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
People Say
The Dixie Cups Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you ever tell me we are though
Don't you ever hurt me if you do
Everything they're saying will be true
People say, it's just a summer romance
People say, our love won't last for long
They're so sure, we will part
That they are wrong
(Well, I don't care what the people say)
So wrong, (I don't really care what the people say)
It's just the way the stars shine
And it really isn't love at all
But each time that we kiss
I just know we'll be like this
Summer, winter or fall
(I don't care what the people say) oh, oh, oh
(I don't really care what the people say)
Don't you ever leave me sad and blue
Don't you ever tell me we are through
Don't you ever hurt me, if you do
Everything you're saying will be true
People say it's just a summer romance
But I know our love is here to stay
Let's go strolling by the sea
Cause it doesn't bother me
What the people say
Well I don't care what the people all say
(People say) yeah, yeah, yeah
(I don't really care what the people say)
People say
(I don't really care what the people all say)
I don't really care
(I don't really care what the people say)
Yeah, yeah, yeah
The Dixie Cups’ song “People Say” is a love song about a couple who are being told that their love is temporary and will not survive. The lyrics repeat the phrase “People say” to underscore that others’ opinions can be discouraging to a relationship. However, the singer knows that their love is real and will endure, stating “I know deep in my heart that they are wrong.” The repeated phrase “I don’t care what the people say” reinforces the idea that the strength of their love is not solely determined by others’ perceptions. Overall, the song is a hopeful message that true love can survive even amidst skepticism and negativity from outsiders.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you ever leave me sad and blue
Please don't ever make me feel unhappy by leaving me
Don't you ever tell me we are through
Don't ever tell me that our relationship has ended
Don't you ever hurt me if you do
If you're going to hurt me, please don't do it on purpose
Everything they're saying will be true
If we break up or something goes wrong, people will say they saw it coming
People say, it's just a summer romance
Other people believe that our relationship is fleeting, and will fizzle out when summer is over
People say, our love won't last for long
Others predict that our love for each other will not endure
They're so sure, we will part
They are convinced that we will break up soon
But I know deep in my heart
I have a feeling in my heart that indicates the opposite of what other people are saying
That they are wrong
Their assumptions and beliefs are wrong
It's just the way the stars shine
The circumstances of our relationship might seem like a coincidence, but it's not really fate or love
And it really isn't love at all
Our romantic relationship is actually something more casual
But each time that we kiss
Each time we kiss, it confirms to me that our relationship is something more
I just know we'll be like this
I am confident that our relationship will continue, despite what others are saying
Summer, winter or fall
Our relationship will persist regardless of the season
(I don't care what the people say) oh, oh, oh
I am not concerned with what others are saying about us
(I don't really care what the people say)
It doesn't matter to me what other people are predicting about our relationship
People say it's just a summer romance
Again, people are predicting that our relationship is only temporary
But I know our love is here to stay
Despite what others are saying, I am confident in our love and that it will endure
Let's go strolling by the sea
Let's enjoy our time together and not let people's predictions affect us
Cause it doesn't bother me
I am not worried about what others are saying
What the people say
What others are predicting or saying about our relationship
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ELLIE GREENWICH, JEFF BARRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
patrick ryan
Appears there's only one member living. R.I.P. to the other two -- sweet voices each one.
Stannin Culture
Amazing song, even years later. This is something, as an artist, I want to make some type of animation for
Timmy Kelleher
I love this song!
Timmy Kelleher
I love this song
Timmy Kelleher
I love it
Imani M
It's a very sweet song 🎶
Nestor123057
Gosh, I remember this song. More than "Chaple of Love". Maybe because I was half a year older.
Samuel Santos
Sensacional
michael stallings
my favorite dixie cups song
TenderPaws M
Same.