Original group members:
Barbara Ann Hawkins (born October 23, 1943)
Joan Marie Johnson (January 15, 1944 – October 5, 2016)
Rosa Lee Hawkins (born September 24, 1944)
The group hit the top of the charts in 1964 with "Chapel of Love," a song that Phil Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich had originally written for The Ronettes. The trio consisted of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins; plus their cousin Joan Marie Johnson, from New Orleans. They first sang together in grade school. Originally they were to be called Little Miss and the Muffets, but were named the Dixie Cups just prior to their first release.
In 1963 the trio decided to pursue a professional career in music and began singing locally as the Meltones. Within a year Joe Jones, a successful singer in his own right with the Top Five 1960 single "You Talk Too Much," became their manager. After working with them for five months, Jones took them to New York, where record producers/songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller signed them to their new Red Bird Records.
The Dixie Cups debut single was the release, "Chapel of Love," which became their biggest hit reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in June 1964. "Chapel of Love" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. In 1987, the song "Chapel of Love" appeared on the Full Metal Jacket soundtrack and in the 1991 film, Father of the Bride. The hit single by The Dixie Cups was ranked #279 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The group also had several other hits including, "People Say" (#12, 1964), "You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me" (#39, 1964), "Little Bell" (#51, 1965), and "Iko Iko" (#20, 1965).
"Iko Iko", a New Orleans traditional song, was recorded in 1964 but later was released as a single early in 1965. Barbara Hawkins had heard her grandmother sing the song, first recorded in 1953 as "Jock-a-Mo" by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford. Barbara Hawkins: "We were just clowning around with it during a session using drumsticks on ashtrays. We didn't realize that Jerry and Mike had the tapes running". Leiber and Stoller overdubbed a bassline and percussion, and released it. It was The Dixie Cups' fifth and last hit.
In 1965, the Dixie Cups moved to the ABC-Paramount record label before a recording hiatus in 1966 temporarily halted their careers. In 1974 the Hawkins sisters moved from New York to New Orleans, where they both began successful modelling careers. The Hawkins also worked as make-up artists. The Dixie Cups continued to tour as a trio with another New Orleans singer, Beverly Brown, replacing Joan Johnson who became a Jehovah's Witness and left her music career. Brown who had recorded two solo discs in the early 1960s stayed as the third member until the early 80s when she became ill and was replaced by Dale Mickle. The Dixie Cups continue to perform and make personal appearances. The current line-up consists of the same Hawkins sisters along with Athelgra Neville, sister of the singing Neville Brothers.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana, flooding and flattening most of New Orleans and displacing Barbara and Rosa Hawkins, who subsequently relocated to Florida. Joan Johnson relocated to Texas. Two years later in April 2007, The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame honored The Dixie Cups for their contributions to Louisiana music by inducting them into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Discography
Singles
"Chapel of Love" b/w "Ain't That Nice" (1964) Red Bird Records / U.S. Chart (Billboard) #1 UK #22 Canada RPM #1
"People Say" b/w "Girls Can Tell" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) #12[8] R&B #7 Canada RPM #7
"You Should Have Seen The Way He Looked At Me" b/w "No True Love" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) #39 Canada RPM #20
"Little Bell" b/w "Another Boy Like Mine" (1964) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) #51[8] R&B #21
"Iko Iko" b/w "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) #20[8] R&B #20 UK # 23 Canada RPM #26
"Iko Iko" b/w "Gee Baby Gee" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Chart (Billboard) #20
"Gee The Moon Is Shining Bright" b/w "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" (1965) Red Bird Records/ U.S. Billboard #102
"Two-Way-Poc-A-Way" b/w "That's Where It's At" (1965) ABC-Paramount Records /Written by Harold Fedison
"What Goes Up Must Come Down" b/w "I'm Not The Kind Of Girl (To Marry)" (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
"A-B-C Song" b/w "That's What The Kids Said" (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
"Love Ain't So Bad (After All)" b/w "Daddy Said No" (1966) ABC Records
Albums
Chapel of Love (1964) Red Bird Records/ Billboard 200 #112
