Representative Albums: "One Fine Day," "Greatest Recordings," "The Best of the Chiffons: Classic Old & Gold"
Representative Songs: "He's So Fine," "One Fine Day," "Sweet Talkin' Guy"
Biography
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. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
The Chiffons’ sassy flair made them one of the top Girl Groups of the early ’60s. 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 Judy Craig (lead singer), Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee. They formed at James Monroe High School in The Bronx in 1960. At the suggestion of songwriter Ronnie Mack, Sylvia Peterson was added to the group in 1962. Peterson had previously sung with Little Jimmy & The Tops in 1959 when she was fourteen years old. This group had a local hit with "Puppy Love" (V-Tone). Sylvia shared the lead with Jimmy on the single's B-Side, "Say You Love Me". Peterson would later lend her leads to Chiffons' "Why Am I So Shy", "Strange, Strange Feeling", "The Real Thing" and the pseudonym sides as The Four Pennies, "My Block" and "When The Boy's Happy".
Another group from California also used the name "Chiffons" and recorded three singles, including a version of the Shirelles' "Tonight's The Night". According to Craig and Bennett, the New York Chiffons have no connection to the other group.
The group hit the number one spot in the United States with their first single "He's So Fine", written by Ronnie Mack, and released on Laurie. George Harrison's 1970 song "My Sweet Lord" was musically similar, prompting 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.[1]
Their 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". Their Top 40 single "I Have A Boyfriend" was playing on Dallas station KLIF on November 22, 1963 and was interrupted by the first radio bulletins of the JFK assassination.[2] The group also released two singles in 1963 as The Four Pennies on the Laurie subsidiary, Rust Label.
Craig left the Chiffons in 1968 and they continued as a trio. In 1992, Lee died from a heart attack the day before 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.
Currently as of 2009, Judy Craig performs as The Chiffons with her daughter and her niece, appearing at select shows throughout the U.S. and Internationally.
