Chiffons Fine Harrison Sweet
He’s So Fine
Chiffons
Billboard #1 single March 30, 1963
Chiffons Fine Harrison Sweet
Chiffons
Some songs are hits and that’s that. “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons was a #1 hit and that was that for many years. We’ll get to many years in a moment.
The Chiffons were at first a three-girl group [Judy Craig, Patricia Bennett, and Barbara Lee]. All attended James Monroe High School in the Bronx, NYC.
Ronald Mack wrote the song, was familiar with the group, and felt that they, and at his suggestion the addition of Sylvia Peterson, would be an ideal match.
Bright-Tunes Corporation recorded the song. The Tokens, famously had the hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” in 1961, owned Bright-Tunes and performed the music.
Chiffons Fine Harrison Sweet
He’s So Fine
Mack could not find any label to release the song until Laurie Records enthusiastically said yes.
Laurie released the song in December 1962. On this date the song hit #1.
After that hit, the Chiffons went on to have other hits such as “One Fine Day” [by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, King played piano on the song] and “Sweet Talking Guy.”
Chiffons Fine Harrison Sweet
Seven years later…
In 1970 George Harrison released the song “My Sweet Lord” his first single as a non-Beatle. The song did very well. In fact that year the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it gold by the for sales of over 1 million copies.
Then Bright Tunes filed a suit against Harrison alleging copyright infringement of the late Ronnie Mack’s song “He’s So Fine.”
Aa drawn-out legal battle between Harrison and Bright Tunes followed,
In September 1976, the court found that Harrison had “subconsciously” copied”He’s So Fine.” Judge Richard Owen said in his conclusion to the proceedings:
Did Harrison deliberately use the music of He’s So Fine? I do not believe he did so deliberately. Nevertheless, it is clear that My Sweet Lord is the very same song as He’s So Fine with different words, and Harrison had access to He’s So Fine. This is, under the law, infringement of copyright, and is no less so even though subconsciously accomplished.
The Chiffons released their own cover of “My Sweet Lord” in 1975. Harrison’s “This Song” [1976] is all about the argument.
Fine vs Sweet
- Related link >>> Wikipedia entry for Chiffons
- Related link >>> Wikipedia entry for song
- Related link >>> All Music bio