Iko Iko (1965) Red Bird Records (re-packaged album that is the same as their debut with a different album cover under the title Iko Iko)
Riding High (1965) ABC-Paramount Records
Doing It Our Way (2011) Iri Records
Compilations
Teen Anguish Volume One (1979) Charly Records
The Best Of The Dixie Cups (1985) Back-Trac Records
The Dixie Cups Meet The Shangri-Las (1986) Charly Records
The Very Best Of The Dixie Cups: Chapel Of Love (1998) Collectables Records
The Complete Red Bird Recordings (2002) Varèse Sarabande Records
Chapel Of Love
The Dixie Cups Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love
Spring is here, the sky is blue, whoa-oh-oh
Birds all sing as if they knew
And we'll never be lonely anymore
Because we're goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love
Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa-oh-oh
I'll be his and he'll be mine
We'll love until the end of time
And we'll never be lonely anymore because
Because we're goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Goin' to the chapel of love yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Goin' to
The Dixie Cups' song Chapel of Love is a catchy, upbeat tune that celebrates the joy and excitement of getting married. The song speaks of a couple who are head-over-heels in love and are eager to tie the knot. The lyrics emphasize the joyous occasion of a wedding day, with the arrival of spring and the sound of birdsong in the background. The couple's love for each other is palpable, as they declare their intention to spend the rest of their lives together. The chorus repeats the phrase "Goin' to the chapel of love" over and over, driving home the point that this is a special and meaningful event.
The song's writer, Jeff Barry, and his wife Ellie Greenwich, were inspired to write “Chapel of Love” while walking along Broadway in NYC. Greenberg said that she saw a bridal shop and the idea for the song came to her; while Barry recalls that he was inspired to write the song because of a scene he witnessed on the subway: a couple holding hands and wearing wedding rings. He asked them why they weren’t riding in a limo instead of taking the subway, and they replied that they couldn’t afford it. That sparked the idea for a song about young love on a budget. “Chapel of Love” was originally recorded by the Ronettes, but their version was not released until decades later. The Dixie Cups version became a huge hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1964, and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004.
The song has been covered by numerous artists since its release, including Bette Midler, Elton John, and The Beach Boys. It has also been featured in several movies, including Father of the Bride and Now and Then. In addition to being a classic love song, "Chapel of Love" has become a popular wedding song and is often played as the bride walks down the aisle. The chords for the song are simple, consisting of G, C, D, and Em. Overall, "Chapel of Love" is a timeless anthem of love and the joy of commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
Goin' to the chapel and we're gonna get married
We are on our way to the wedding venue where we will exchange vows.
Gee, I really love you
I express my feelings of deep affection towards my partner.
And we're gonna get married
We are committed to each other and are ready to become life partners.
Goin' to the chapel of love
We are excited to be getting married in a place symbolizing love and commitment.
Spring is here, the sky is blue, whoa-oh-oh
It is a beautiful day, and the season and weather are perfect for our wedding.
Birds all sing as if they knew
The natural world is also celebrating our love and union as evident in the singing of the birds.
Today's the day we'll say "I do"
We will formally express our commitment to each other and our love with the phrase "I do."
And we'll never be lonely anymore
Our marriage will ensure that we will always have each other and will no longer feel alone.
Bells will ring, the sun will shine, whoa-oh-oh
The wedding ceremony will be complete with the ringing of bells and the shining of the sun.
I'll be his and he'll be mine
We will be bound to each other through marriage and will belong to each other.
We'll love until the end of time
Our love for each other will be forever and will last until the end of our lives.
Goin' to the chapel of love yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We are heading towards a space that will celebrate love and commitment, and we are excited!
Goin' to the chapel of love yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
We can't wait to exchange vows in the chapel, filled with love, warmth, and joy.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: JEFF BARRY, ELLIE GREENWICH, PHILLIP SPECTOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind