Teenage Party - The McGuire Sisters

 

Everybody Loves My Baby

Teenage Party

The McGuire Sisters

Coral Records CL-7606

New Zealand Distributors - G. A. Wooler & Co. Ltd.

From the back cover: It's now a little over four years since three real sisters with the real nam of McGuire brought their suitcases and savings from Miamisburg, Ohio to New York. Since that time, the sister harmonizers have consistently justified their sport as one of the all-time top girl singing groups.

During most of that time, Christine, Phyllis and Dottie McGuire have had the rare good fortune of weekly appearances on a network TV show – Arthur Godfrey and his Friends on CBS-TV – a break enjoyed by few other big record acts. But their success on TV and on records comes from one basic ingredient – a product to sell that people want.

The gals' stock in trade is a clean, creamy harmony full of nice, "old-fasioned" chords that are sometimes difficult to find in a world that seems to have gone rock and roll happy. Not that there's anything wrong with rock and roll. One of the biggest early McGuire record hits, Sincerely," was a rock and roll song, written by the ink of that idiom, Alan Freed. But this is the same group that sold a slick brand of sweet, easy-going-harmonies in the title ballad from the motion picture, "Picnic", which is about as fare from the typical, clink-clink-clink, triplet-backed rock and roll beat as you can get. These two tunes, taken in toto, represent versatility, which succinctly states why the McGuires have been consistently hit-makers in on f the world's most competitive businesses.

To many artists let themselves become prisoners of a narrow style – they become type-cast you might say. Suddenly, a record bombshell burst on the scene. It's a runaway hit because it has a new sound, a new gimmick or an unusual piece of song material. Many records like this have set brand new styles of their own. And many an established artist has better the dust when he tried to crawl out of his own settled technique to be a follower of the new approach. 

Through a carefully nurtured flexibility, the BcGuires have never fallen into this trap. They sing with power, inflection, appreciation for a good lyric and above all, with solid musical intelligence, a formula that's likely to keep them on top of the record hit parade long after rock and roll, calypso, skiffle and other styles as yet unborn, have passed through the spotlight and off into the wings.

Singing, for the McGuires, was practically a birthright. Their mother, an ordained pasteor of the Church of God, is a talented pianist. There was always singing in the household and all three of the sisters were members of the church choir. When the three were four, five and six, their first public performance of the hymn "Jesus Loves Me", brought rousing acclaim. Later, Chris took piano lessons, Phyllis studied voice and Dottie played saxophone.

In high school, all three were active solo and trio performers in local clubs and pianist Christine loaned with several bands. Later, they sang as a group in Army hospitals and became prominent Ohio TV stars through their appearances on a Dayton station. This brings us to the big decision to come to New York. It was in the sorting of 1953, when the trio pooled wardrobes, money and hopes and drive to Manhattan in Phyllis' ramshackle auto. Quickly they won their chance to appear on Godfrey's "Talent Scouts" show and during the eight-week wait to go on, they became regulars on the Katie Smith show.

Since their first triumphant appearance on Godfrey, it has been smooth sailing and singing. The records keep coming. At least 24 have been issued to date, not including three earlier albums.

And here's the latest in the parade of Mellow McGuire mementos. Twelve sparkling, beautifully arranged melodies, in contrasting rhythms, ideal for a teenage dancing party, or for just plain listening. – Red. Grevatt

Please Don't Do This To Me

Rhythm 'N Blues

The Golden Rule Of Love

Goodnight My Love, Pleasant Dreams

Everybody Loves My Baby

Be Good To Me

Rock Bottom

Drowin' In Memories 

Lullaby Of Birdland

My Baby's Got Such Lovin' Ways

Beginning To Miss You

All I Do Is Dream Of You