Following years of honing their skills on the nightclub circuit under the dominating influence of their taskmaster stage mother, the girls were teamed with nascent producer-slash-genius Phil Spector, who became infatuated with the youngest, and most beautiful, of the sisters. The incredibly sultry voice of 15-year-old Priscilla Paris made the dreamy Spector production, "I Love How You Love Me," one of the biggest hits of 1961.
Following that success proved elusive; straddling (often uncomfortably) the bridge between the white-bread 50's pop of The McGuires and the burgeoning "girl group" sound of the 1960's, the gorgeous, glamorous Priscilla, Sherrell and Albeth found themselves ultimately unable to reconcile their Catskills-ready stage schtick with their newfound teen idol status.
It wasn't for lack of trying, however; even after their association with Spector ended mysteriously and acrimoniously, The Paris Sisters recorded a number of excellent, youth-oriented singles with a decidedly Spector-ish slant, including fabulous reworkings of earlier pop hits like "When I Fall in Love" and "Dream Lover"; unfortunately, nothing clicked with the public.
The physically mature yet emotionally fragile Priscilla decided to go solo in 1967; the sisters' curtain call was a doozy, however: their final album, The Paris Sisters Sing Everything Under the Sun! on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label, is considered the ne plus ultra of girl group opuses.
OUTTAKE FROM THE SING EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN PHOTO SESSION
Priscilla recorded a few albums for independent labels, including the cult favorite Priscilla Loves Billy (1969), a tribute to Billie Holiday. Her record label, presumably, changed the spelling of Holiday's name to the more masculine "Billy" out of concern over any gay connotations.
Following a bout with depression and alcoholism, and a horrific accident which left her with partial facial paralysis, Priscilla relocated to (appropriately enough) Paris, France. She and her sisters were discussing a possible reunion when Priscilla Paris died at the tragically young age of 59 in 2004, following a fall at her Paris home. Happily, the sisters' legacy lives on with recent CD reissues of all of their Spector-produced material; the legendary Everything Under the Sun album; and Priscilla's obscenely hard-to-find Loves Billy project.
We wouldn't steer you wrong: buy all of them. These girls were, and are, absolutely fabulous.
Wow of course I remember I Love How He Loves Me but didn't know the whole back story. Do you have a copy of Priscilla Loves Billy?
ReplyDeleteSurely you jest. Of course I do. Would you like a copy of it to listen to, while reading "Blue Heaven"?
ReplyDeleteYou are too devine TJB.
ReplyDeleteWell, in all seriousness, if you'd like a little Paris Sisters care package, let me know.
ReplyDelete