Ruby Christine McGuire (July 30, 1926 – December 28, 2018), Dorothy "Dottie" McGuire (February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012) and Phyllis McGuire (born February 14, 1931). Among their most popular songs are "Sincerely" and "Sugartime", both number-one hits.
The McGuire sisters were born in Middletown, Ohio, and grew up in Miamisburg near Dayton . Their mother, Lillie, was a minister of the Miamisburg First Church of God, where as children they sang in church at weddings, funerals, and revivals. When they started singing in 1935, the youngest sister, Phyllis, was four years old. Eventually, they sang at occasions outside church, and by 1949 were singing at military bases and veterans' hospitals, performing a more diverse repertoire than they had in church.
The McGuire Sisters signed with Coral Records in 1952. In the same year, they appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, and Godfrey hired them for his other shows, where they remained for seven years. The November 1953 issue of Cosmopolitan called them "Godfrey's Merry McGuires". The sisters often were compared to the Andrews Sisters. Maxene Andrews said in an interview with Joe Franklin on WOR (AM) radio in 1979, "The McGuire Sisters were fine once they stopped imitating the Andrews Sisters." While working on the Godfrey show, the McGuires befriended the singer Lu Ann Simms and attended her wedding to the music publisher Loring Buzzell in July 1956. Buzzell's publishing firm, Hecht-Lancaster & Buzzell Music (co-owned by Harold Hecht and Burt Lancaster) provided two songs for the McGuire Sisters, "May You Always" and "Theme from The Unforgiven (The Need for Love)".
The McGuire Sisters and the Andrews Sisters met several times during their careers. Phyllis credited Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne Andrews during a television interview with Maxene in the 1990s, hosted by Sally Jessy Raphael, saying that her sisters and she met the Andrews Sisters in New York in the early 1950s and received important advice. The McGuires moved when they sang, often executing dance routines in lavish production numbers on countless television specials. The Andrews Sisters performed similarly in films in the 1940s, and were the first female vocal group to move when they sang, rather than just standing at a microphone. The sisters had mimicked that style, as well as those of the Mills Brothers and the Dinning Sisters ever since they were young, when they would perform short shows for family and friends in their parents' living room. Phyllis McGuire recounted that she and her sisters did not know any popular songs when they became famous (only the hymns taught to them by their mother), the trio imitated other singing groups long before their success.
They performed for five Presidents of the United States (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush), and for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1958, their mother appeared as a guest challenger on the television game show To Tell the Truth. The sisters maintained a busy television schedule, making frequent appearances on popular variety programs hosted by Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Andy Williams, Perry Como, and Red Skelton. The trio was dressed and coiffed identically and performed synchronized body movements and hand gestures with military precision. Their recordings of "Sincerely", "Picnic", and "Sugartime" all sold more than one million copies.
They retired from public appearances in 1968, giving their last performance that year on The Ed Sullivan Show. Phyllis McGuire continued to perform solo for a time. The demise of the group is often attributed to Phyllis' long-standing personal relationship with mobster Sam Giancana (although for years she claimed that their friendship was strictly platonic), which reportedly blacklisted the group.
During one of his 1960s court appearances for which Phyllis was subpoenaed, Giancana told reporters outside the courthouse, "Phyllis knows everything" about the rumored unethical behaviors of John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert. Phyllis has resided in a famously showcased mansion in Las Vegas for decades, boasting its own beauty parlor, a swan moat, and a replica of the Eiffel Tower which actually rose through the home's roof.
When asked by Barbara Walters during a 1980s ABC-TV 20/20 interview from within the mansion if any of the money to build the lavish home came from Giancana, Phyllis denied the innuendo, claiming that she invested heavily in oil when the sisters were at the height of their popularity. In the same interview, she acknowledged that her relationship with Giancana was in fact a love affair, saying, "When I met him, I did not know who he was, and he was not married, and I was an unmarried woman. And according to the way I was brought up, there was nothing wrong with that. And I didn't find out until sometime later really who he was, and I was already in love."[7]
The sisters reunited in 1986, performing at Toronto's Royal York Hotel for the first time since their retirement.[8] Numerous nightclub engagements followed in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and New York City's Rainbow & Stars, showcasing the group and Phyllis' impersonations of Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Merman, and even Louis Armstrong.
Singing their greatest hits as part of their act, they were also featured performing specialty numbers such as the frantic "I Love a Violin", the a cappella "Danny Boy", and a segment during which Phyllis retired backstage as Christine and Dorothy shared the spotlight playing a concert arrangement of "The Way We Were" on twin pianos. Other highlights in the act were a comical Trinidad-flavored tune, a soft rendering of "Memory" from Broadway's Cats, and a "Money Medley", which they also performed live on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in 1994. Since then, the sisters had made occasional public appearances together, including in 2004, when they reunited to perform in a PBS special Magic Moments: Best of '50s Pop. The sisters' command of their vocal cords and harmonious blend had not significantly diminished.
