1) The Crystals were one of the most… Read Full Bio ↴Two artists exist by this name:
1) The Crystals were one of the most successful girl groups of the early 60s, Known for their association with producer Phil Spector, they had several well-remembered hit singles such as "He's A Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron", and "Then He Kissed Me". They were also trailblazers for many later African-American pop artists.
2) The Crystals was also the name of an obscure doo-wop group organised by the enigmatic Sun Ra in the mid-50s. Little is known about them. However, their tune "Honey In The Bee Box" was featured in the compilation album 'Interplanetary Melodies' on Norton Records, an album which has received critical acclaim.
3). If you are here for the Italian progressive rock band Crystals, they are not "The Crystals". Refer to the Crystals band page for more information and please fix your tags.
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In the late 50s, Barbara Alston, Mary Thomas, Delores "Dee Dee" Kennibrew, Merna Girard and Patricia "Patsy" Wright formed a singing project called "The Crystals" in high school. Under the leadership of Alston's uncle, Benny Wells, they wanted to aim for the big time. Soon, the quintet signed with Phil Spector's label Philles Records. Spector then chose Alston to be the group's lead singer, which made her very uncomfortable since she had a fear of singing in front of audiences.
Their first hit was 1961's "There's No Other Like My Baby". This song's B-side "Oh Yeah, Maybe Baby" (featuring Wright on lead) and the following single "Uptown" were topical and socially-aware pieces about growing up in the ghetto. After the success of "Uptown", a pregnant Girard was replaced by Dolores "LaLa" Brooks. The next single was 1962's "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)", still widely remembered though only rarely played on the radio due to the touchy subject matter of spousal abuse. Sales were sluggish.
Soon after "He Hit Me" flopped, Phil Spector began recording singer Darlene Love and her backing group The Blossoms under the name "The Crystals". Legend has it that the real Crystals were not able to travel from New York to Los Angeles fast enough to suit the LA-based Spector, who wanted to quickly record and release "He's a Rebel" (written by Gene Pitney) before anyone else had a chance to cover it and have a hit with it. The Crystals were unavailable, but Love and the Blossoms were also based in LA, so Spector recorded them and put the record out under The Crystals' banner.
"He's A Rebel" is perhaps the Crystals' most well-remembered and beloved songs, and one of the most enduring of the girl group genre. It was also their only US #1 hit. The follow-up Crystals single, "He's Sure the Boy I Love", in actuality also featured Love and The Blossoms.
The next single credited to The Crystals is one of the rarest -- and also possibly the strangest -- in rock music history. Reports vary as to the actual motivation behind the recording, but most agree that Phil Spector was looking for a way to annoy former business partner Lester Sill. What he came up with was a nearly six-minute song called "Let's Dance The Screw - Part I", which would be unplayable on 1963 radio. The record featured simple instrumentation (very much unlike Spector's famous Wall of Sound production style), repetitive lyrics, and Spector himself intoning the lyric "Dance The Screw" numerous times in a deadpan monotone. (The B-side, Part II, was more of the same.) The Crystals sang the song's repetitive verses, though it is unclear if these singers were the 'real' Crystals or The Blossoms.
The single was never commercially released, and only a few copies are known to exist (all marked D.J. COPY - NOT FOR SALE). The record was apparently only created to be a bizarre sort of joke at Sill's expense, as a single copy was specially delivered to him in early 1963.
Though it's unclear as to the level of their participation in "Let's Dance The Screw", the 'real' Crystals definitely began recording again under their own name in 1963. However, Thomas had departed to get married which reduced them to a quartet, and Alston stepped down from the lead spot giving it to Brooks.
After "Let's Dance The Screw", the group's next release was the classic "Da Doo Ron Ron." According to Darlene Love, the track was originally recorded by The Blossoms, with Love on lead vocal. Prior to release, Spector erased Love's lead vocal and replaced it with a vocal by LaLa Brooks, although he kept the Blossoms' backing vocals in place. The song was a top 10 hit in both the US and the UK, as was the follow-up single "Then He Kissed Me" — the first Crystals single since "He Hit Me" to feature all members of the Crystals as a definite group.
Both "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me" were penned by Spector with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.
Despite the steady flow of hit singles, tensions between Spector and the Crystals mounted. Already unhappy with having been replaced by Love and company on two singles, The Crystals were even more upset when in 1964, Spector began focusing much of his time on rival girl group The Ronettes. Two failed Crystals singles followed, before the band left Spector's Philles Records for Imperial Records later in 1964. 1964 also saw the departure of Wright who was replaced by Frances Collins; toward the end of that year Alston departed leaving the group a trio. They disbanded in 1966. They reunited in 1971 and toured widely in varying incarnations on the oldies circuit; they still occasionally perform today. Kennibrew is the only original Crystal who remained active throughout their touring from the seventies to the present.
