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
Chapel of Love
The Chordettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love
Spring is here, the sky is blue, whoa oh oh
Birds all sing as if they knew
Today's the day we'll say, "I do"
And we'll never be lonely anymore because we're
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love
Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa oh oh
I'll be his and he'll be mine
We'll love until the end of time
And we'll never be lonely anymore because we're
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Goin' to the chapel of love
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Goin' to the chapel of love
The Chordettes' "Chapel of Love" is a classic love song about two people who are about to get married. The song describes their journey to the chapel and the excitement they feel about marrying the person they love. The lyrics highlight the joy and happiness of getting married, and the promise that the couple makes to love each other until the end of time.
The first verse sets the scene for the song, as it describes the couple's journey to the chapel. The second verse talks about the beauty of the day, as the birds are singing and the sun is shining. The third verse describes the wedding ceremony itself, as the bells ring and the couple pledges their love. The chorus repeats the main idea of the song: that the couple is going to the chapel to get married because they truly love each other.
The lyrics of "Chapel of Love" have touched the hearts of many people over the years. The song has become a classic love anthem, and it is often played at weddings and other romantic occasions. The song's upbeat melody and catchy chorus make it a perfect choice for a celebration of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
We are excited to be going to the chapel where we will say our vows and get married
Gee, I really love you and we're gonna get married
I am passionately in love with you and cannot wait to marry you
Goin' to the chapel of love
We are headed to the chapel where our love will be celebrated
Spring is here, the sky is blue, whoa oh oh
It is a beautiful day with perfect weather which makes our wedding day even more special
Birds all sing as if they knew
Nature seems to be celebrating with us on our special day
Today's the day we'll say, "I do"
Today is the day when we will exchange our vows and make a life-long commitment to each other
And we'll never be lonely anymore because we're
We will never feel lonely or alone in life, now that we have found each other
Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa oh oh
The church bells will ring and the sunshine will make our wedding day even more beautiful
I'll be his and he'll be mine
We will belong to each other and be committed to each other for the rest of our lives
We'll love until the end of time
Our love for each other will last forever, until the end of time
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We are excited and ready to get married and start our new lives together
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.