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
To Know Him Is To Love Him
The Chordettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile,
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
I'll be good to him,
I'll bring love to him
Everyone says there'll come a day
When I'll walk alongside of him
Yes, just to know him
Is to love, love, love him
And I do
Why can't he see,
How blind can he be
Someday he'll see
That he was meant for me
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile,
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
And I do
Why can't he see,
How blind can he be
Someday he'll see
That he was meant for me
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile,
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
And I do
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile,
Makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him
Is to love, love, love him
And I do
The lyrics of The Chordettes' song To Know Him Is To Love Him express the intense feelings of love that the singer has for someone special. The repetition of the words "to know him is to love him" is a testament to the belief that the more you know someone, the more you will love them. The simple act of seeing the person smile makes the singer's life worthwhile, which shows the depth of the emotion she feels for him.
The lyrics also express the singer's desire to be with the person she loves and to bring love to him. She believes that one day, the person will realize that they were meant for each other, and she is optimistic about their future together.
Overall, the lyrics of To Know Him Is To Love Him are a beautiful expression of the power and intensity of love. It showcases the idea that love can make life worth living and that knowing someone deeply can lead to a strong bond that lasts a lifetime.
Line by Line Meaning
To know, know, know him
The more I get to know him, the more my love for him grows
Is to love, love, love him
Knowing him deeply brings about a strong and deep love for him
Just to see him smile,
Seeing him happy is something that brings immense joy to my life
Makes my life worthwhile
Seeing him smile and being around him is what gives my life purpose and meaning
And I do
I am in love with him and cherish being around him
I'll be good to him,
I will treat him with kindness, love and respect
I'll bring love to him
I will love him unconditionally and express my love in various ways
Everyone says there'll come a day
People keep telling me that someday we will be together
When I'll walk alongside of him
When that day comes, I will be walking side by side with him
Why can't he see,
I wonder why he is unable to see that we are meant for each other
How blind can he be
I am surprised at how oblivious he is to our connection and love for each other
Someday he'll see
One day he will come to realize that we are meant to be together
That he was meant for me
I believe in my heart that he was destined to be with me
Contributed by Molly P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.