They were first organized in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1946. The original members of the group were Janet Ertel (1913-November 4, 1988), Carol Bushman (her sister-in-law), Dorothy Schwartz, and Jinny Osborn (or Lockard) (April 25, 1927-May 19, 2003). In 1952, Lynn Evans replaced Schwartz, and in 1953, Margie Needham replaced Osborn (who was having a baby), though Osborn later returned to the group. Nancy Overton also was a member of the group at a later time. Originally they sang folk music in the style of The Weavers, but eventually changed to a harmonizing style of the type known as barbershop harmony. Part of this change seems to be influenced by Osborn's father.
Jinny Osborn was born in Seattle, Washington. She was born Virginia Cole, the daughter of O. H. "King" Cole, who was president of the Barbershop Harmony Society (then known as SPEBSQSA), and Katherine Flack.
After performing locally in Sheboygan, they went on Arthur Godfrey's radio program, Talent Scouts in 1949.They went on to feature status on Godfrey's daily program, and then went on to make a number of recordings for Columbia Records.
In 1953, Godfrey's music director and orchestra leader, Archie Bleyer, founded Cadence Records. He signed a number of Godfrey regulars and former regulars, including the Chordettes, who had a number of hit records for Cadence.
Their biggest hit was Mr. Sandman in 1954. Archie Bleyer himself is on that record along with the group, Bleyer stripping the sound down the better not to clutter the girls' voices. They also hit the top twenty with 1958's "Lollipop," and also charted with a vocal version of the themes from television's Zorro (1959) and the film Never on Sunday (1961). Other hits for the girls included "Eddie My Love," "Born to Be With You," and "Lay Down Your Arms" in 1956 and "Just Between You and Me" in 1957.
Janet Ertel married Bleyer in 1954. Her daughter Jackie married another Cadence recording star, Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers. She died of cancer in 1988.
The Chordettes appeared on American Bandstand August 5, 1957, kicking off the first episode of the show over the ABC Television Network.
In 1961, Jinny Osborn left the group, and they were unable to find a replacement with whom they were happy, leading to a breakup.
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.
Jinny Osborn (by that time Jinny Janis) died in 2003
A Girl's Work Is Never Done
The Chordettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You boys think we are having fun
Mopping and sweeping up the floor
Uh oh, the sales man's at the door
Never done, never done
A girl's work is never done
Wash up the windows and the blinds
Aw, heck, the rain, a waste of time
And now the kids are home from school
They're tracking mud from room to room
You think it's fun, it's never done
A girl's work is never done
And now my father's home from work
With fifteen hundred dirty shirts
You think he'd help me clean the house
He says he's tired and knocked out
(Yeah, man, I'm beat)
While I cook, he reads a book
A girl's work is never done
My baby brother's now in bed
Lullaby and goodnight
I need an aspirin for my head
There in the living room, Pop sleeps
That means the dog I've got to feed
Never done, never done
A girl's work is never done
A girl's work is never done
A girl's work is never done
A girl's work is never done
The Chordettes song "A Girl's Work Is Never Done" is a catchy tune that encapsulates the monotonous daily routine of a housewife, which involves never-ending chores, without a break. The lyrics begin with the idea that boys think it's easy being a girl, but really it is a challenging, perpetual occupation. The first verse tells the story of someone who is mopping and sweeping the floor when the salesperson suddenly arrives at their door, creating an interruption in their daily routine. The second verse illustrates the never-ending cycle of chores, for example, washing the windows and blinds, only to have them get muddy again once the kids return home from school. It emphasizes that a girl's work is tedious and often unrewarding.
The third verse is particularly interesting as it discusses the girl's father, who does not offer any help with the chores but instead informs her he is exhausted. While she is busy cooking, he reads a book. The last verse depicts the girl's intense and stressful day, where she finally gets her baby brother to bed but finds her father napping in the living room, and realizes that she still has to feed the dog. The repetition of the chorus ("a girl's work is never done") underscores the idea that the work is never-ending, and the girl is always busy.
Line by Line Meaning
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
You boys think we are having fun
Boys have no idea of the endless chores girls are burdened with
Mopping and sweeping up the floor
Girls have to do dirty work like cleaning the floor
Uh oh, the sales man's at the door
Girls don't even get to rest because salesmen come unannounced
Wash up the windows and the blinds
Girls have to do meticulous work like washing windows and blinds
Aw, heck, the rain, a waste of time
Girls feel frustrated when their work, like cleaning windows, is undone by outside factors
And now the kids are home from school
Girls have to deal with the mess kids bring back from school
They're tracking mud from room to room
Girls have to clean up after the kids who dirty the house by spreading mud around
You think it's fun, it's never done
Boys may think cleaning is a fun activity, but for girls, it's an endless task
With fifteen hundred dirty shirts
Girls have to do the laundry of an entire family
He says he's tired and knocked out
Men do not help in household work and often make excuses
While I cook, he reads a book
Girls have to multi-task and cook while the men relax
My baby brother's now in bed
Girls have to take care of younger siblings
Lullaby and goodnight
Girls have to sing lullabies to make their siblings sleep
I need an aspirin for my head
The workload is so much that girls get headaches
There in the living room, Pop sleeps
Men often relax while girls have to do the hard work
That means the dog I've got to feed
Girls have to take care of even the pets in the house
Never done, never done
Girls' work is never-ending
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
A girl's work is never done
Being a girl means a lifetime of responsibility and work without any rest
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD RAYSOR, RICHARD BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind