The Chiffons

All Music Guide:

One of the best early-'60s New York girl groups, combining sassiness and innocence on several of the style's greatest classics. The Chiffons had some singles under their belt when they reached number one with "He's So Fine," whose classic "doo-lang, doo-lang" riff was appropriated by George Harrison in 1970 for his own chart-topper, "My Sweet Lord" (Harrison was subsequently ordered to pay substantial damages to the original publishers, though he always claimed the resemblance was unintentional). Their follow-up, Goffin-King's "One Fine Day," was just as good, featuring killer piano riffs from King herself. Actually cut as a Little Eva track, the Chiffons' vocal was substituted, resulting in a Top Five hit. There were a couple other memorable hits -- "I Have a Boyfriend" and the Motown-influenced "Sweet Talkin' Guy" -- and interesting misfires like the Martha & the Vandellas-inspired "The Real Thing," as well as some singles issued under an alter ego, the Four Pennies. The group recorded quite a bit of material during the '60s, much of it derivative.

Wikipedia:

The Chiffons was an all girl group originating from the Bronx area of New York in 1960.

Biography

The Chiffons were one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s. With their trademark tight harmonies, high-stepping confidence and the hit machine of Goffin and King writing songs such as “One Fine Day,” the Chiffons made music that helped define the girl group sound of the era.

The group was originally a trio comprising lead singer Judy Craig, Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee. They formed at James Monroe High School in The Bronx in 1960. In 1962, at the suggestion of songwriter Ronald Mack, the group added Sylvia Peterson, who at age 14 had sung with Little Jimmy & the Tops, sharing lead vocals with Jimmy on "Say You Love Me," the B-side of the Tops' 1959 local hit "Puppy Love." The group then began recording as the Four Pennies, with Peterson singing lead on "When the Boy's Happy." Over the course of 1963, the group gradually adopted the Chiffons name.

The group used the Chiffons name when recording and releasing their first single, "He's So Fine," written by Ronald Mack, produced by the Tokens of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" fame, and released on the Laurie Records label. "He's So Fine" hit No. 1 in the United States, selling over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc; (This sales figure would have qualified the record for platinum status under the current [as of 2011] RIAA certification standards, effective since 1975, that lowered the "gold" certification threshold to 500,000 copies and set the "platinum" threshold at 1 million.)

The group also released two singles in 1963 as the Four Pennies on the Laurie Records subsidiary Rust, but they abandoned the Four Pennies name as the success of "He's So Fine" became clear. This first hit was followed by other notable tunes such as Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "One Fine Day", "Sweet Talkin' Guy" and "I Have A Boyfriend". As the 1960s progressed, Peterson assumed a more prominent role in the group, singing lead on the Chiffons' "Why Am I So Shy," "Strange, Strange Feeling," "The Real Thing," and "My Block" (written by Jimmy Radcliffe, Carl Spencer and Bert Berns).

In 1970, George Harrison released the song "My Sweet Lord," whose musical similarities to "He's So Fine" prompted the Chiffons to file a copyright infringement claim. The Chiffons went on to record "My Sweet Lord" in 1975. A judge later found that Harrison had unintentionally plagiarized the earlier song.

When Craig left the Chiffons in 1970, the group continued as a trio. On May 15, 1992, Barbara Lee died from a heart attack on the eve of her 45th birthday, and Craig returned to the group. Peterson retired shortly thereafter and was replaced by Connie Harvey. Harvey has since left to pursue a solo career and Bennett has retired from the group.

As of 2009, Judy Craig was performing as the Chiffons with her daughter and her niece, appearing at select shows throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Discography (as the Four Pennies)

Singles

Discography (as the Chiffons)

Standard albums

Compilations

Singles