2. An American doo wop group, whose lone hit was "Sh-Boom", ranked #215 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. The Chords were a 1950s American doo wop group, whose lone hit was "Sh-Boom". They are sometimes mistakenly cited as the first R&B group of the 1950s to reach the pop charts. Although both versions of the song Sh-Boom (by The Chords and by The Crew-Cuts) were huge hits, it is the song Gee, released by The Crows in June 1953, that is properly credited with the honor of being the first Rock n’ Roll hit by a rock and roll group. The Chords - Carl (lead) and Claude Feaster (baritone), Jimmy Keyes (first tenor), Floyd "Buddy" McRae (second tenor) and Ricky Edwards (bass) - formed in 1951 in the Bronx, New York, but were not discovered until three years later, when they were spotted singing in a subway station, a performance that ultimately landed them a recording contract with Atlantic Records' Cat Records label. Jerry Wexler, Atlantic's A&R man, had the Chords cover a Patti Page hit, "Cross Over the Bridge" (it was also covered by The Flamingos for the Chance Records label), but it was the B-side, "Sh-Boom," a vocal tune with an a cappella catchy introduction that caught the imagination. A cover version later done by a white group called The Crew-Cuts, attempted to add their own spin on the song by seemingly adding nonsensical syllables ("shh-boom, shh-boom, yadda da da yadda da da da da da") that caused considerably more commotion. However the words ("Yadda da da yadda da da da da da") were never sung in the original version by the Chords. By the end of June 1954, "Sh-Boom" had climbed up the charts nationwide, charting on both the R&B (number three) and pop (number nine) lists, a nearly unprecedented feat for its time. For all practical purposes - along with The Crows' 1954 hit "Gee" (another upbeat B-side hit that DJs flipped over) - "Sh-Boom" introduced the white audience to black R&B music for the first time. [NOTE: The Crows "Gee" first appeared on the Billboard charts in March, 1954. While both versions of "Sh-Boom" were influential, better candidates for the first, or most influential song, by a black act to cross-over from the R&B charts to the pop charts, are The Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man" which made it to #17 of the pop charts in 1951, and The Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel", #11 in 1953]. Not everyone thought the song was a precursor of good things to come. Peter Potter, host of TV's popular "Juke Box Jury", was seemingly aghast at the state of this then-new trend in pop music and attacked "Sh-Boom" asking if anyone would remember the admittedly demented ditty in five, let alone 20 years time and whether any record label would even think to re-release it in the future. Atlantic released numerous additional singles which mostly failed to chart. A last gasp attempt to resurrect the act came in mid 1955 when the group renamed themselves the Sh-Booms after their one big hit. The Chords/Chordcats/Sh-Booms went through several personnel changes during the late 1950s, recording a handful of forgettable records for Vik Records in 1957, and eventually returned to Atlantic in 1960 for one last recording before slipping away into the ether of time.
1. The British 1979 Mod Revival band called "The Chords" consisted of Chris Pope, Martin Mason, Billy Hassett, and Brett Ascott. The Chords story starts with cousins Billy Hassett and Martin Mason rehearsing Beatles and Who songs, etc, together at school. Via a New Musical Express advert Chris Pope joins in January 1978. They spend the year writing, rehearsing and playing a couple of gigs. They also fail to become the band in Quadrophenia - too loud apparently!. With the dawn of 1979 Paul Halpin (the original drummer and eventual road manager) is replaced with Brett (Buddy) Ascott. Buddy adds the final element the band is looking for. A powerhouse drummer with far too much energy and a desire to be Keith Moon, Buddy is the final link in the chain. By the end of March the band are playing the Wellington in Waterloo to packed crowds. In the audience are Paul Weller, NME and Polydor. This helps the band secure more gigs and an important support slot to The Jam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P9-swHFctk
http://www.discogs.com/artist/658528-Chords-The-2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chords
http://www.chrishunt.biz/features54.html
http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=chords
http://www.thechords.co.uk/
https://myspace.com/thechordsuk
Turn Away Again
The Chords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And she said you were in town
Suddenly the memories came back to me
In my mind
How can I be strong I've asked myself
Time and time I've said
That I'll never fall in love with you again
A wounded heart you gave
My soul you took away
Good intentions you had many
I know you did
I come from a place that hurts
And God knows how I've cried
And I never want to return
never fall again
Making love to you
Oh it felt so good and
Oh so right
How can I be strong I've asked myself
Time and time I've said
That I'll never fall in love with you again
So here we are alone again'
Didn't think it'd come to this
And to know it all began
With just a little kiss
I've come too close to happiness
To have it swept away
Don't think I can take the pain
No never fall again
Kinda late in the game and my heart is in
Your hands
Don't you stand there and then
Tell me you love
Me then leave again
Cause I'm falling in love with
You again
Hold me
Hold me
Don't ever let me go
Say it just one time
Say you love me
God knows I do
Love you
Again
The Chords's song Turn Away Again is a story of a former lover who is struggling to come to terms with her past love. The song is driven by the first-person narrative of a woman who has heard that her former lover is in town. The memories of the time they spent together come flooding back and she is struggling to cope with the rush of emotions. The lyricist depicts the singer as a strong and resilient woman who is trying her best to move on from the past love. However, the memories that she has been suppressing resurface with a vengeance.