After their careers wound down, they opened a restaurant in Bradenton, Florida, calling it McGuire's Pub.
They were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 1994, and in 2001, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. They also have been inducted into the Coca-Cola Hall of Fame and the Headliners' Hall of Fame. They were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2009.
Christine has two children, Herold and Asa; Dorothy had two, Rex and David. Phyllis has no children.
On September 7, 2012, Dorothy McGuire died at her son's home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, after suffering from Parkinson's disease and age-related dementia; she was 84. Dorothy's husband of 54 years, Lowell Williamson, died 6 months later on February 25, 2013, after sustaining a fractured back from a fall; he was 89.
Christine McGuire died in Las Vegas, Nevada in December 2018 at the age of 92.
The McGuire Sisters, and most especially Phyllis McGuire, who lives in Las Vegas, were the subjects of the 1995 HBO movie Sugartime, which depicted a romantic relationship between Phyllis and mobster Sam Giancana. Giancana was played by actor John Turturro, and Phyllis was played by actress Mary-Louise Parker.
The 1982 Robert Altman film Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean prominently features the music of The McGuire Sisters. Their #1 single "Sincerely" is lip-synced by the film's stars Cher, Karen Black and Sandy Dennis as "The Disciples of James Dean."
They performed for five US Presidents - Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush), and for Queen Elizabeth II
In 1968, they retired from public performance apart from Phyllis who continued as a solo act but they reunited seventeen years later for a number of shows.
In 1994, they were inducted into the National Broadcasting Hall of Fame and In 2001, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Discography
Year Single (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated Chart positions Album
US CB US
AC UK[15]
1953 "Picking Sweethearts"
b/w "One, Two, Three, Four" — — — — Non-album tracks
"Toodle-Ooh Siana"
b/w "Miss You" — — — —
"Where Good Times Are"
b/w "Hey, Mister Cotton Picker" — — — —
"Are You Looking for a Sweetheart"
b/w "You'll Never Know Till Monday" — — — —
1954 "Uno, Due, Tre (The Italian Square Dance)"
b/w "Lonesome Polecat" (from Musical Magic) — — — —
"Pine Tree, Pine over Me" / 26 27 — —
"Cling to Me" — 49 — —
"Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight"
b/w "Heavenly Feeling" (Non-album track) 7 8 — — By Request
"Muskrat Ramble" (see below)
b/w "Not As a Stranger" (Non-album track) — — — —
"Muskrat Ramble" / 10 9 — —
"Lonesome Polecat" 28 33 — — Musical Magic
"Christmas Alphabet"
b/w "Give Me Your Heart for Christmas" 25 34 — — Greetings from the McGuire Sisters
1955 "Sincerely" / 1 2 — 14 By Request
"No More" 17 — — 20
"Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sun Shine In)"
b/w "Melody of Love" — — — —
"The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane"
b/w "Hearts of Stone" (non-album track) — — — —
"It May Sound Silly" / 11 14 — — Chris, Phyllis, Dottie
"Doesn't Anybody Love Me?" flip — — — Musical Magic
"Something's Gotta Give" / 5 4 — — Chris, Phyllis, Dottie
"Rhythm 'n Blues" flip 32 — — Teenage Party
"Kiss Me and Kill Me with Love"
b/w "If It's a Dream" — — — — Non-album tracks
"He"
b/w "If You Believe" 10 4 — — Greetings from the McGuire Sisters
"Give Me Love" / 95 30 — — Non-album track
"Sweet Song of India" — 34 — — Chris, Phyllis, Dottie
"Be Good To Me" / — 46 — — Teenage Party
"My Baby's Got Such Lovin' Ways" — 40 — —
"I'd Like to Trim a Tree with You"
b/w "The Littlest Angel" — — — — Greetings from the McGuire Sisters
1956 "Missing"
b/w "Tell Me Now" (non-album track) 44 36 — — Musical Magic
"Picnic" / 13 20 — — Chris, Phyllis, Dottie
"Delilah Jones" 37 36 — 24
"Weary Blues" / 32 42 — — Sugartime
"In the Alps" 63 — — —
"Ev'ry Day of My Life" / 37 33 — — Chris, Phyllis, Dottie
"Endless" 52 36 — —
"Goodnight, My Love, Pleasant Dreams"
b/w "Mommy" (from Children's Holiday) 32 23 — — Musical Magic
1957 "Kid Stuff"
b/w "Without Him" — 36 — — Musical Magic
"Blue Skies"
b/w "He's Got Time" (from Greetings from the McGuire Sisters) — — — — Do You Remember When
"Please, Don't Do That to Me"
b/w"Drownin' in Memories" — — — — Teenage Party
"Beginning to Miss You"
b/w "Rock Bottom" — — — —
"Around the World In 80 Days"
