They were discovered by Richard Barrett, lead singer of the Valentines and eventually signed to End Records. Their first single was "He's Gone" (Pop #71) in August 1957. In January 1958 they released their second single, "Maybe" (#15 Pop; #2 R&B). Several other singles were released on End, though none as successful as "Maybe."
The group was dropped by End in 1959, and Arlene Smith decided to go solo. Lois left to pursue a college education. In 1960, Annette Smith (no relation) replaced Arlene and the group went to Carlton Records, where they had their second huge hit with "Look in My Eyes" (#14 pop, #6 R&B). Several other singles followed and the group switched labels several times. Personnel changed throughout the 60's, with their final single released in 1970.
Arlene fronted a new group of Chantels in the 1970s for oldies shows and continues to perform. The remaining original Chantels reformed as well and hired Noemi (Ami) Ortiz as their new lead singer. Jackie Landry died in 1997.
The Chantels were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.
Goodbye to Love
The Chantels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one ever cared if I should live or die
Time and time again the chance for love
Has passed me by and all I know of love
Is how to live without it I just can't seem to find it
So I've made my mind up I must live my life alone
And though it's not the easy way
There are no tomorrows for this heart of mine
Surely time will lose these bitter memories
And I'll find that there is someone to believe in
And to live for something I could live for
All the years of useless search have finally reached an end
Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend
From this day love is forgotten I'll go on as best I can
What lies in the future is a mystery to us all
No one can predict the wheel of fortune as it falls
There may come a time when I will see that I've been wrong
But for now this is my song and it's goodbye to love
I'll say goodbye to love
The lyrics of The Chantels' "Goodbye to Love" is a lamentation of a woman who has given up on love after experiencing years of heartbreak and disappointments. She sings about how no one ever cared if she lived or died, and despite the numerous chances she had for love, it had always eluded her. Her only knowledge of love is how to live without it, as she has never been fortunate enough to experience it. She has, therefore, decided to live her life alone, even though it is not easy.
The lyrics further reveal that the woman has resigned herself to a lonely life with bitter memories. However, she clings to the hope that someday, she will find someone she can believe in and live for. The years of her fruitless search have finally ended, and she has made peace with her situation. She acknowledges that loneliness and empty days will be her only companions, and she is ready to move on as best as she can. The future is, however, uncertain, and she knows that anything can happen. Nevertheless, for now, she has said goodbye to love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll say goodbye to love
I have decided to give up on love and move on with my life.
No one ever cared if I should live or die
In my pursuit of love, no one has ever shown concern for my well-being.
Time and time again the chance for love
Has passed me by and all I know of love
Is how to live without it I just can't seem to find it
I have repeatedly missed opportunities to experience love and now all I am familiar with is loneliness.
So I've made my mind up I must live my life alone
And though it's not the easy way
I guess I've always known I'd say goodbye to love
I have resolved to live a life without companionship, even though I know it will be challenging.
There are no tomorrows for this heart of mine
Surely time will lose these bitter memories
And I'll find that there is someone to believe in
And to live for something I could live for
I feel like there is no hope for my heart to ever find love, but I hope that over time, I can let go of the pain and find someone to love and live for.
All the years of useless search have finally reached an end
Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend
From this day love is forgotten I'll go on as best I can
After years of fruitless searching for love, I have come to accept that loneliness will be my constant companion. I must learn to move on without love.
What lies in the future is a mystery to us all
No one can predict the wheel of fortune as it falls
There may come a time when I will see that I've been wrong
But for now this is my song and it's goodbye to love
Nobody knows what the future holds and anything is possible. Perhaps someday I may come to regret my decision to give up on love, but for now, I am firm in my resolve.
Contributed by Kaitlyn C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pat Brown
on I Love You So (from Mean Streets)
looking for karaoke version of i love you so chantels