The Chiffons (2) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Four Pennies (1)
Personnel :
Judy Craig
Sylvia Peterson
Barbara Lee
Patricia Bennett
Discography :
Singles :
The Chiffons (2)
1962 - He's So Fine / Oh My Lover (Laurie 3152)
1962 - He's So Fine / Oh My Love (Laurie 3152)
1963 - Lucky Me / Why Am I So Shy (Laurie 3166)
1963 - One Fine Day / Why Am I So Shy (Laurie 3179)
1963 - A Love So Fine / Only My Friend (Laurie 3195)
1963 - I Have A Boyfriend / I'm Gonna Dry My Eyes ((Laurie 3212)
1963 - Easy To Love / Tonight I Met An Angel (Laurie 3224)
1964 - Sailor Boy / When Summer's Through (Laurie 3262)
1964 - What Am I Gonna Do With You / Strange, Strange Feeling (Laurie 3275)
1965 - Nobody Knows What's Going On / The Real Thing (Laurie 3301)
1965 - Nobody Knows What's Going On / Did You Ever Go Steady (Laurie 3301)
1965 - Tonight I'm Gonna Dream / The Heavenly Place (Laurie 3318)
1966 - Sweet Talkin' Guy / Did You Ever Go Steady (Laurie 3340)
1966 - Out Of This World / Just A Boy (Laurie 3350)
1966 - Stop, Look And Listen / March (Laurie 3357)
1966 - My Boyfriend's Back / I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' (Laurie 3364)
1967 - Keep The Boy Happy / If I Knew Then (Laurie 3377)
1967 - Just For Tonight / Teach Me How (Laurie 3423)
1968 - Up On The Bridge / March (Laurie 3460)
1969 - Love Me Like You're Gonna Lose Me / Three Dips Of Ice Cream (Laurie 3497)
1969 - My Secret Love / Strange, Strange Feeling (B. T. Puppy 558/(Buddah 171))
1975 - My Sweet Lord / Main Nerve (Laurie 3630)
1976 - Dream, Dream, Dream / Oh My Lover (Laurie 3648)
The Four Pennies (1)
1963 - When The Boy's Happy / Hockaday (Part 1) (Rust 5070)
1963 - My Block / Dry Your Eyes (Rust 5071)
Hoagy Lands (bb The Chiffons)
1967 - The Next In Line / Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (Laurie 3381)
Album :
1963: He's So Fine (Laurie LP 2018)
He's
So Fine / Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow / Oh My Lover / Why Do Fools
Fall in Love / My Block / ABC / Lucky Me / Why Am I So Shy / See You in
September / Wishing / Mystic Voice / When I Go to Sleep at Night
1963: One Fine Day (Laurie LP 2020)
One
Fine Day / It's My Party / The Loco-Motion / Tonight I Met an Angel /
Only My Friend / Da Doo Ron Ron / I Wonder Why / Foolish Little Girl /
I'm Going to Dry My Eyes / Did You Ever Go Steady / When Summer's
Through / Love Is Like a Merry Go Round / My Boyfriend's Back
1966: Sweet Talkin' Guy (Laurie LP 2036)
Sweet
Talkin' Guy / Up On The Bridge / Nobody Knows What's Goin' On / Thumbs
Down / Just A Boy / Down. Down, Down / Out Of This World / My
Boyfriend's Back / Open Your Eyes (I Will Be There) / March / Keep The
Boy Happy / See You In September
1970: My Secret Love (BT Puppy 1011)
Secret
Love / You're The Love Of A Lifetime / Soul / I Don't Deserve A Boy
Like You / Strange Strange Feeling / Now That You're My Baby / The First
And Last / Remember Me Baby / It Hurts To Be Sixteen / Every Boy And
Every Girl
Biography :
The Chiffons were formed in 1960 at James Monroe High School in the
Bronx, New York. The lead singer was 14 year old Judy Craig, supported
by Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee, both 13. It was at the after school
center that they met writer/manager Ronnie Mack. Mack's claim to fame
at that time was as the promoter of a local Philadelphia hit by Little
Jimmy and the Tops called "Puppy Love." He was impressed with the girl's
voices .