b/w "Interlude" 73 — — — Sugartime
"Kiss Them for Me"
b/w "Forgive Me" — — — —
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
b/w "Honorable Congratulations" — — — — Greetings from the McGuire Sisters
"Sugartime"
b/w "Banana Split" 1 7 — 14 Sugartime
1958 "Ding Dong"
b/w "Since You Went Away to School" 25 43 — —
"Volare"
b/w "Do You Love Me Like You Kiss Me" 80 — — — May You Always
"Sweetie Pie"
b/w "I'll Think of You" — — — —
1959 "May You Always"
b/w "Achoo-Cha-Cha" 11 21 — 15
"Summer Dreams" / 55 64 — — Sugartime
"Peace" 85 97 — — May You Always
"Red River Valley"
b/w "Compromise" (Non-album track) — — — — Showcase
"Some of These Days"
b/w "Have a Nice Weekend" (Non-album track) — — — —
1960 "Livin' Dangerously"
b/w "Lovers Lullaby" 97 — — — Non-album tracks
"Theme from The Unforgiven (The Need for Love)"
b/w "I Give Thanks" (Non-album track) — — — — Showcase
"The Last Dance"
b/w "Nine o'Clock" (Non-album track) 99 — — —
"To Be Loved"
b/w "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)" — — — —
1961 "Just for Old Time's Sake"
b/w "Really Neat" (Non-album track) 20 17 — — Just for Old Time's Sake
"Tears on My Pillow"
b/w "Will There Be Space in a Space Ship" (Non-album track) 59 55 12 — Showcase
"Just Because" / 99 96 — —
"I Do, I Do, I Do" — tag — —
"I'm Just Taking My Time"
b/w "I Can Dream, Can't I" (Non-album track) — — — — Subways Are for Sleeping
1962 "Sugartime Twist"
b/w "More Hearts Are Broken That Way" 107 130 — — Showcase
"Mama's Gone, Goodbye"
b/w "I Really Don't Want to Know" — — — — Songs Everybody Knows
1963 "Summertime (Is the Time for Love)"
b/w "Cordially Invited" — — — — Non-album tracks
1964 "Now and Forever"
b/w "Never" — — — —
"Candy Heart"
b/w "Dear Heart" — — — —
"Ticket to Anywhere"
b/w "I'll Walk Alone" — — — —
1966 "Truer Than You Were"
b/w "Grazia" — — 30 — Right Now!
Phyllis McGuire solo singles
Year Single (A-side, B-side) Chart positions Album
US CB US
AC
1964 "I Don't Want to Walk Without You"
b/w "That's Life" 79 85 13 Non-album tracks
"Just a Little Lovin'"
b/w "You Don't Have the Heart to Tell Me" — — —
1965 "Run to My Arms"
b/w "Someone Else Is Taking My Place" — — —
1966 "My Happiness"
b/w "Vaya Con Dios" — — — Phyllis McGuire Sings
Hokey Pokey
The McGuire Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You put your right foot out
You put your right foot in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about!
You put your left foot out
You put your left foot in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about!
You put your right arm in
You put your right arm out
You put your right arm in
And you shake it all about
You put your left arm in
You put your left arm out
You put your left arm in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it′s all about!
You put your head in
You put your head out
You put your head in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about!
You put your right elbow in
You put your right elbow out
You put your right elbow in
And you shake it all about
You put your left elbow in
You put your left elbow out
You put your left elbow in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about!
You put your right hip in
You put your right hip out
You put your right hip in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about!
You put your left hip in
You put your left hip out
You put your left hip in
And you shake it all about
You put your whole self in
You put your whole self out
You put your whole self in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That′s what it's all about
You put your backside in
You put your backside out
You put your backside in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey-Pokey
And you turn yourself around
That's what it′s all about!
You do the Hokey-Pokey
The Hokey-Pokey
You do the Hokey-Pokey
That′s what it's all about!
The lyrics of The McGuire Sisters' song "Hokey Pokey" are fairly straightforward, describing a fun and interactive dance. The song instructs listeners on how to do the dance, beginning with putting their right foot in and out, followed by their left foot, right arm, left arm, head, right elbow, left elbow, right hip, left hip, whole self, and even backside. After each body part is placed and shaken about, the dance emphasizes the act of turning oneself around. The repetition of these instructions throughout the song serves to reinforce the steps of the dance and encourage active participation.
