Many of us would agree that there are certain things that were just better 60 years ago.
The late 50s and early 60s bring back nostalgia for anyone lucky enough to have lived through this era. Huge societal change was yet to come, yet some things were better back then than they are now.
Take music, for example. Blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and traditional popular music were immensely popular, and ultimately influenced the music we listen to on the radio today.
One of the most-loved bands from this era was The Chordettes.
This female singing quartet was formed in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in 1946.
They stayed together for nearly 20 years before disbanding in 1963.
The band would usually sing a capella, though they saw a change in style over the years. After starting out singing folk-style music, they would eventually move on to a harmonizing style called barbershop harmony.
Though no original Chordettes members are with us today, their music certainly lives on.
The band’s most popular hits are “Lollipop” & “Mr. Sandman”. It’s clear that these are still much loved today after a flashback video of a live performance of these tunes went viral on YouTube.
With more than 21 million views, the video was recorded at the Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show on February 22, 1958.
There’s something really special about getting a glimpse this far back in history, with a legendary band performing on stage.
The video starts with a casual interview of the crowd, and even that’s interesting to see.
It’s hard to think that young men would have ever worn their best suits to a live band performance. How times have changed!
When the presenter has said his piece, he announces the band.
The crowd lets out a cheer as The Chordettes take the stage.
If you somehow forgot the songs this band is most famous for, it won’t take you long to remember.
The singers get straight to it, harmonizing to the opening lyrics of “Lollipop”. They’re not exactly a challenge to learn, considering they’re as simple as this:
“Lollipop lollipop
Oh lolli lolli lolli, lollipop, lollipop
Oh lolli lolli lolli, lollipop, lollipop
Oh lolli lolli lolli, lollipop”
The song is perfect for playing live, and The Chordettes look like they’re having a fantastic time.
Though we can’t see colors in the video, it’s easy to picture the colorful scene set up on stage.
Wearing long, floor-length dresses, the young women skip-hop their way around the space.
At one point, they even stop to throw items from baskets out into the crowd. It’s hard to see what they are from the camera’s vantage point, but lollipops is probably a safe guess, all things considered!
At the end of the song, the presenter stops to interview each of the band members on stage. Then the presenter steps back, and The Chordettes treat the crowd to a performance of another of their famous hits: “Mr. Sandman”.
There’s so much goodness to this performance, it really is worth watching in full.
You can check out the video just below!
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