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
Sh Boom Life Could Be a Dream
The Chordettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Oh
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream sweetheart
(Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again)
Oh
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind (dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-duh)
If you do what I want you to
Baby
We'd be so fine
Oh
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang (sh-boom)
Ba-doh ba-doo ba-doodle-ay
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life could be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise up above
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Boom sh-boom
Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang (sh-boom)
Ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Sh-boom
The Chordettes' classic hit "Sh-Boom Life Could Be a Dream" is a romantic song that invites listeners to dream of a perfect life with the person they love. The song plays with the idea that life can be perfect if only the right person is by your side. The title "Sh-Boom" is a nonsensical sound that is used to convey the idea of happiness, excitement and anticipation.
The lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they evoke a sense of longing and hope. The singer dreams of being taken to paradise with their loved one, where they would be the only one that they love. The repetition of the phrase "life could be a dream" emphasizes the idea that the perfect life is attainable. The use of onomatopoeia, such as "sh-boom" and "ding dong" adds a playful and cheerful tone to the song.
The song was released in 1954 and became an instant hit. It has been covered by several artists over the years, including The Crew Cuts, who had a hit with their version in the same year as The Chordettes' original. It has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, including the iconic film, Clue.
Line by Line Meaning
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Life has the potential to be a dream
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Life has the potential to be a dream
Oh
Expression of excitement and anticipation
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Life has the potential to be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise above (sh-boom)
If I could elevate our relationship to a heavenly level
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
If you gave me your utmost devotion and commitment
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life would be perfect, my love
(Hello hello again)
Rejoicing in meeting again
(Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again)
Expressing desire for another meeting
Oh
Expression of excitement and anticipation
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Life has the potential to be a dream
If only all my precious plans would come true (sh-boom)
If my aspirations and goals were realized
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
If you allowed me to devote my entire existence to loving you
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life would be perfect, my love
Every time I look at you
You are always on my mind
Something is on my mind (dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-duh)
I am constantly thinking of you
If you do what I want you to
If you fulfill my desires
Baby
Affectionate term for the loved one
We'd be so fine
Our relationship would be amazing
Oh
Expression of excitement and anticipation
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
Life has the potential to be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If I could elevate our relationship to a heavenly level
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
If you gave me your utmost devotion and commitment
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life would be perfect, my love
Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang (sh-boom)
Nonsense sounds expressing joy and excitement
Ba-doh ba-doo ba-doodle-ay
Nonsense sounds expressing happiness
Life could be a dream
Life has the potential to be a dream
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life would be perfect, my love
Life could be a dream
Life has the potential to be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise up above
If I could elevate our relationship to a heavenly level
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
If you gave me your utmost devotion and commitment
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Life would be perfect, my love
Boom sh-boom
Nonsense sounds expressing rhythm and fun
Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang (sh-boom)
Nonsense sounds expressing joy and excitement
Ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay
Nonsense sounds expressing happiness
Life could be a dream
Life has the potential to be a dream
Life could be a dream
Life has the potential to be a dream
Sh-boom
Nonsense sounds expressing fun and enjoyment
Lyrics © Roof Music Schallplatten- und Verlags GmbH, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Spirit Music Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: James C Keyes, Carl Feaster, Floyd Mc Rae, Claude Feaster, James W. Edwards
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mack No Pro
[Intro]
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
[Chorus]
Life could be a dream (Sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (Sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
[Verse 1]
Hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again
Boom (Ba-boom)
[Refrain]
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
[Chorus]
Life could be a dream (Sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (Sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
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[Bridge]
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine
[Chorus]
Oh, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hope we'll meet again, boom (Ba-boom)
[Refrain]
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
[Bridge]
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
[Chorus]
Woah, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hope we'll meet again, boom (Ba-boom)
[Outro]
Day dong da ding-dong
Sha-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la
Whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bo da do da dip, whoa
Life could be a dream, life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
Miranda K
This is an early genre of Rock ‘n Roll called’Do-Wop.’
