The Tiaras, "You Told Me" c/w "I'm Gonna Forget You," Valiant 6027 (rel. 1/1963)

The Tiaras made two singles for the Warner Brothers-distributed Valiant imprint in 1962 and ’63. They came from Monrovia, California and first began singing together in school. They made a trip to Los Angeles in 1962 to see about getting work as backup singers on others’ records. They were heard by Ward “Bodie” Chandler and Barry DeVorzon, peddlers of white pop who were eager to get in on this girl-group business. They’d made some effective productions for white vocal group The Cascades, including the classic hit “Rhythm of the Rain;” both were members of Barry and The Tamerlanes, who trafficked in the same brand of vocal harmony pop.

    Things happened fast; they made their debut single in late ’62 and it was out in January of ’63. The three Tiaras—Mary Webber, Veronica Carrie and Kathy Withers—cut two songs penned by Chandler and DeVorson with producer Perry Botkin. These are three familiar credits on Warner Brothers records; they are sometime-ambassadors of schlock and kitsch but do have an impressive pile of good discs in their corner, this among them. Since I’ve told you all I know about the group members, let’s check out the results of their first session.

    “You Told Me” moves at a slinky pace, with an ominous opening that might make the listener feel something sinister is in store. Oodles of studio reverb usher in the three Tiaras, alongside a surprise burst of early fuzz guitar. The girls sing forcefully in unison and harmony. The lead singer is double-tracked, as was the fashion of 1962, as she delivers this accusatory story of a spurned ex who realizes she was led down that old primrose path
  Without building a wall of sound, the production creates atmosphere and drama and is a marvelous example of the girl-group sound. Like “Sally Go ‘Round the Roses” by The Jaynetts, “You Told Me” has a haunting quality that lends itself to repeated listens. The promo department at Valiant, which would eventually be bought by WB, wasn’t able to push the record, which had hit potential—it sounds like a record that could’ve made it into the 40s or 50s with a bit of effort.

The Cash Box reviewer seemed obsessed that The Tiaras are a Shirelles soundalike group.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fl02ph1zoecxdjp3qzvn6/2263a.mp3?rlkey=mumqduqdfk3dwip0bk1nu5ugr&st=rh46fi1w&dl=0

“I’m Gonna Forget You” continues the storyline of the A side. It opens with a sassy spoken-word bit by the lead singer (whom I *think* is Mary Webber) and turns into an epic of a kiss-off song. One couldn’t ask for a finer specimen of the early 1960s girl-group sound; producer-arranger Botkin nails the right mood and approach on both sides. (I love how the word gonna is pronounce gun-nah with emphasis on the second syllable.) This slightly more uptempo side offers prominent electric bass, a sax solo and a drummer who suddenly pops into the forefront for the fade-out. Poifect!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vhkdjs8kto6e7rp7rlgnz/2263b.mp3?rlkey=bjztyvgzn889281dne4zg5m2n&st=i48l3oit&dl=0

The record didn’t chart, but it pleased Valiant enough to call for a follow-up. For its A-side, the three Tiaras penned “Hey Señor,” which, coupled with a song by Bodie Chandler, did a cannonball dive into oblivion in May 1963. Nothing further was heard from The Tiaras, whom I assume moved back to Monrovia. End of story.

Tomorrow: we revisit a one-shot soul delight penned and produced by Van McCoy at the top of his game in 1964. Meet The DC Playboys!