I'm surprised that no one else has mentioned this. Shelley Fabares has been married to Mike Farrell most famous for playing BJ Honeycutt on MASH since 1984.
Shelly Fabares was also a close friend of Annette Funicello who was also an actress and recording artist. Annette died several years ago after a long battle with MS.
Yes that was a great show , good memories. There was another singer on the show , Paul Peterson who played her brother on the show. He sang the song " My Dad", She Can't Find Her Keys.
Wow! I haven’t heard this song in years. You’re killing me with these great beautiful songs during my era! Not to many reactions be done with these songs! It’s been a pleasure listening to these oldies songs on your reaction. Thank you Harri!
My eight grade female classmates loved this song, considerable screaming when the 45 record was played - was equal in popularity to 'Soldier Boy' by the Shirelles - highly recommend that you give it a listen. fyi -her name is pronounced Fab-ray.
Shelley Fabares was more known as an actress than singer. She was on "The Donna Reed Show" in the late 50's & early 60's. She appeared 3 times in Elvis Presley movies. And she also was on "Coach" in the late 80's & 90's. This was her biggest hit although she made some other songs.
I was under the impression that singing was sort of foisted upon her as she didn't consider herself a singer. She was on a popular TV show and her own popularity on that show was being exploited in any way it could be. It was just business.
I love, love love Shelley Fabares and this song!. Wow, so glad you reacted to this Harri! I bet I have watched this video a thousand times and then some over the years. Also, Shelley is the only one of Elvis's leading ladies that co-starred in 3 of his movies. And I've always had a little bit of a crush on her, lol. She was so pretty and cute as a young lady!
I was 6 years old when I first heard this song by Shelley Fabares [fa-BRAY'] on "The Donna Reed Show" in 1961. As that young boy, I was "in love" with Shelley! Lol! My sister had the record of it, and since my boyhood name was "Johnny," she played it for me so many times that I memorized it, and can still remember the lyrics to this day. Shelley was an actress for many years and was in at least a couple of Elvis Presley movies as his love interest. Donna Reed, who played her mom in this series, was the one who played Jimmy Stewart's girl (& wife) in the popular 1946 Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life." From 1946 to 1961, she hardly changed one beautiful iota! Great times; great films; great TV classics! Actors and actresses who portrayed class, intelligence, and finesse -- at least in their public persona!
Ah the days of love and innocence and people that were nice to one another had manners, fell in love, felt happy, didn't yell or scream at others. Sigh...miss it..
Many young guys from the era had major crushes on her. Later in life she starred in at least 2 movies with Elvis & she has been married to Mike Farrel, or BJ Hunnicut, from MASH since 1984.
My cousin would let me play her 45's when she went out on dates--and I'd be alone playing all these hits, including this song, singing along and having a blast. Many of the songs you play here--including "And then he kissed me" ---were among those songs...
My type of music back then and still is. There were no gimmicks to make you sound better back then, You had to have it or you did not. There are many great songs back then.
Now you're cookin' with gas. This is my favorite, favorite song of all time. I've instructed my daughter to play it at the start of my funeral. She was an actress and was on the Donna Reed show when she first sang it. Pronounced "Fabray".
Hi Harri! Thanks SO much for this reaction! I LOVE Shellly Fabares! She was in several teenage movies when I was young! Thanks for bringing back the memories! Blessings to you and your family! Greetings from Australia.
A blast from the past. Remember slow dancing to this in grade school and wishing my name was Johnny. 💟🙃 Shelley was an actress she was in some Elvis movies and of course the Donna Reed Show.
Check out Ricky Nelson on the Ozzie and Harriet Show (same time as Donna Reed Show). Ricky went on to become a popular musician...maybe not the best but sitcoms was a way for the teen stars to become more popular.
My mom and I saw Ricky Nelson in concert in Las Vegas a couple years before he was killed in a plane crash. Excellent singer in live shows! So sad he died at age 45. "Rick Nelson dies in plane crash in De Kalb, Texas, on December 31, 1985."
Foster B was my Johnny Angel. I was 14 and he, 17 and dating the Homecoming Queen, was the big man on campus. My heart skipped a beat every time I saw him. We recover from unrequited love, but the memory lingers, even decades later. I hope wherever he is, he is happy.