The song's primary goal is to engage listeners and get them moving. "Hokey Pokey" is often performed at parties, weddings, and other social gatherings where people can join in and follow the dance instructions. It promotes a sense of togetherness and lightheartedness, as everyone can laugh and have fun while doing the Hokey Pokey. The lyrics reflect the playful nature of the dance and the joy that comes from participating in a group activity.
Overall, "Hokey Pokey" is a cheerful and interactive song that encourages active engagement and brings people together through a simple, repetitive dance routine.
Line by Line Meaning
You put your right foot in
You start by placing your right foot into the designated area
You put your right foot out
Then you move your right foot out of the designated area
You put your right foot in
Next, you place your right foot back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
You vigorously shake your right foot within the designated area
You do the Hokey-Pokey
This is the act of performing the Hokey-Pokey dance
And you turn yourself around
During the dance, you rotate your body in a circular motion
That’s what it's all about!
This is the main theme and purpose of the Hokey-Pokey dance
You put your left foot in
Now, you proceed to place your left foot into the designated area
You put your left foot out
Subsequently, you move your left foot out of the designated area
You put your left foot in
Then, you bring your left foot back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
Like before, you shake your left foot vigorously within the designated area
You put your right arm in
Now, you insert your right arm into the designated area
You put your right arm out
Following that, you retract your right arm out of the designated area
You put your right arm in
You then reinsert your right arm back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
As with the previous movements, you vigorously shake your right arm within the designated area
You put your left arm in
Continuing, you place your left arm into the designated area
You put your left arm out
Consequently, you remove your left arm out of the designated area
You put your left arm in
Then, you put your left arm back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
Similar to the previous actions, you shake your left arm vigorously within the designated area
You put your head in
Following the pattern, you place your head into the designated area
You put your head out
Afterward, you withdraw your head out of the designated area
You put your head in
You then put your head back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
In a lively manner, you shake your head within the designated area
You put your right elbow in
Further following the instructions, you insert your right elbow into the designated area
You put your right elbow out
As expected, you remove your right elbow out of the designated area
You put your right elbow in
You return your right elbow back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
Once again, you energetically shake your right elbow within the designated area
You put your left elbow in
Continuing the sequence, you put your left elbow into the designated area
You put your left elbow out
Similarly, you take your left elbow out of the designated area
You put your left elbow in
You then put your left elbow back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
Once again, you energetically shake your left elbow within the designated area
You put your right hip in
As the dance progresses, you insert your right hip into the designated area
You put your right hip out
Continuing the motion, you move your right hip out of the designated area
You put your right hip in
You then bring your right hip back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
As you have done before, you energetically shake your right hip within the designated area
You put your left hip in
Following the pattern, you place your left hip into the designated area
You put your left hip out
Correspondingly, you remove your left hip out of the designated area
You put your left hip in
You then put your left hip back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
With energy and enthusiasm, you shake your left hip within the designated area
You put your whole self in
Now, it is time to insert your entire body into the designated area
You put your whole self out
Then, you proceed to move your entire body out of the designated area
You put your whole self in
Once again, you bring your whole self back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
With great vigor and enthusiasm, you shake your entire body within the designated area
You do the Hokey-Pokey
This signifies the continuation of performing the celebrated Hokey-Pokey dance
And you turn yourself around
As the dance progresses, you rotate your entire body in a circular motion
That’s what it’s all about!
This line emphasizes the central essence and purpose of the Hokey-Pokey dance
You put your backside in
In this step, you place your backside into the designated area
You put your backside out
Conversely, you remove your backside out of the designated area
You put your backside in
Then, you put your backside back into the designated area
And you shake it all about
In an enthusiastic manner, you energetically shake your backside within the designated area
You do the Hokey-Pokey
The Hokey-Pokey dance continues to be performed
And you turn yourself around
As the dance reaches its climax, you continue to rotate your body in a circular motion
That's what it’s all about!
This concluding line reaffirms the overarching significance and purpose of the Hokey-Pokey dance
You do the Hokey-Pokey
Once again, you actively participate in the Hokey-Pokey dance
The Hokey-Pokey
This line specifically refers to the dance itself, emphasizing its name
You do the Hokey-Pokey
The dance continues to be performed with enthusiasm
That’s what it's all about!
This final line reiterates the core essence and significance of the Hokey-Pokey dance
Writer(s): Taft Baker, Larry Laprise, Charles Macak
Contributed by Ava F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.