The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s, a… Read Full Bio ↴The Shirelles were an influential American girl group in the early 1960s, and they were the very first girl group to have a number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. The members of the quartet were Shirley Owens (who was the lead singer for the most part), Doris Coley, Beverly Lee, and Addie "Micki" Harris. The quartet formed in New Jersey in 1958, and went on to release a string of hits including "Baby It's You", "Mama Said", and the #1 Pop hits "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Soldier Boy". Their "Sha La La" became an international hit when covered by the British group Manfred Mann, and "Boys" was covered by [artsit]the Beatles (Ringo Starr singing lead).The Beatles also covered "Baby It's You" on their "Please Please Me" album. Although they had no more charting hits after 1967, the Shirelles continued recording for a small but devoted audience well into the 1970s and continued to tour and perform into the early 1980s. In 1968, Coley left the group to remarry and raise her family, and the group continued as a trio. In 1975, she returned only to replace Owens who departed to begin a solo career. On June 10, 1982, after a live concert in Atlanta, Harris succumbed to a heart attack (age 42); she was replaced by Louie Bethune. Shortly, the group went into semi-retirement, though they did accept an invitation to record backup vocals for Dionne Warwick in the late 1980s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. On February 4, 2000, Coley lost a battle with breast cancer (age 58). The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

I Met Him on a Sunday
The Shirelles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo oo oo oo ooo

Well, I met him on a Sunday
(Ooo)
And I missed him on Monday

(Ooo)

Well, I found him on a Tuesday
(Ooo)
And I dated him a Wednesday
(Ooo)

Well, I kissed him on a Thursday
(Ooo)
And he didn't come Friday
(Ooo)

When he showed up Saturday
(Ooo)
I said, "Bye, bye baby"

Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo oo oo oo ooo

Well, I kissed him on a Thursday
(Ooo)
And he didn't come Friday
(Ooo)

When he showed up Saturday
(Ooo)
I said, "Bye, bye baby"

Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Doo oo oo oo ooo

Overall Meaning

The Shirelles' song "I Met Him On a Sunday" tells the story of a young woman who meets a man on a Sunday, misses him on Monday, finds him on Tuesday, and dates him on Wednesday. She kisses him on Thursday, but he doesn't show up on Friday. When he finally shows up on Saturday, she decides to say "bye, bye baby." The catchy "doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa" refrain adds to the upbeat mood of the song.

On a surface level, the song is a lighthearted tale of a missed opportunity for romance. However, the lyrics also hint at the idea that the woman is not interested in a man who doesn't make an effort to see her or prioritize their relationship. She is willing to let him go when he fails to follow through on their plans. The repetition of the refrain reinforces the idea that she is moving on and having fun with her life.

Line by Line Meaning

Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Repetitive vocalization with no specific meaning

Well, I met him on a Sunday
I first encountered this person on a Sunday

(Ooo)
Indicates a brief pause or vocalization with no specific meaning

And I missed him on Monday
I did not see or interact with him on Monday

Well, I found him on a Tuesday
I located him or encountered him again on a Tuesday

And I dated him a Wednesday
I went on a date with him on a Wednesday

Well, I kissed him on a Thursday
I shared a kiss with him on a Thursday

And he didn't come Friday
He did not show up or contact me on Friday

When he showed up Saturday
He finally appeared or contacted me on Saturday

I said, "Bye, bye baby"
I ended things with him

Doo ronde ronde ronde pa pa
Repetitive vocalization with no specific meaning