You can still find the show on some retro channels. I saw it not that long ago. She was actually in a few Elvis Presley movies and several tv shows over the years.
This video..... I may be just a few years too young, but I have always had a crush on Donna Reed (who was the mother in the video). And Shelley Fabraes... enough said. Hard to believe she later starred in the TV show "Coach" with Craig T. Nelson.
She was on the Donna Reed show, the woman there admiring her singing. No one I knew she was a great singer until this hit the charts. Beautiful, timeless song.still love it. A one hit wonder but this was gorgeous!
This was the time when several of the young TV sons and daughters released songs. Paul Peterson, who played Shelley's brother on the show, had several songs. Then there was Johnny Crawford from The Rifleman and, of course, Ricky Nelson, the most successful of them all.
Oh Lord, I loved this song. I was only 7 when it came out in 1961, but I'd just sing my heart out to this. I just adored Shelly Fabares and Annette Funicello. They were my female idols and then of course there was Ricky Nelson at the same time. What a heartthrob he was!!!! Then came 1963, and the Beatles, and I was hooked. Loved Elvis, too. My parents loved him and I remember going to see his movies at the drive-in. Wonderful memories!
Harri, I am just awestruck with your finds. I loved Shelley and she was an actress, in The Donna Reed Show (the woman in the wings) and on the show Coach (1989-1997). This song also premiered on The Donna Reed Show. Darlene Love and her group, the Blossoms, sang backup vocals on the track, and Shelley was intimidated by their beautiful voices by was required to sing on the show anyway. I think she did an awesome job, and that we both certainly agree. Here's some REALLY interesting information I just found out for you AND ME !!! Musicians who played on the track include Hal Blaine on drums, Carol Kaye on bass and Glen Campbell on guitar ... all members of the loosely associated group of session musicians called The Wrecking Crew. They're the musicians that play the actual music on most of the songs of that day. They would come up with the catchy guitar lick, bass line, drum pattern, etc. that would take ordinary songs and make them into hits. There is a video on YT about them, and it's called The Wrecking Crew, and it explains all about them. You should probably watch that. It's an eye-opener. Another tidbit about Shelley, she was the niece of singer/comedienne Nanette Fabray. Notice the different spelling for Nannette. It was originally the same, Fabares, but I don't have a clue why she changed it. Nannette recently died in 2018, at the ripe old age of 97. Shelley is 77 years old and still around.
And yet, pronounced the same, except Fabares was more like "Fab-a-ray." It can make sense if you imagine it to be a foreign name with a silent "s" and an accented "e".
Actually, her last name is pronounced like Fabray. I was a five year old kid when I saw her sing this on the show, and I had the biggest crush on Shelly. She was, and is so beautiful. I wish she had sung this to me, but my name isn't Johnny. Lol.
Johnny Angel by Shelley Fabares is a great record and a classic of 1962. Shelley was so popular as an actress especially with teens that she was persuaded to record 3 albums. I am also a fan of her as an actress and I have listened to all 3 albums. Sadly, Shelley wasn't really a very good singer. I don't know what magic the producers used to get the great recording of Johnny Angel from her but I'm glad they did. It was a number one hit in the US for her from her 1st album. Johnny Love Me from her 2nd album reached #21 on the US charts and she had nothing else reach the top 40.
Lovely song, I have heard it before. It feels like a throwback to a seemingly much more innocent time. Other good ones of that era were Patty Duke - Don't Just Stand There & Lesley Gore - Maybe I Know.. And I'm the same; becoming way more melancholy as I get older..
She was married to Lou Adler, a very much in demand record producer in the ‘60s & ‘70s. Adler produced The Mamas & Papas. She wasn’t too enthusiastic about singing. Gave it up to just act. Very beautiful woman. As you can see. Peace out.
This was one of my favorite songs when I was a teenager. I remember how crazy I was about Shelley on The Donna Reed Show. She was a popular actress and starred in some movies with Elvis Presley "Girl Happy" "Spinout" and "Clambake."
