The Chantelles - I Think Of You (1968)

In 1958 Iris 'Riss' Long wanted to form a vocal trio with her friend Lynne Abrams, so she put an advert in The Stage for a third member, and received a reply from Mary O'Brien, who joined the group as the third singer in The Lana Sisters. They appeared twice at the Royal Albert Hall and toured with Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, and Morecambe & Wise, and their single 'You've Got What It Takes' became a Top 10 hit in Ireland in 1960. When O'Brien left to pursue a solo career under the name Dusty Springfield, firstly with her brother Tom Springfield and another friend Tim Feild to make The Springfields, and then going solo in 1963, Long left The Lana Sisters and formed The Chantelles with two friends, Sandra Orr and Jay Adams. After establishing a name for themselves as a live act, The Chantelles landed a contract with Parlophone, and in April 1965 they issued 'I Want That Boy' as their first 45, being a cover of a song by little-known US singer Sadina. The confident production and spot-on vocal harmonies generated great interest in the record and it made the top 40 of pirate station Radio London's charts. The follow-up 'The Secret Of My Success' was released that summer, and was something of a disappointment, but the girls bounced back in October 1965 with the release of the pop gem 'Gonna Get Burned', with the flip 'Gonna Give Him Some Love' having since found favour on the UK's Northern soul dance circuit. In 1966 the group was invited to appear in the crime caper movie 'Dateline Diamonds', which also featured Kiki Dee and The Small Faces, and in it they performed 'I Think Of You' and 'Please Don't Kiss Me', both of which were issued as a single in April 1966 to coincide with the film's release. Despite some fine single releases, the group didn't enjoy much chart success following that first 45, and so in 1966 they moved to the Polydor label, who issued 'There's Something About You' later that year. When that too failed to chart they moved labels again, this time to CBS, and in 1967, in a somewhat surprising move, they were asked to record an updated version of the Gershwin standard 'The Man I Love'. Even more surprisingly, the group's second and final single for the label in 1968 wasn't even granted a UK release, with 'Out Of My Mind' only appearing in Germany and the US, where the group were billed as The Chantelles Of London to avoid confusion with the American girl group The Chantels. It was a rather ignominious end to a fine UK girl group, and there were few enough of them around, so enjoy this collection of one of the best of them. 

Track listing

01 I Want That Boy (single 1965)
02 London My Home Town (b-side of 'I Want That Boy')
03 The Secret Of My Success (single 1965)
04 Sticks And Stones (b-side of 'The Secret Of My Success')
05 Gonna Get Burned (single 1965)
06 Gonna Give Him Some Love (b-side of 'Gonna Get Burned')
07 I Think Of You (single 1966)
08 Please Don't Kiss Me (b-side of 'I Think Of You')
09 There's Something About You (single 1966)
10 Just Another Fool (b-side of 'There's Something About You')
11 The Man I Love (Single 1967)
12 Blue Mood (b-side of 'The Man I Love')
13 Out Of My Mind (single 1968)
14 More To Love (Than Moonlight) (b-side of 'Out Of My Mind')
15 Weeping Willow (out-take 1968)
16 Leader Of The Pack (out-take 1968)