The 12 Best Songs From Girl Groups Who Never Went Anywhere
You may not have heard anything but that one song, but these women really had something for a moment.
The song: Girlicious, a quartet spun out of the Pussycat Doll’s Making the Band-like reality show Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious, was manufactured pop perfection made slightly more “street” by the appearance of Jazze Pha, who produced some of Ciara’s biggest hits like “1, 2 Step.” That being said, “Like Me” is really about women. It’s a song that hates on a girl who’s copying the singer (“Everything she do is like me/From her head to her feet like me/She trynna talk like me/Trynna walk like me/Trynna get all the boys in the club like me”), always a powerful and jam-worthy topic.
What happened to the group: Though they had more success in Canada and are still allegedly together in some form, Girlicious is essentially no more.
The song: This song is just so sweet (though not as sweet as The Chordettes’ other hit, “Lollipop”, with its “bum bum bums,” perfect harmonies and high notes). A song with lyrics like “Mister Sandman bring me a dream” is about dreaming up your perfect man and having him come true; the best part is where they reference Liberace as having amazing wavy hair.
What happened to the group: The Chordettes recorded four albums and went through several line-up changes, but disbanded in the early 1960s.
The song: Exposé had a few chart-topping hits, but this one came in 1987, after the band had been formed and reformed. It’s a very ’80s track, with incredibly basic lyrics (“Only you can make me feel this way / I’ll give you all, come on, let’s get away”) but it’s the most interesting of the group’s several hits, and is far less cloying than their other big song, “Seasons Change.”
What happened to the group: They actually still tour today.
The song: This track has a very minimal accompaniment; it’s almost entirely focused on the women’s vocal harmonies. While the title and some of the lyrics seem a little esoteric, it’s really simple: “The saddest thing in the whole wide world is to see your baby with another girl.”
What happened to the group: There were so many women passing through the band that it’s difficult to credit any of the bands success to any one of them. Whatever The Jaynetts were, they were over before the ’60s were even through.
The song: The band that launched Nicole with-the-unpronounceble-last-name into the world, 2001’s “Get Over Yourself” is the ultimate song to listen to when you want to diss someone you used to like. Lyrics include: “It must be hard to be you, yeah/Living in your life/I was always the one to cry/Now everything-everything-everything is all right.”
What happened to the group: Their record label folded and, like most bands that start from a reality TV show, Eden’s Crush faded into obscurity – except for Nicole Scherzinger of course.
7. The Three Degrees, “When Will I See You Again”
The song: This 1974 single came out of The Three Degrees’ second album, and is essentially a plaintive cry over a confusing relationship: “Are we in love or just friends?/ Is this my beginning or is this the end?” Despite the depressing subject matter, “When Will I See You Again” has a surprisingly uplifting rhythm and beautifully clear vocals.
What happened to the group: The band bounced around a few different record labels and went on to release several more albums with a different line-up than the original, though they are technically still together.
The song: MTV and P. Diddy’s second attempt to conquer the tween market didn’t quite work, but this song off of Danity Kane’s second album was a pretty good try. Even Diddy’s weird voiceover during the bridge (“It’s that type of pain/that you feel deep inside/It’s that type of pain/ that makes you cringe, make you cry…this too shall pass/sometimes you gotta go through the pain/to experience the joy etc. etc.) doesn’t completely throw off what’s otherwise a pop-R&B jam with mildly futuristic sounds.
What happened to the group: After losing multiple members and dodging endless rumors that they were on the rocks, Danity Kane broke up in 2009.
The song: “Wanted, young man single and free” is how “Wants Ads” starts out. But as the rest of the song reveals, she’s already got a man, he’s just cheating on her all over town and she needs something new. It’s a surprisingly upbeat tempo, for such desperate measures.
What happened to the group: Honey Cone broke up in 1973 and their record label went of business soon after.
The song: Carol King wrote this song, and fans of Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney know it from the 1996 film of the same name, but the version everyone knows best is by The Chiffons. It’s a simple premise: A girl sings to an unrequited love who is “the type of boy who only wants to run around,” because she knows that one day “you’ll come to me when you want to settle down.”
What happened to the group: A version of the band performed in 2009, but past their four albums released between 1963 and 1970, the foursome broke off into a trio, and then faded into obscurity.
The song: “Where My Girls At?” was written by Missy Elliott in 1999, which explains why the beat was so good; otherwise, the lyrics are relatively repetitive, with the three women asking their fellow ladies to “put one hand up” if you feel the same way they do about women who try to touch their “property” – their men.
What happened to the group: In the vein of Destiny’s Child but never as popular (they were discovered by Sinbad), 702 may have gone multi-platinum, but they only released three albums. One of the founding members died in 2008, and at least one member is still purporting to have a solo career.
2. The Crystals, “Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)”
The song: Modern listeners might know The Crystals’ song “Then He Kissed Me” best because it’s in the opening scene of the movie Adventures in Babysitting, but 1963’s “Da Doo Ron Ron” races through at a clip speed, while managing to include a nice saxophone solo.
What happened to the group: The Crystals released only two albums, and Nine of the twelve tracks on their second album were also on their first. Producer Phil Spector began to focus his efforts on The Ronettes, and when many of The Crystals began to get married, the group split up.
The song: It’s hard to pick between Dream’s two big songs because “He Loves U Not” is probably just as good as their other hit, “This Is Me”. The best thing about 2000’s “He Loves U Not” is how incredibly direct it is while using childhood imagery: “Pulling petals off a flower trying to get your way/Keep pulling til’ it says what you want it to say/Girl you can pick a field full of daisies/But he’d still be my baby.”
What happened to the group: Dream was another of Diddy’s pet projects, and his connection to the group basically doomed them. After going through a few line-up changes, Dream slowly faded into obscurity.
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ginom2 2 months agoAbout “Three Degrees”: … technically still together??? Sorry, but you have to re-do your homework! They are in Guiness Book Of Records as “The longest running female trio in music history”!! They still have Valerie Holiday on board (who recorded their epic Philly recordings) AND Helen Scott who were even before Valerie in the Group and left for her family but returned in 1977 and stayed until today. This year, they celebrate their 50th year in music business with a world tour. So please…
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BlueSerenade 2 months agoAs soon as I saw Eden’s Crush I busted out with the lyrics to that song, which I haven’t heard since 2001. Then immediately felt ridiculous.
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thelaststraw 2 months agoWhat do you mean, “never went anywhere?” Some of these groups are very well known, very respected, and had major hits other than the ones you list. Expose had 7 Top Ten hits. The Crystals were on the short list of the most definitive girl groups of the era. Ditto the Chiffons: seriously respected, seriously well-known, serious chart presence. The Crystals and the Chiffons, in particular, are still massive staples of oldies radio and had multi-decade touring careers.
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