This is the only song Shelly sang that I know of except when she costar with elvis presley in girl happy they sang spring fever together she was a very good actress
Thank you Harri for reacting to Shelley Fabares singing Johnny Angel. This footage was taken from a 1960's TV comedy episode of The Donna Reed Show. She was pretty much FORCED to sing this song for the show. She had a FEAR of singing cause, in her opinion, she felt her singing was NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Even after Johnny Angel sold more than 1 million records, Shelley remained uncomfortable singing. Of course, we both know Shelley could hold her own when it came to singing. She was my high school celebrity crush in the 70's. Shelley co-starred with Elvis in the 60's when Elvis was filming ALL his Hollywood films. Shelley co-starred with Elvis in THREE of his Hollywood film. NO OTHER Hollywood female actress co-starred as Elvis' love interest MORE than Shelley. Whenever she is interviewed, she always expected questions about Elvis & what her experience was like being his love interest in three movies. One story she told was that on the first day of filming a movie, Elvis made certain that he sent rose flowers to ALL his leading ladies in every one of his films. Shelley was married at the time she filmed her movies with Elvis, so she had no personal romance with The King. Shelley left Hollywood with an illustrious acting, singing, & dancing career in both TV & movies.
I do agree with you on this. I was 11 yrs old and listened to this song while going through my first ever ‘crush’ on a girl. So much nostalgia…it’s an incredibly beautiful song that brings back those feelings I had then, whenever I listen to it.
When I was a kid in the 60's, I I loved the Donna Reed show. I thought Donna Reed was an awesome mom (with all due respect to my own loving and perfect mother). Shelley never looked prettier than she did in this scene.
Lots of very enjoyable 'girl singers' in that era. Lesley Gore (You Don't Own Me, It's My Party, & many more), Ruby & the Romantics (Our Day Will Come), & Joanie Sommers (Johnny Get Angry) are just a few. From another genre, you'd love Sarah Vaughn (Somewhere Over The Rainbow is incredible) Ella Fitzgerald (How Deep Is The Ocean is one of my favorites by her, but there are so, so many to choose from) Barbra Streisand (probably the greatest voice of all - huge catalogue of songs - What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life is one of my favorites) Nancy Wilson - jazz singer, not from Heart. My favorite song of all the songs in all the world is Someone To Watch Over Me, & Nancy's version is my absolute favorite rendition. Magnificent ballad! If you want to hear Nancy Wilson swing, listen to This Song Is You. Or anything else you find by her. So much wonderful music to explore!!
Harri, by reading the comments below it seems you are followed by a lot of us "oldies but goodies" which is a great song (Those Oldies But Goodies Remind me of You). Cheers!
Gosh I love your reactions! You are so genuine and when you love a song, it shows all over your face. You are so cute! By the way, she was an actress ... this was a segment on "The Donna Reed Show", Look forward to seeing more reactions. Thsnk you
I had such a profound crush on her when I was a kid considering that she's a good 10 years older than I but that didn't matter to me I just thought she was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw.
I loved seeing Shelley on "The Donna Reed Show", which was on for a number of years. Yes, Shelley and the Blossoms, who were doing the backing vocals, sounded heavenly. I am an almost lifelong record collector and music enthusiast, and am happy to say that "Johhny Angel" is one of my all-time favorite songs. I was only 8 or 9 when the song came out and I was already totally entranced by it before the first verse was even finished. In spite of what some have said, Shelley had a very sweet and pretty voice, perfectly suited to this gentle song . Love you, Shelley!!!
From Wikipedia: Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (/fæˈbreɪ/; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958-1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom Coach (1989-97), the latter of which earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. In 1962, her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This is from a TV family show called The Donna Reed Show, about a woman and her husband and two kids, a son and Shelley, the daughter. Thats the mother (Donna Reed) you see watching her sing. It's amazing how much Shelley looks like Donna in this video as if theyre really related. You can see the mother getting emotional while watching her daughter sing about her "Johnny Angel", because she realizes that her little girl will one day soon be leaving her to love someone else, she's growing up. I got all this from watching many videos related to this song and I also used to watch this show on TV in the early 60s. BTW, the name has 3 syllables : FAH - BEH - RAY .
