The Chantels include: Arlene Smith, Sonia Goring, Rene Minus, Jackie Landry, Lois Harris (vocals).
Includes liner notes by Philip Groia.
For a group that only had one really big hit--the epochal doo-wop ballad "Maybe"--the Chantels were nonetheless a pretty influential outfit. They inspired countless girl groups in their wake, notably the Shirelles, and also featured a few production tricks later appropriated by Phil Spector for his famed Wall Of Sound.
This set collects all of the group's best known songs, including the sublime "Maybe" follow-up "Payee," and adds various alternate takes and unreleased tracks, including a few where the group backs its great producer Richard Barrett, notably on a lovely cover of the Fleetwoods' "Come Softly to Me." Most intriguing track: an alternate version of "Maybe," featuring studio chatter and a truly bizarre organ part wisely eliminated from the final arrangement.