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.
Revolution
The Crystals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wind - The unmistakable sound of war
The rebellion has begun
Our freedom must be won
To the castle of tyranny we ride
Tear down the walls
Dethrone the One and we'll be in command
What ever we'll meet,
We won't surrender nor retreat
Freedom we claim to the Shadowland
No more lies. Let the crown of the tyrant fall
It's the final battle of the Shadowland
Glory days and peace are waiting for us all
It's the revolution of the Shadowland
Fight for all the painful years
When all we felt was fear
Drawn by insurrection we will prevail
Closer we come
Now we know what's to be done
The message we have for his majesty
Die tonight!
No more lies. Let the crown of the tyrant fall
It's the final battle of the Shadowland
Glory days and peace are waiting for us all
It's the revolution of the Shadowland
Rebels of the brave
Never loose your faith
Let us end it all tonight
Hold on to your hearts and fight
No more lies. Let the crown of the tyrant fall
It's the final battle of the Shadowland
Glory days and peace are waiting for us all
It's the revolution of the Shadowland
Shadowland
Shadowland
Shadowland
The Crystals' "Revolution" is a song about a rebellion against a tyrannical ruler. The opening lines use the natural elements of rain and wind to depict the chaos and turmoil of war. The rebellion has begun, and the people are determined to overthrow the oppressive leader and claim their freedom. They ride to the castle of tyranny, determined to tear down the walls and hunt the king out of his halls. The chorus emphasizes the importance of the revolution, with the repetition of the line "no more lies" and the declaration that it's the final battle of the Shadowland.
As the rebel forces get closer to the castle, they know what needs to be done. They have a message for the king: tonight, he will die. The third verse urges the rebels to hold onto their hearts and to never lose faith, as they prepare to end it all that night. The song ends with the repetition of the word "Shadowland," emphasizing the importance of the cause and the unity needed to achieve their goal.
Overall, the song is a powerful anthem for rebellion and fighting against tyranny. It showcases the determination and bravery of those who are willing to fight for their freedom, no matter the cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Rain - A million tears to the ground
The start of the revolution is marked with tears from those who have suffered under the tyrant's rule.
Wind - The unmistakable sound of war
The winds carry the sounds of the battle that is to come, as rebels prepare to overthrow the king.
The rebellion has begun
The people have risen up against the tyrant and are ready to fight for their freedom.
Our freedom must be won
The rebels understand that freedom is not given, but must be earned through struggle and sacrifice.
To the castle of tyranny we ride
The rebels march towards the symbol of their oppression, the tyrant's castle, with a determination to tear it down.
Tear down the walls
The castle walls must be brought down to expose the tyrant and his regime.
Hunt the King out of his halls
The rebels plan to capture the king and overthrow him, freeing the people from his hold.
Dethrone the One and we'll be in command
Once the tyrant is overthrown, the rebels can take control and create a new leadership to guide the people to freedom.
What ever we'll meet,
No matter the challenges that will be faced during the revolution.
We won't surrender nor retreat
The rebels are committed to their cause and will not back down until they are victorious.
Freedom we claim to the Shadowland
The rebels seek to bring freedom to their land, once shrouded in the shadows of tyranny.
No more lies. Let the crown of the tyrant fall
The people will no longer tolerate the lies of the tyrant and will take his crown and power away.
It's the final battle of the Shadowland
The revolution represents the decisive clash between the forces of tyranny and freedom, in which the people will claim victory.
Glory days and peace are waiting for us all
The future holds the promise of a bright and peaceful society once the rebels have triumphed.
It's the revolution of the Shadowland
The revolution seeks to transform the 'Shadowland', a land of fear and oppression, into a realm of freedom and hope.
Fight for all the painful years
The rebels draw strength from the years of suffering and pain they have endured under the tyrant's rule.
When all we felt was fear
During the tyrant's reign, the people were forced to live in constant fear of punishment and oppression.
Drawn by insurrection we will prevail
The rebellion is driven by the people's desire to rise up and overthrow the tyrant, and they are confident they will win.
Closer we come
As the rebels near their final goal, they feel the anticipation and excitement building within them.
Now we know what's to be done
The rebels have clarity and purpose, and understand what must be done to achieve their goal of freedom.
The message we have for his majesty
The rebels have a clear message for the king: his reign of tyranny is over.
Die tonight!
The rebels are ready and willing to use force to take down the tyrant and claim their freedom.
Rebels of the brave
The rebels are brave and courageous enough to risk their lives in the fight for freedom.
Never loose your faith
Even in the face of hardship and obstacles, the rebels must keep their faith in their cause and their own abilities to see it through.
Let us end it all tonight
The rebels have reached a point of no return and must finish the fight for freedom tonight.
Hold on to your hearts and fight
As the rebels move into battle, they must remain committed to their cause and fight with all their hearts and souls.
Shadowland
This term refers to the tyrannical society the rebels are fighting against.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@moonraven6669
I love the purple and green looks.💜💚
@kerry_k
Tempting to get that gorgeous green palette. It’s definitely the best of the 3. If the lip oil didn’t have a roller ball I’d of definitely got that x
@lauriediaz5075
The green look is GORGEOUS on your eyes. I'm thinking of picking up the amethyst palette as I already have the one I think is called smoke session or something like that but honestly all 3 of these palettes are beautiful. 😊
@IsabelLawson
I loved the look with the purple and green 😍 I'm not too keen on the pink palette but you pulled off a good look with it. I was thinking about the green spray because of the niacinamide and tiger grass for my acne.x
@ZoeyGlitter
I love the purple! The spray made me jump too was like a jet wash 🤣💜✨💫
@lifeaslaws
Cute collection loving all the crystals in the products such a nice touch!! Love the looks you came up with!! And congratulations on the new home 🏡 such amazing news and so exciting!!! Lots of love 💖💖 Xxx
@Kpop0223
I love all the looks! The green one makes me want to pull out my avocado palette.
@suzyb_cfbeauty
I think the purple one is my favorite. It's dramatic and vampy and i love that!
@caroline.n.j
Love this collection! And congratulations on your new house lovely 🥰xx
@Dainty_Ditsy
Love these looks 😍 also big congrats on your new house!