When she dethroned Connie Francis, it marked the first time female singers had back-to-back No. 1s on the Hot 100.
Fabares’ recording was also heard in a later episode of the Reed show that aired on May 17, 1962. It soundtracked a scene where the boys are in the malt shop. (It really was a more innocent time.) Fabares lip-synched her hit on American Bandstand during a June 19, 1962 appearance.
Fabares wasn’t much of a singer, but her lack of training may have worked in her favor on “Johnny Angel.” There’s an innocence and guilelessness in her vocal that made it more relatable and accessible.
Lee Pockriss, who co-wrote “Johnny Angel,” had a hand in writing numerous hits from the 1950s to the 1970s, including Perry Como’s “Catch a Falling Star” (which hit No.
1 on a pre-Hot 100 songs chart in Billboard in 1958), Brian Hyland’s “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” (No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1960), Anita Bryant’s “In My Little Corner of the World,” The Cuff Links’ “Tracy” and Clint Holmes’ “Playground in My Mind” (No.
Stu Phillips produced and arranged Fabares’ recording. Phillips had a long career, producing hits for James Darren, Nina Simone, The Skyliners and The Monkees, in addition to Fabares.
He later segued into composing theme songs for TV series including McCloud, Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider. In 2002, Phillips published his autobiography, Stu Who?: Forty Years of Navigating the Minefields of the Music Business.
Phillips is currently still living at 96.
Legendary Brill Building songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote Fabares’ follow-up single, “Johnny Loves Me,” which reached No. 21, and a less successful 1963 single “Telephone (Won’t You Ring),” which bubbled under the chart at No.
The cover of Fabares’ 1962 debut album, Shelley!, identified her as “Shelley Fabares of The Donna Reed Show,” which shows how important people thought it was to drive home that connection.
The album reached No. 106 on the Billboard 200. Fabares’ highest-charting album was Teen-Age Triangle, a collab with Peterson and James Darren, which reached No.
48. Darren, who made several guest appearances on the Reed show, died last September at 88. Petersen is still living at 80.
Lest we forget, Petersen’s “She Can’t Find Her Keys” peaked at No. 19. Petersen landed a top 10 hit in early 1963 with “My Dad,” which was written by Mann & Weil.
Fabares’ Hot 100 career lasted just a little more than a year. After “Johnny Loves Me,” she never cracked the top 40 again. She scored her final Hot 100 hit, “Ronnie, Call Me When You Get a Chance,” in the spring of 1963.
The Carpenters included “Johnny Angel” in the oldies medley that took up nearly the entire second side of their 1973 album Now & Then. It was a lovely solo showcase for Karen Carpenter.
The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
The song was also featured in a 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Dyan Cannon, where Johnny Angel turns out to be three Hells Angels all named Johnny.
Fabares’ version was featured in Cher’s 1990 film Mermaids, which was set in 1963.
If Fabares didn’t have the vocal chops of a Darlene Love, she was a natural and appealing actress who had a long career in TV. After leaving Reed’s show in 1963, she played James Caan’s wife in the acclaimed 1971 TV drama Brian’s Song.
She may be best known for roles on two long-running sitcoms. She played Francine Webster opposite Bonnie Franklin on CBS’ One Day at a Time and Christine Armstrong opposite Craig T.
Nelson on ABC’s Coach. She received two Primetime Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series in 1993-94 for the latter show.
Other performers with a No. 1 Hot 100 hit who had more sustained success in TV include Vicki Lawrence, who topped the chart in 1973 with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” and David Soul, who hit the top in 1977 with “Don’t Give Up on Us.”.
Fabares married producer Lou Adler in 1964. Among his many accomplishments, Adler produced No. 1 Hot 100 hits for The Mamas & the Papas (“Monday, Monday”), Johnny Rivers (“Poor Side of Town”) and Carole King (“It’s Too Late”).
They were divorced in 1980. Four years later, Fabares married M*A*S*H* co-star Mike Farrell. They were married until her death. She is also survived by her daughter, Erin.
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Informação baseada em material público de Billboard, reescrito pela redação ULTRA NOTÍCIAS.
