Five Songs You Should Know (But Probably Don't) - 60s Girl Group Edition
*Disclaimer: While I consider myself to be a know-it-all about many topics concerning pop culture...music is not one of them. Unless we are talking Beatles music, and then I'll just pretty much school you. With that said, please keep in mind that this post regards my own personal opinion and not a professional. Basically the whole reason I have this blog to begin with.
And, if you would like to hear the actual songs, just click on the titles to be taken to a YouTube video.
1. The Crystals - He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss ) (1962)
The story goes that songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carol King once asked 60s songtress Little Eva why she was willing to put up with her boyfriend's constant beatings; her response was that the abuse was just a way of him showing his love and affection. Thus, a song was born. Controversy soon came after, with many listeners believing that the tune itself promoted spousal abuse (in actuality, it was meant to be a protest song in the mind of the victim). Sure enough, the song was banned from airplay, hardly making the charts, and has become a difficult find for old and new fans alike...ultimately making it a cult classic.
Artists have mentioned being inspired by it (such as Amy Winehouse and Courtney Love to name a few) and many believe it to be one of Phil Spector's finest works. The haunting melody gives it a somewhat frightening aspect, making the listener identify with the singers' emotions, and the slow, steady voices mixed with the lyrics heighten the tension even more. When hearing it, the listener becomes the victim and envokes the emotion that Goffin and King experienced themselves upon hearing Little Eva's response.
2. The Shangri-las - Give Him A Great Big Kiss (1965)
Out of all the girl groups that graced the stages in the 1960s, The Shangri-las were considered to be the group with the badass girls. They were known for their tough image and post-punk attitude, hailed from Queens, NY, and didn't mind carrying guns while on tour (using them for protection, of course). They had looks, they had sass, they had a way about them that made you sort of nervous to be in their presence, and a factor of charm and cool. Their most famous hit - "Leader of the Pack" - was more or less a love song for a dead bad boy. In fact, many of their songs were about the bad boy. This one is no exception.
With just the opening line (complete with the spelling of "love" as L-U-V) the listener is immediately hooked into the infectious tune and bouncy rythm. It ups the ante even more with the chorus itself, making you want to find your own bad boy to dance with. The best part? The spoken words of how the couple dances, giving the song a sexy addition to an already badass tune. It's truly Shangri-la.
3. The Shirelles - Baby, It's You (1961)
Ok...you might have heard this one. If not the original then from the Beatles themselves (a cover version was featured on their first album Please Please Me - 1963). While this might be the most popular and well known on the list, there are still some people out there who haven't come across it. I, myself, didn't hear it until a 2003 episode of American Dreams...and I have been listening to the oldies stations since I was five. Either way, it still deserves to be recognized since it just might be one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs to ever come from a girl group.
The opening harmonies of the "sha-la-la"s start the song off right, but it's lead singer Shirley Owens, with the backing of her fellow members, that makes the song even more perfect. Every piece and every note comes together, twining the instruments with the vocals in great synchronization. It almost could be consider a perfect song. No wonder the Beatles were madly in love with it, determined to cover it, and made it one of the songs they requested when they first visited America.
4. The Exciters - Blowing Up My Mind (1969)
The Exciters are known mainly for the song "Tell Him." If only they were also known for this one as well. The bouncy backing to Brenda Reid's powerful vocals makes the listener want to get up and dance, while the lyrics themselves have enough kitsch to make it a fan favorite. What's even better is that the song clearly shows a change in the dynamic of the girl group, leading from 1960s choreographed dances, vocalized harmonies and subtle suggestions of love to 1970s power rocking, hip-thrusting, and strong cries of emotion.
5. The Shangri-las - Sophisticated Boom Boom (1966)
While the Shangri-las were the first to record the song, truthfully....the British girl group The Goodees did it better. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't agree and therefore, there's no video. This one will have to do.
A song that once again keeps with the theme of the tough-girl girl-group image, but has a little bit more kick so you can dance to it. The spoken dialogue within gives it a sly charm, making the listener think that there just has to be some sexual innuendo hidden throughout...and, I wouldn't put it past the Shangri-las. Makes it kind of humorous to know that a group called "The Goodees" did a cover version...
Honorable Mention:
The Angels - Little Beatle Boy (1964)
The Angels, best known for being a one-hit wonder with "My Boyfriend's Back," released a song in the midst of what America encountered: an event known as "Beatle-mania." The listener hears the girls' plea for the boys across the sea (you know them as John, Paul, George and Ringo) to love them, only them, and to be together. Forever.
I swear I am not making this up.
