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
True Love Goes On And On
The Chordettes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My Darling, I'll always love you
The white snow of Christmas will melt away
The darkness of evening will end the day
And time will wither the strongest tree
But nothing will change you and me
For true love goes on and on
Our love will be ever new
My Darling, I'll always love you
The mightiest mountain may tumble down
The World may even stop spinning round
A star may fall to the deep blue sea
But nothing will change you and me
For true love goes on and on
Our love will be ever new
True love goes on and on
My Darling, I'll always love you
Some days the Sun will forget to shine
In autumn the leaves will desert the vine An ocean may someday a desert be
But nothing will change you and me
For true love goes on and on
Our love will be ever new
True love goes on and on
My Darling, I'll always love you
My Darling, I'll always love you
My Darling, I'll always love you
The Chordettes' "True Love Goes On And On" is a beautiful love song that speaks about the power and endurance of true love. The singer expresses her undying love for her partner, stating that even the passing of time and the changing of circumstances cannot diminish their love. The song is filled with vivid imagery, from the melting snow of Christmas to falling stars, to emphasize the fleeting nature of life compared to the everlasting nature of true love.
The chorus repeats the reassuring message that true love goes on and on, emphasizing the idea that the love shared between the two will surpass any obstacle or difficulty that may arise. The lyrics convey a sense of certainty and unwavering commitment, suggesting that the love shared between the two is unbreakable and unshakeable, regardless of what the future may hold.
Overall, the song is a sentimental and heartfelt ode to the power of true love. It speaks to the universal human desire for lasting love and commitment and reminds us that, even in a world of constant change, some things will always endure.
Line by Line Meaning
True love goes on and on
Love that is true is infinite and everlasting
My Darling, I'll always love you
I will love you forever, my dearest
The white snow of Christmas will melt away
Seasons change and time passes, but our love remains unchanged
The darkness of evening will end the day
Even the inevitable cycle of night and day cannot stop our love
And time will wither the strongest tree
The passage of time can weaken and decay the strongest things, but not our love
But nothing will change you and me
Our love is unchanging and unbreakable
For true love goes on and on
Again, true love is infinite and unchanging
Our love will be ever new
Our love will always feel fresh and alive
The mightiest mountain may tumble down
Even the strongest and most immovable things can be destroyed, but our love cannot
The World may even stop spinning round
If the world were to end or cease to exist, our love would still remain
A star may fall to the deep blue sea
Even celestial events cannot disrupt or affect our love
Some days the Sun will forget to shine
Even if life gets difficult and the world seems dark, our love will still shine
In autumn the leaves will desert the vine
Like the changing seasons, other things may come and go, but our love remains constant
An ocean may someday a desert be
Even the most drastic environmental changes cannot impact our love
My Darling, I'll always love you
Once again, reinforcing the enduring and steadfast nature of their love
Writer(s): Jerry Ross, Richard Adler
Contributed by Sarah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.