- Carolina Girls
Carolina Girls is a
song byGeneral Norman Johnson ofChairmen of the Board . The song was recorded and released as a single in 1980 [http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com/News.htm] on the albumCarolina Girl Fact|date=October 2008 bySurfside Records . While never topping the charts, the song has persisted over the years to become a part of theNorth Carolina andSouth Carolina culture and remains a radio and live performance favorite. This is most noticable in thebeach music heard all along theMid Atlantic coast, as the preferred medium for shag dancing. The song was later recorded by other artists [http://bitmunk.com/media/6743862] , although not with the success of the original. The song also inspired the book "Carolina Girls" (ISBN 0-9712521-7-3) by Steven Brown. [http://www.chicksprings.com/carolinagirls.htm]Universities
The
University of North Carolina women's sports teams have unofficially adopted the song as their spirit song, particularly because of the useful line in the song "Carolina Girls: Best in the world". [http://www.unc.edu/bounce/oct05/4.html] . On other university campuses, the song has similar acceptance. [http://www.uncp.edu/pineneedle/around_campus/2006/041306_AC_fans.html]Biggest Carolina Beach Song
In an interview with Blues Critic, Danny Woods of Chairman of the Board was asked if "Carolina girls really are are the best" and explains
"You know when I first came here (The Carolinas) there was no style. You know you had the New York girls, California girls and they all got the attention. Even songs about them. And that just made Carolina girls feel like nothing but there's quite a difference between Carolina girls now and then. There self esteem just magnified after that song." [http://bluescritic.com/chairmenoftheboardinterview.htm]
Fellow Chairman Ken Knox followed up:
Girls became prideful. High schools and colleges use that song. Marching bands play "Carolina Girls". It's on T-shirts and we're glad about that. It's the all time biggest Carolina Beach song now.
Arguably, the popularity of the song helped push the band from regional significance to gain national recognition.
Cultural references
To many within the Carolinas, the song unofficially represents the community, and is quoted informally as such often [http://www.news-record.com/content/2007/10/13/article/my_carolina_can_beat_yours] . The song tied in first place with "
Carolina in My Mind " byJames Taylor (also a native Carolinian) in voting for the South Carolina Information Highway soundtrack, a compilation of 15 songs that "reflect the Carolinas". [http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/nov/15/soundtrack_this_state_now_playing22140/]References
External links
* [http://www.sciway.net/ccr/sc-soundtrack.html SC Soundtrack] – Featuring Music From and About SC (South Carolina Information Highway)
* [http://www.chairmenoftheboard.com Chairmen of the Board Official Website]
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