Lead singer Barbara Alston (September 28, 1943 – February 16, 2018) died at a Charlotte hospital in 2018.
I Do Believe
The Crystals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And Your throne in Heaven above
It seems so far away
Though I can't touch, can't touch Your nail scarred hands
I have a deep, unspeakable joy
That makes my faith to stand
[chorus]
I'll always believe in You
Though I can't see You with my eyes
Deep in my heart
Your presence I find
Lord, I believe in You
And I'll keep my trust in You
Let the whole world say what they may
No one can take this joy away
Lord, I believe
Born from above
You are God's only chosen one
You're the one and only true way
Way to the Father's heart
You died for all sin
Then You rose and now live again
Conquering death and the grave
So that I might live
[chorus]
Lord, I believe in You
I'll always believe in You
Though I can't see you with my eyes
Deep in my heart
Your presence I find
Lord, I believe in You
And I'll keep my trust in You
Let the whole world say what they may
No one can take this joy away
Lord, I believe
The lyrics of "I Do Believe" by The Crystals express the singer's deep and unwavering faith in God, even though they cannot see or touch Him. Despite the physical distance between the singer and God, the joy that comes from their faith helps them to stand firm. The chorus declares the singer's belief in God and their commitment to always trust in Him. The second verse emphasizes Jesus Christ's role in salvation, as the only chosen one who died for sin and rose again to conquer death. The combination of heartfelt lyrics and upbeat melody makes the song a powerful expression of Christian faith and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Though I can't see Your holy face
Despite the fact that I can't physically see Your divine countenance
And Your throne in Heaven above
And Your heavenly seat situated above us
It seems so far away
It feels as if it's distant and unreachable
Though I can't touch, can't touch Your nail scarred hands
Although I'm incapable of physically feeling the wounds on Your hands
I have a deep, unspeakable joy
I still possess an indescribable happiness deep within me
That makes my faith to stand
Which strengthens and preserves my belief
Lord, I believe in You
My faith and trust is in You, O' Lord
I'll always believe in You
I'll continue to firmly place my confidence in You
Though I can't see You with my eyes
Although I'm incapable of physically seeing You
Deep in my heart
Within the depths of my soul
Your presence I find
That's where I find Your existence
And I'll keep my trust in You
I'll remain steadfast and devoted to You
Let the whole world say what they may
Irrespective of what the world may say or do
No one can take this joy away
No one can deprive me of this inner gladness
Born from above
You were born divine
You are God's only chosen one
You are the only entity picked by God
You're the one and only true way
You are the singular and genuine route
Way to the Father's heart
To lead to God's heart
You died for all sin
You perished for everyone's wrongdoings
Then You rose and now live again
Then You resurrected and are now alive again
Conquering death and the grave
Triumphing over death and the sepulcher
So that I might live
So that I can keep living
Lord, I believe
I place my faith in You, O' Lord
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniella DJ Variety
Love this song
jeffib
Interesting that this song, released in 1957, has writers' credits going to "The Crystals." The song was covered by The Maharajahs on Flip in 1958 with writers' credits going to A. Leo and D.T. Baker, and was then covered by The DeVilles on Arrawak in 1962 with no writers credits at all listed on the label.
Lisbeth Harrell
I would like to add to the mystery. This song was also done in 1958 by Donnie Elbert. It was called "My Confession of Love" rather than "I Do Believe." They changed the title. The lyrics were identical to "I Do Believe" except the melody was different. Songwriting credits were assigned to D. Elbert and F. Mendelsohn. That would be Fred Mendelsohn who was a record industry producer. "My Confession of Love" was on the DeLuxe label. It's not a bad song...very pretty. Anyway, I just wanted to give you this extra bit of info, that "I Do Believe" was redone by Donnie Elbert in 1958 as "My Confession of Love." Songwriting credits: D. Elbert and F. Mendelsohn." They did NOT write it as they ripped it off from the Crystals.
Rocco M
Top class.
Teresa Carella
Great!!! more Doowops!!!!
Genetta Lacey
Oh, yea come and two step with me. Beautiful. Thank you, Phill.
Joseph Coney
I do not think that these were the same Crystals who recorded for Phil Specter in the. 1960s. This record came out in 1956 if I am correct. The harmonies heard here are reminiscent of The Cookies with a definite doo-wop style. Check out the other side of this record-an uptempo rocker with cool lyrics!
Soulman70
Your so right Freddie Fred , Many groups had the same name , Just like this group https://youtu.be/h_izrTBVn8Q