Girl Group Chronicles: The Fascinations
During the 1960s, a number of North American girl groups were all but unnoticed in their home nation. The Fascinations may not be very familiar to Americans, but in Europe, they were stars.
The group's origins can be traced back to Martha Reeves, (later of the Vandellas), and Shirley Walker. The two girls were forming a new group called the Sabre-ettes. Bernadine and Joanne Boswell successfully auditioned. The group abandoned their original nomination for the funkier "Fasinations", as it was spelled. The name change coincided with the addition of Fern Bledsoe.
Before the girls could get a foot inthe industry's door, Martha left over some disagreements with the others. The remaining Fasinations persevered, and by late 1962 they had been introduced to a man who would change their lives. Curtis Mayfield, a member of the Impressions brought the ladies to the ABC Paramount label and soon released the cover version of "Mama Didn't Lie." The song eventually soared to number 14 pop, but not with the Fasinations' name attached; Jan Bradley ended up with the hit, although the girls did manage an exceptional number 7 on the R&B charts from Cashbox.
"Tears In My Eyes" was issued as the follow-up, but it failed completely. The group was still eager to perform, but a cancelled contract with ABC put a slight damper on their spirit. The girls continued to play smaller clubs. Individual members also found time to work as secretaries at Motown Records, and to be members of an obscure group known as the Aprils, among other things.
Mayfield, meanwhile, was busy forming his Windy City label, and having a great measure of success with his Impressions and a family called the Five Stairsteps. The producer returned for the girls when he began his second venture, Mayfield Records. The first of the group's singles was "Say It Isn't So b/w I'm So Lucky." Taking it's style from popular Motown records of the day, the single was lost on the pop charts, but it did make an impression (no pun intended) on the R&B charts, evntually landing nicely in the Top 50.
Mayfield decided to go all out for the Fascinations' (as they were now called) next single. "Girls Are Out to Getcha" was one of the most commecial and pleasing girl group records of all time; this from an genre which defined a generation of "popular" music. eleased in 1967, the song reached number 92 on the Billboard Pop charts, but R&B stations propelled the single all the way to number 13.
Finally thinking that they were hitting their stride, the Fascinations ' next song, "I'm In Love," was produced in a similar fashion, and by mid-1967 it had become the goups' third Top 50 single in three tries. Sadly, the 1968 realease of "Hold On b/w Such A Fool," went almost unnoticed by recorrd buyers. A final single on Mayfield Records, "Just Another Reason b/w Okay For You," met a similar end, and the quartet decided to retire from the music industry to pursue other careers.
Meanwhile, the group's biggest success, "Girls Ae Out To Getcha," had a life of its own. A prennial favourite in most English dance clubs, the song was reissued by to subsequent labels in ordeed to satisy demand. Mojo Records enjoyed a surpise hit with "Girls" in 1971 when it coasted to number 32. A previously recorded single was pushed as a follow-up, and a European tour was arranged, but the Fascinations were unable to sustain their new success, and they have not reformed since.