I'm surprised that no one else has mentioned this. Shelley Fabares has been married to Mike Farrell most famous for playing BJ Honeycutt on MASH since 1984.
Yes, you won't hear that today. They were so innocent back then, again, not like today. Women had class and really could sing back then.
This 12 year old boy was sooo infatuated(in puppy love) with Shelley Fabares at the time and watching her sing this was heaven
Same here. Loved this song. Was a young lad and was infatuated with her too!
Shelley Fabares played in a couple of Elvis Presley movies in particular "Girl Happy (1965)." She sings "Spring Fever" in the movie too.
I couldn't hit like fast enough,I've loved Shelly Fabres since I was an adolescent.
I used to dream I was Johnny
She was the crush of many a teenage boy! Great to hear these old songs!🌺✌️
Shelly Fabares was also a close friend of Annette Funicello who was also an actress and recording artist. Annette died several years ago after a long battle with MS.
I remember Annette from the Mickey Mouse Club TV show.
Loved the Donna Reed show and Shelley Fabares singing this song. She was an actress then and all the way up to the 1990s.
Yes that was a great show , good memories. There was another singer on the show , Paul Peterson who played her brother on the show. He sang the song " My Dad", She Can't Find Her Keys.
I used to watch The Donna Reed Show in the summer in the morning when there was no school or if I was home sick. I loved that shows.
Shelley Fabares did 3 movies with Elvis Presley. Elvis said she was his favorite actress to work with.
Shelley Fabares played Donna Reed's daughter on the Donna Reed Show. When I was around 6 my older sister had the 45 of this song.
Same
Wow! I haven’t heard this song in years. You’re killing me with these great beautiful songs during my era! Not to many reactions be done with these songs! It’s been a pleasure listening to these oldies songs on your reaction. Thank you Harri!
My eight grade female classmates loved this song, considerable screaming when the 45 record was played - was equal in popularity to 'Soldier Boy' by the Shirelles - highly recommend that you give it a listen. fyi -her name is pronounced Fab-ray.
what a goddess she was. this was from the donna reed show. it also starred paul peterson
and carl betz
Shelley Fabares was more known as an actress than singer. She was on "The Donna Reed Show" in the late 50's & early 60's. She appeared 3 times in Elvis Presley movies. And she also was on "Coach" in the late 80's & 90's. This was her biggest hit although she made some other songs.
I was under the impression that singing was sort of foisted upon her as she didn't consider herself a singer. She was on a popular TV show and her own popularity on that show was being exploited in any way it could be. It was just business.
Wasn’t she on One Day At A Time
, too?
@@HappyValleyDreamin Yes, I think she was on that show for a few years. She also guest starred on many TV series.
@@breckrichardson390 Yes, she reportedly was threatened with being fired from the show if she didn't cut the record.
I love, love love Shelley Fabares and this song!. Wow, so glad you reacted to this Harri! I bet I have watched this video a thousand times and then some over the years. Also, Shelley is the only one of Elvis's leading ladies that co-starred in 3 of his movies. And I've always had a little bit of a crush on her, lol. She was so pretty and cute as a young lady!
Girl Happy, Spinout and Clambake 💋💋
Shelley was the neice of actress, Nanette Fabray, who played Sid Caesar's comedic partner on the TV show, "Caesar's Hour"
Later on they both appeared on the original One Day at a Time
And Nanette played Shelley's mother in a couple episodes of "Coach."
I was 6 years old when I first heard this song by Shelley Fabares [fa-BRAY'] on "The Donna Reed Show" in 1961. As that young boy, I was "in love" with Shelley! Lol! My sister had the record of it, and since my boyhood name was "Johnny," she played it for me so many times that I memorized it, and can still remember the lyrics to this day. Shelley was an actress for many years and was in at least a couple of Elvis Presley movies as his love interest. Donna Reed, who played her mom in this series, was the one who played Jimmy Stewart's girl (& wife) in the popular 1946 Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life." From 1946 to 1961, she hardly changed one beautiful iota! Great times; great films; great TV classics! Actors and actresses who portrayed class, intelligence, and finesse -- at least in their public persona!
