(128) THE FIRST SURGE OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION / THE SHIRELLES & SONGWRITER CAROLE KING

Girl Groups were a rage in the 1950's and this carried into the very early 1960's. The Shirelles, a New York based girl group was maybe the most successful in that period. Shirley Alston Reeves, Addie “Micki” Harris, Doris Kenner Jackson, and Beverly Lee, New Jersey schoolgirls, formed the group and sang their way to stardom. Beatle John Lennon went on record with praise for them. (John is also known for thinking the world of Elvis, though the Beatles meeting with Elvis left much to be desired!)

The Shirelles scored a hit in early 1961 with a song called "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," which was one of the first songs sung by women, from a woman's point of view, that acknowledged that women too were sexual. It was the beginnings of the sexual revolution and they even sang it at a J.F.K. Inauguration party.

Here's a YouTube presentation of the Shirelles Singing "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," written by songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin. This song was the first number one hit by a girl group and the first number one hit for Carole and Gerry, who were part of the songwriting factory system in the Brill Building in New York. (See previous posts on the Brill Building scene, where I myself once worked.)

Here is what Oldies.com has to say about the Shirelles' influence on other groups.

OLDIES.COM on the SHIRELLES

Rock and Roll of Fame Inductees - The Shirelles!

SHIRELLES ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

updated September 2012