New Orleans has produced some famous jazz and rythym acts, but none would play such a big part in the Girl Group era as three Dixie Cups and their manager/producer, Joe Jones. Joan Marie Johnson and her cousins Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins were originally known as the Meltones, and through a musical connection with Jones, they soon found their way to the fledging Red Bird label.
Although all the girls were all enrolled in school at the time, they decided to put their career aspirations on hold. Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry were anxious to find the first hit for the company and decided to dig into their own catalogue to fashion the group something borrowed, yet uniquely their's. "Chapel Of Love" had been recorded by the Crystals, the Ronettes, and Darlene Love. None of these versions had been rreleased by Phil Spector on his Philles label, however, and Barry and Grreenwich thought that the song shouldn't go to waste.
Now, the group needed a morre "hip" name. The Meltones just didn't do it for Red Bird, and the company wanted to rename them Little Miss and the Muffets, but just before their debut was released, the nomination changed once again, this time to the New Orleanish Dixie Cups. Leiber and Stoller, owners of Red Bird and former writers and producers for Elvis Presley, detested the final result, and were unsure about its release. Conversely, Ellie Grreenwich described it as one of the only two records she was sure would be number one hits, the other being the Shangri-las' "Leader of the Pack."
Sure enough she was right, and the Dixie Cups spent three weeks in the number one position, becoming the only American group to have a number one for the first half of that year. The next release, "People Say," soon hit the market. Similar to "Chapel of Love," in its melody, it was a less 'joyful' song, but ultimately it still ran up the charts to number 12. The group's only Red Bird Album was then released. Chapel Of Love included mostly Greenwich and Barry compositions. "Gee, Baby, Gee," previously recorded by labelmates the Butterflys, was an exceptional track, as were two other Crystal songs, "All Grown Up," and "Girls Can Tell."
The Dixie Cups' next record was one of their best. "You Should Have Seen The Way He Looked At Me," could have had a shorter title, but it's rocking backing and awesome rythym made it Top 40 bound. Another single called "Little Bell," gave the group it's best harmonies yet, but this time, it only jumped to number 51. The group's forecast seemed to be morre of the same, had it not been for their spontaneous recording of and old New Orleans folk song called "Iko, Iko." With only a bass, and some boxes and crates as its accompagniment. The result was a new Top 20 hit in early 1965.
The girrls' first album was rereleased as Iko Iko, and they tried to continue their hot steak with "Gee the Moon is Shining Bright." Appropriated from Veonica Spector's "Why Won't They Let Us Fall In Love." The original song wasn't one of Spector's greatest achievements, and the Dixie Cups' reading wasn't any better. It stalled at number 102, and instead of trying brring back the group's fortunes, Red Bird got rid of the girls.
Joe Jones brought his gals to ABC records for four singles and an album called Ridin' High. Two cuts on this album are some of the best girl grroup songs ever. Dean Martin's "Chances Are," and the Irish classic "Danny Boy," are two exceptional covers of two songs which a girl group wouldn't normally attempt. The group's excellent vocal talents, however, wee not enough to recapturre the ears of the record buying public, and by late 1966, the group had made its last recording.
The Hawkins girls went on to become models back in Louisianna, while reforming the group which additional members for touring purposes. Sadly, the reissues which feature all of the girls' sessions can only be found on bootlegs.