Ah the days of love and innocence and people that were nice to one another had manners, fell in love, felt happy, didn't yell or scream at others. Sigh...miss it..
I met Shelley a few times back in the early 90s when I was an extra on the TV Coach. She was so very nice. Great reaction as always.
I remember watching her sing this song on the show. That was a long time ago.
Wow. My older brother used to have one of those old 45 records of Johnny Angel. I loved it back then, still think its so beautiful.
This was popular the day I was born. My sister had this 45 and it was my first “favorite song”.
Those words expressed by Gods gift to man is most beautiful.: )
Late 50s, early 60s girl groups is a goldmine waiting to be dug !
Glad you liked this, it was a much more innocent time period, I was still in grade school at the time but remember it well.
When I was 13-14 years old I had such a puppy love crush on her.
Many young guys from the era had major crushes on her.
Later in life she starred in at least 2 movies with Elvis & she has been married to Mike Farrel, or BJ Hunnicut, from MASH since 1984.
Another great song that would fit right in with the 'girl songs' that you are reviewing. 'Leader of the Pack' by The Shangri-Las.
My cousin would let me play her 45's when she went out on dates--and I'd be alone playing all these hits, including this song, singing along and having a blast. Many of the songs you play here--including "And then he kissed me" ---were among those songs...
The look on Donna's face as she watches her baby girl sings.
She so perfectly conveys pride and a bit of trepidation as she realizes her little girl has grown up. Donna Reed was such a beautiful woman.
My type of music back then and still is. There were no gimmicks to make you sound better back then, You had to have it or you did not.
There are many great songs back then.
One of the co-writers of this song, Lee Pockriss, also co-wrote "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini".
Wow. 1961. I was 10. I can still sing it - all the words. Does that bring me back, or what? This song reflects the adolescent crushes of the time.
I love seeing young people appreciating the amazing music from way back. I was 5 years old when this song came out.
Really enjoyed this song . This was the only song she ever sung and her bro in the series sang Paul/Paula. Thanks for the memories 🙏
Awesome music! Makes me smile with tears. Your reaction music is great. Thanks from New York.
Please react to "The Shangri-Las" from the mid-60s. Leader of the Pack, Remember (Walking in the Sand, and Give Him a Great Big Kiss are great songs .
Back in the days when music inspired us to reach for the heavens, instead of down the pathway to hell.
It was the age of innocence back then.
I remember her in COACH still beautiful
She also starred in a couple Elvis Presley movies. One that comes to mind right now is Clambake
I’m so glad I found your channel and someone who reacts to true oldies
This was my mother's favorite song because my Dad's name was Johnny.
Now you're cookin' with gas. This is my favorite, favorite song of all time. I've instructed my daughter to play it at the start of my funeral. She was an actress and was on the Donna Reed show when she first sang it. Pronounced "Fabray".
one of the best songs of the pre pop era. absolutely wonderful
Beautiful just beautiful 🥰🥰
I was 11 but I loved the song.
oh yes do remember i was 11 yrs old
Hi Harri! Thanks SO much for this reaction! I LOVE Shellly Fabares! She was in several teenage movies when I was young! Thanks for bringing back the memories! Blessings to you and your family! Greetings from Australia.
A blast from the past. Remember slow dancing to this in grade school and wishing my name was Johnny. 💟🙃 Shelley was an actress she was in some Elvis movies and of course the Donna Reed Show.
I loved her much later when she played in the sitcom Coach!
That little nod she does at 4:06 just gets me every time, lol. I love it.
Huge #1 song.🎼🎶🎵🇨🇦
Check out Ricky Nelson on the Ozzie and Harriet Show (same time as Donna Reed Show). Ricky went on to become a popular musician...maybe not the best but sitcoms was a way for the teen stars to become more popular.
My mom and I saw Ricky Nelson in concert in Las Vegas a couple years before he was killed in a plane crash. Excellent singer in live shows! So sad he died at age 45. "Rick Nelson dies in plane crash in De Kalb, Texas, on December 31, 1985."
Yes music is powerful.
