Chantilly Lace (song)

"Chantilly Lace" is the name of a rock and roll song, written and originally performed by The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) in 1958. The Co-writers of the song were Jerry Foster and Bill Rice. The single was produced by Jerry Kennedy. Originally cut for Pappy Daily's D label, Mercury bought the recording and released it in the summer of 1958; what ensued was that the song gained popularity (mostly on pop, with regional country music appeal). The single peaked at number 6 and stayed 25 weeks in the charts.^[1]

A 1972 version by Jerry Lee Lewis^[2] was for three weeks a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart^[3] and a top fifty pop hit in the US^[4] and a top forty pop hit in the UK.^[5]

The song depicts one side of a flirting telephone conversation, with a young man talking about what he likes about his girlfriend, including:

Chantilly lace and a pretty face
And a pony tail hangin' down
A wiggle in the walk and a giggle in the talk
Make the world go 'round.^[6]

The song reached #6 on the pop charts and spent 22 weeks on the national Top 40. It was the third most played song of 1958.^[7]

"Chantilly Lace" inspired an answer song by Jayne Mansfield titled "That Makes It" based on what the girl may have been saying at the other end of the line.

The phrase "Oh Baby That's What I Like", said in falsetto by Richardson in "Chantilly Lace", was sampled by DJs project Jive Bunny with the music collage track "That's What I Like", which included samples from Jerry Lee Lewis, Chubby Checker, Surfaris, Ventures and other r&r singers and bands from late 50's to early 60's scene.

References

1. ^ US catalogue no. Mercury 71343; Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 49
2. ^ US catalogue no.: Mercury 73273; the flip side was Think About It Darlin
3. ^ Roland, Tom: The Billboard Book Of Number One Country Hits. New York City / New York: Billboard Books; London: Guiness Publishing Ltd., 1991, p. 66
4. ^ The single peaked at #43; Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 355
5. ^ UK catalogue no.: Mercury 6052 131; the single reached # 33 und stayed for five weeks in the charts; Rice, Jo / Rice, Tim / Gambacini, Paul / Read, Mike: The Guiness Book Of The Hits Of The 70s. London: Guiness Superlatives Ltd., 1980, p. 101
6. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 14 - Big Rock Candy Mountain: Rock 'n' roll in the late fifties. [Part 4] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. Digital.library.unt.edu. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19763/m1/. Retrieved 2011-04-30. 
7. ^ "The Official Website of 'The Big Bopper'". Officialbigbopper.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20080616092903/http://www.officialbigbopper.com/i_thestories.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 

Succession

Preceded by "My Hang-Up is You" by Freddie Hart	Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single (Jerry Lee Lewis version) April 22-May 6, 1972	Succeeded by "Grandma Harp" by Merle Haggard
Preceded by "Moon-Man Newfie" by Stompin' Tom Connors	RPM Country Tracks number-one single (Jerry Lee Lewis version) May 13, 1972	Succeeded by "Nothin' Shakin' (But the Leaves on the Trees)" by Billy "Crash" Craddock