who don’t know The Shirelles:
“The Shirelles, a group of 16 and 17 year olds, were all friends from Passaic High School in Passaic, New Jersey, that began singing together in 1958. Fans of the Flamingos, Chantels, and Little Anthony and the Imperials as well as the Bobbettes, The Shirelles received a large part of their musical education by listening to New York’s premier R&B station at the time, WWRL.
“Mama Said” Composed By Willie Denson & Luther Dixon
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this Mama said
(Mama said, mama said)
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this my Mama said
(Mama said, mama said)
I went walking the other day,
Everything was going fine,
I met a little boy named Billy Joe
And then I almost lost my mind
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this Mama said
(Mama said, mama said)
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this my Mama said
My eyes are wide open
But all that I can see is,
chapel bells are callin for everyone but-a me
but I don’t worry cause
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this Mama said
(Mama said, mama said)
Mama said there’ll be days like this,
There’ll be days like this my Mama said
And then she said someone will look at me
like I’m looking at you one day,
then I might find
I don’t want it any old way,
so I don’t worry cause.
Carole King and Gerry Goffin met at Queens College, along with Paul Simon and Neil Sedaka. Forming a musical partnership that eventually resulted in marriage as well, Goffin and King started out as Brill Building-scene writers, working for impresario Don Kirshner at his Aldon company. Together they penned some all-time classic pop tunes, including one of their best known, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” a number one hit for the Shirelles in 1961. As the story goes, Kirshner recognized the song’s potential immediately, handing over a 10,000 dollar advance to each of the writers upon being presented with the demo. This was huge money to the struggling couple, who until then had none of their songs recorded. The song is a masterpiece of pop songcraft and is typical for the pair in its subtle lyrical and musical approach. The two deftly handle controversial subject matter: the long-term concerns of a young woman involved in a physical consummation of love.
A decade after The Shirelles had a hit with the song, it was recorded by co-writer Carole King herself on her award winning masterpiece album “Tapestry”. James Taylor and Joni Mitchell provide backing vocals and Taylor also plays guitar and and Granfalloon (what is that?!) as indicated on the liner notes of my CD.
I played this album over and over again during my college years: it got me through some tough times. But that’s another blog -- for another time.
Here is Ms. King’s glorious version of the song from “Tapestry”
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Carole King -- Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Now that you have listened to both versions could you tell me the one you prefer please? Click Here to take survey
This song is what I call a “new” classic. It has been covered by everyone from, Roberta Flack, Linda Ronstadt, Ben E. King, Brook Benton to Dusty Springfield. Even someone with mediocre singing skills can make their performance of this song sound greater than their talent because the song is good. IMHO the song writing talents of Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Lionel Ritchie all have this quality in common. They write songs with great melodies & lyrics that have, and will continue to, withstand the test of time.
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Shirelles -Foolish Little Girl
Well I just had to do another Shirelles’ cut. This one charted #4 US and #38 UK.
This was also another of the songs that my much younger step sister would sing to guests, when my Dad and step-mother trotted her out of bed in her Pjs, to do her singing act at Pinochle partys! My job was to grin and bear it.
Isn’t it amazing what memories music conjures?! But I really do like this song. Please enjoy.
Foolish Little Girl Composed by Helen Miller & Howard Greenfield
Spoken: “You broke his heart and made him cry,
And he’s been blue since then”. “Now he’s
Found somebody new and you want him back again”.
Chorus-
Foolish little girl, fickle little girl
You didn’t want him when he wanted you
He’s found another love, it’s her he’s dreaming of
And there’s not a single thing that you can do”
“But I love him”
“No you don’t it’s just your pride that’s hurt”
“I still love him”
If you got him back again, you’d go right out and do him dirt
repeat chorus
“But I love him”
“It’s too late to have a change of heart”
“I still love him”
Tomorrow is his wedding day and you’ll keep quiet if you’re smart!
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] The Shirelles – Soldier Boy (1962) Soldier Boy” is the name of a song written by Luther Dixon and Florence Greenberg. The song was released as a single by The Shirelles in 1962 and met with great success, topping the Billboard Hot 100. This song became the Shirelles [...]