The singer is honest and open about her struggles with letting go of her past love. She has had moments of weakness where she has made love to her former lover and it felt so good and right, but she knows that she needs to be strong and resist falling for him again. The pain that he caused her in the past is a wound that she is trying to mend. She knows that she cannot let him back into her life, but deep down, she is falling in love with him all over again. The chorus is a plea for him to hold her and never let her go, but she is aware that he may leave again.
Overall, the song communicates a universal theme of heartbreak and the struggle to move on from a former lover. The singer, despite her vulnerability, is a strong and resilient character who is trying to mend her broken heart.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard from a friend today
I received news about you from a friend today.
And she said you were in town
My friend informed me that you are in town.
Suddenly the memories came back to me
Memories of our past relationship flooded my mind after hearing about you.
In my mind
These memories exist only in my mind.
How can I be strong I've asked myself
I question my own strength and resilience.
Time and time I've said
I have repeatedly expressed this sentiment.
That I'll never fall in love with you again
I have promised myself that I will not allow myself to love you again.
A wounded heart you gave
You left me with a broken heart.
My soul you took away
You took a piece of my being with you when you left.
Good intentions you had many
I believe you had good intentions.
I know you did
I am certain of your good intentions.
I come from a place that hurts
I come from a place of emotional pain.
And God knows how I've cried
I have cried so much that only God could truly know the extent of it.
And I never want to return
I do not want to go back to that place of pain.
never fall again
I do not want to allow myself to fall in love again and experience that pain.
Making love to you
Engaging in sexual activity with you.
Oh it felt so good and
It felt pleasurable and enjoyable.
Oh so right
It felt like the right thing to do in that moment, despite the pain it would later cause.
So here we are alone again
We find ourselves alone together once more.
Didn't think it'd come to this
I never expected to be in this situation again.
And to know it all began
It all started with
With just a little kiss
Just a small gesture of affection led to our current situation.
I've come too close to happiness
I have tasted happiness and fulfillment, only to have it taken away.
To have it swept away
My happiness was suddenly and unexpectedly taken away from me.
Don't think I can take the pain
I do not believe I am strong enough to endure that kind of pain again.
No never fall again
I cannot allow myself to fall in love again.
Kinda late in the game and my heart is in
I am in a difficult situation, and my emotions are deeply involved.
Your hands
It is up to you to handle my heart with care.
Don't you stand there and then
Do not simply stand there in silence.
Tell me you love
Express your love for me.
Me then leave again
Only to leave me once more.
Cause I'm falling in love with
Because I am starting to feel love for you again.
You again
I am falling in love with you once more.
Hold me
Embrace me.
Hold me
Keep holding me.
Don't ever let me go
Do not release me.
Say it just one time
Tell me once.
Say you love me
Tell me you love me.
God knows I do
I truly love you, and I believe that even God knows it too.
Love you
I love you.
Again
Once more.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD DAVID HUGHES, TIMOTHY JAMES RICE-OXLEY, TOM CHAPLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronnie Carroll
Yet another lost classic... another great pop song from the mighty Chords!
Steve Webster
As The Mod & Ska Movements swept up the complacency and chaff of Punk.
Weller without really knowing it had the baton to lead a Generation.
And his record Company.
(Not his doing, but Polydor just ploughed everything into The Jam)
The Chords sadly did stand a chance and lyrically, musically and live they were much more than a Mod Revival Band. Fourty years down the line - A Great and Sad Swansong.🎸.
James Corlett
As you say friend what a Swansong .
Paul Turley
If this record had been released by any other non mod group by a record company prepared to push it would have got top ten
Ian Hart
The Chords early 00's along with the Jazz Butcher in early to mid 80's, milltown brothers in early 1990's & crimson pomegranates in 00's terrifically underrated bands.
Alessio gonnella
Best band of all time bar none
Don Brogan
Possibly my fave Chords tune....
Malcolm Crawford
Fave band all of times
ian mcgregor hart
I think this was the bands swansong in 1981 then split-up. Spectacular way to finish at the time. The Chords half mod half new wave sound.
Pyeman
They weren't new wave , they were Mods 100%