The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cap… Read Full Bio ↴The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet, usually singing a cappella, and specializing in traditional pop music.

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

Just Between You And Me
The Chordettes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sitting in the sand
We were holding hands.
You whispered I love you
Just between you and me

Everyone had gone
We stayed on and on
Vowing to be lovers

Just between you and me

I won't tell my mother
I won't tell my brother
They don't think that we're of age
No congratulations, until graduation
Then we'll turn life's page

'Til we tell the world
We will both agree
It's our little secret
Just between you and me

Just between you and me

Just between you and me
Just between you and me

Overall Meaning

The Chordettes’ song “Just Between You and Me” is a narrative about keeping a secret relationship. The song is about two young lovers that refuse to disclose their feelings to anyone. The story begins with the couple enjoying a date together by holding hands and whispering their love for one another while sitting in the sand. They are so joyful that even after everyone else leaves, they continue to stay on, relishing the moment. They make a vow to each other to keep their love and relationship private.

The interesting aspect of the lyrics is the reason why they refuse to tell anyone. The girl explains that she doesn't want to tell her mother, and brother as they don't think they are old enough to be in a serious relationship. It becomes apparent that they are perhaps in a teenage relationship and fear their families may disapprove of their relationship. They have decided to keep their relationship a secret until their graduation. They both agree to keep it that way and keep it "Just between you and me."

In conclusion, the song “Just Between You and Me” by The Chordettes is a sweet and romantic narrative about a secret teenage relationship. The lyrics depict a couple who believe that their need to keep their relationship private is what makes it special. It is a story about a bond that is so meaningful that keeping it hidden is worth the risk. It's interesting how the song highlights the importance of keeping young love while inadvertently exploring the pressures of teenage relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Sitting in the sand
We are in a calming environment.

We were holding hands.
We are romantically connected.

You whispered I love you
You expressed your love to me in a personal manner.

Just between you and me
This is a secret between us and nobody else knows.

Everyone had gone
We are the only ones left in this place from our group of people.

We stayed on and on
We decided to stay in this place for a longer time.

Vowing to be lovers
We made a promise to each other to continue our romantic relationship.

I won't tell my mother
I will not share this secret with my mother.

I won't tell my brother
I will not share this secret with my brother.

They don't think that we're of age
Our family members do not think that we are old enough for a romantic relationship.

No congratulations, until graduation
We will keep our relationship a secret until we graduate.