The Tokens said "Great. Bring them in tomorrow." Mack knew he had no
such group, but he also knew that the Chiffons had heard and even sung
the song around school. To bolster the harmonies Mack brought in a new
girl, Sylvia Peterson, who had sung with Little Jimmie and the Tops. The
Chiffons were called into the studio to record the song and in December
1962, it was released on (Laurie Records. By March 20th, 1963, "He's So
Fine" was the #1 record on both the Pop and R&B charts and it
seemed the whole country was singing the catchy hook line, "doo-lang,
doo-lang".
(with arthur Brooks)
Their next effort, called "Lucky Me" was a total flop. Acting
quickly, so as to not lose momentum, the Tokens rushed a third single by
having The Chiffons sing to a track that was meant for "Little Eva".
That song was a Carole King - Gerry Goffin composition called "One Fine
Day", which featured Carole King herself on piano. The record raced up
the charts to number 5, and The Chiffons had their second smash, in June
of '63. Always thinking of ways to make the most of a good thing, The
Tokens then decided to create a dual personality for the group, so at
the same time that "One Fine Day" was on the charts, they recorded the
Chiffons on (Laurie's 'Rust' subsidiary as 'the Four Pennies'.
The Pennies' first single was "My Block" and it reached the charts
three weeks after "One Fine Day. It was a cha-cha rhythmed song with a
sound reminiscent of Phil Spector's productions. It turned out to be a
weak effort, that only went to #67. In September, the Chiffons had their
third Top 40 hit in four tries with "A Love So Fine." Back as the Four
Pennies, their September release of "When the Boy's Happy" could only
make it to #95 in November. The Chiffons were now in great demand and
began appearing on TV's American Bandstand, Hullabaloo, Shindig, as well
as Murray the K's Brooklyn Fox live show, and singing commercials.
In late fall of 1963, the Chiffons released "I Have a Boyfriend", a
ballad that was a Ronettes styled mix of the early '60s rhythm and blues
and doo wop. It reached #36 on the Billboard's Best Seller list in
November, but was gone ten weeks later. Several strong Chiffons
recordings followed ("Tonight I Met an Angel," "Sailor Boy," and "What
Am I Gonna Do With You"), but record buyers were caught up in the
"British Invasion" craze and girl groups were "out". All of that changed
in the spring of 1966, when The Chiffons scored another Top Ten Hit
with "Sweet Talkin' Guy."
(with John Mounteer, Bobby Vinton, Freddy Cannon, Kenny Chandler)
After another dry spell, the Tokens moved the group from (Laurie to
its own label, 'B.T Puppy' for one single called "My Secret Love" in
1968. That effort also failed to make the charts. By 1970, the Chiffons
signed with the Buddah label, singing the Tymes tune "So Much in Love",
just as George Harrison was having his first solo hit with, "My Sweet
Lord". Taken to court by the original publishers, the ex- Beatle was
found guilty of plagiarism and obliged to pay substantial damages,
although he always claimed the resemblance was unintentional.
In March 1972, six years after their last chart record, British
London Records issued the original recording of "Sweet Talkin Guy" on
the U.K. label, 'Stateside'. The record went to #4 in the U.K. while the
Chiffons were stuck working in small clubs and didn't even have a U.S.
record deal. In 1975, after the "He's So Fine" - "My Sweet Lord" lawsuit
was settled, The Chiffons, in a fascinating twist, recorded their
version of "My Sweet Lord." In 1976, (Laurie issued the last Chiffon
single. "Dream, Dream, Dream", which, to no one's surprise, failed to
chart. Judy Craig left the act, while Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee
each married.
Various editions of The Chiffons played the oldies circuits for many
years. Sadly, Barbara Lee Jones passed away May 15, 1992, one day shy of
her 45th birthday.