This was the first Do-Wop record to chart on the White pop charts.
It’s not the first song of this style, just the first as I described above. The style of music has deep roots. I’d say a precursor artist of note was The Ink Spots, who were ending a 20 year career of vocal songs when Sh-Boom charted in 1954.
You have it right about the A Capello nature. This was a Black music of young urban teenagers who couldn’t afford instrumentation but wanted to do close harmony R&B songs. The trope is of a small group singing on a street corner and imitating R&B instruments, including drums, with nonsense scat words like ‘do’ and ‘wop.’
I’d say the best Do-Wop group were the Platters but the best song is the cover of “I Only Have Eyes For You” by the Flamingos.
By the late 50s there were White kids doing Do-Wop, usually urban Italian kids. The most successful and famous was Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
kristizayas81
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
If you will tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Life could be a dream
If only all my precious plans would come true
If you would let me spend my whole life loving you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart (Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom)
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we could be so fine
Oh, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Whoa, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you up to paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom. (i also copied this btw)
angelico Pastrano
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again
Boom (ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to do
Baby, we'd be so fine
Oh, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom (ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
Woah, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom (ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
Sha-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la
Whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bo da do da dip, whoa
Life could be a dream, life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
splashmountaineer89
Lyrics:
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
Life could be a dream (Sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above (Sh-boom)
If you would tell me I’m the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again
Boom (Ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
Life could be a dream (Sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (Sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine
Oh, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom (Ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
A-lang-da-lang-da-lang
Ah, whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bi-ba-do-da-dip, whoa
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
(Do do do do, sh-boom)
Woah, life could be a dream, sh-boom
If I could take you up in paradise up above, sh-boom
You'd tell me, darlin', I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Hello, hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom (Ba-boom)
Day dong da ding-dong
Sha-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la-lang-a-la
Whoa, whoa, bip
Ah bo da do da dip, whoa
Life could be a dream, life could be a dream
Do do do do, sh-boom
Davide Casanova
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay (sh-boom)
Life could be a dream
If I could take you up in paradise up above (sh-boom)
If you would tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream sweetheart
(Hello hello again, sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again)
Boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay (sh-boom)
Boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay (sh-boom)
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If only all my precious plans would come true (sh-boom)
If you would let me spend my whole life lovin' you
Life could be a dream sweetheart
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind (dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-duh)
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine
Life could be a dream (sh-boom)
If I could take you up in paradise up above…
Thomas
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
If you will tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Life could be a dream
If only all my precious plans would come true
If you would let me spend my whole life loving you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart (Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom)
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we could be so fine
Oh, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Whoa, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you up to paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
lj38dream
0:01
Life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
If you will tell me I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Life could be a dream
If only all my precious plans would come true
If you would let me spend my whole life loving you
Life could be a dream, sweetheart (do-roo-do-do, sh-boom)
Every time I look at you
Something is on my mind
If you do what I want you to
Baby, we'd be so fine
Oh, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you to a paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream, sweetheart
Whoa, life could be a dream
Sh-boom, if I could take you up to paradise up above
Sh-boom, and tell me, darling, I'm the only one that you love
Life could be a dream, sweetheart, hello, hello again
Sh-boom and hopin' we'll meet again, boom
Oh, life could be a dream
Life could be a dream
Do-roo-do-do, sh-boom
Imitation Justin Y
They're so talented,they can sing without moving a muscle.
Lepicey
It's incredible how much talent there was back then.
XD
BumpyOG
🤣😂
ModalCap
Bro they so talented they sung standing still for 2:23 minutes
sol
It’s incredible why I keep seeing you on every video
Sock
It's so amazing that they held their breath for 2 minutes straight while singing at the same time
Matt E
Okay even without the hardcore nostalgia this song still slaps
Lurker
I miss read this as "without the hardcore nightcore" and the first thought in my mind was,
HERESY! BURN IN HOLY FIRE!
Then I reread it. lol
:F
Macaroni Gamer
You can say that again
crazy catto
Slaps as hard as will smith