Foster B was my Johnny Angel. I was 14 and he, 17 and dating the Homecoming Queen, was the big man on campus. My heart skipped a beat every time I saw him. We recover from unrequited love, but the memory lingers, even decades later. I hope wherever he is, he is happy.
This is from an episode of The Donna Reed Show…..beautiful song❤️
Love these early 1960s songs. I have a playlist of them I listen to when I want a mood lifter.
I instantly think of Shelley and Elvis Presley in the movies and the song with her singing it. Thanks. Enjoy.
You can still find the show on some retro channels. I saw it not that long ago. She was actually in a few Elvis Presley movies and several tv shows over the years.
This as the only song she ever did. It was before my time and I'm 60. It's really old.
she did quite a few songs. My Prayer, Blue Velvet,, Make Me Happy, and several others.
Man life sure was better back then
This video..... I may be just a few years too young, but I have always had a crush on Donna Reed (who was the mother in the video). And Shelley Fabraes... enough said. Hard to believe she later starred in the TV show "Coach" with Craig T. Nelson.
She was on the Donna Reed show, the woman there admiring her singing. No one I knew she was a great singer until this hit the charts. Beautiful, timeless song.still love it. A one hit wonder but this was gorgeous!
This was the time when several of the young TV sons and daughters released songs. Paul Peterson, who played Shelley's brother on the show, had several songs. Then there was Johnny Crawford from The Rifleman and, of course, Ricky Nelson, the most successful of them all.
Young love. So sweet. The teen love was so famous and beloved.
Oh Lord, I loved this song. I was only 7 when it came out in 1961, but I'd just sing my heart out to this. I just adored Shelly Fabares and Annette Funicello. They were my female idols and then of course there was Ricky Nelson at the same time. What a heartthrob he was!!!! Then came 1963, and the Beatles, and I was hooked. Loved Elvis, too. My parents loved him and I remember going to see his movies at the drive-in. Wonderful memories!
The sound quality on such a song from so many years ago is as fantastic as the song itself!
I see you like some Ol Blue eyes..some will be coming your way soon 😀
Good times, those.
Kenny Rifkin was my Johnny Angel when I was 10! How innocent it all was. Thanks for the flashback.
My first two crushes were Judy Garland who took me over the rainbow and Shelley Fabares who sang to Johnny Angel...the bum.
Harri, I am just awestruck with your finds. I loved Shelley and she was an actress, in The Donna Reed Show (the woman in the wings) and on the show Coach (1989-1997). This song also premiered on The Donna Reed Show. Darlene Love and her group, the Blossoms, sang backup vocals on the track, and Shelley was intimidated by their beautiful voices by was required to sing on the show anyway. I think she did an awesome job, and that we both certainly agree.
Here's some REALLY interesting information I just found out for you AND ME !!! Musicians who played on the track include Hal Blaine on drums, Carol Kaye on bass and Glen Campbell on guitar ... all members of the loosely associated group of session musicians called The Wrecking Crew. They're the musicians that play the actual music on most of the songs of that day. They would come up with the catchy guitar lick, bass line, drum pattern, etc. that would take ordinary songs and make them into hits. There is a video on YT about them, and it's called The Wrecking Crew, and it explains all about them. You should probably watch that. It's an eye-opener.
Another tidbit about Shelley, she was the niece of singer/comedienne Nanette Fabray. Notice the different spelling for Nannette. It was originally the same, Fabares, but I don't have a clue why she changed it. Nannette recently died in 2018, at the ripe old age of 97. Shelley is 77 years old and still around.
And yet, pronounced the same, except Fabares was more like "Fab-a-ray." It can make sense if you imagine it to be a foreign name with a silent "s" and an accented "e".
Actually, her last name is pronounced like Fabray. I was a five year old kid when I saw her sing this on the show, and I had the biggest crush on Shelly. She was, and is so beautiful. I wish she had sung this to me, but my name isn't Johnny. Lol.
I love this song it came out in 1961 when I was born love it😊
She was or is an actress most famous for playing the wife of a college football coach on the sitcom coach with Craig t. Nelson
Johnny Angel by Shelley Fabares is a great record and a classic of 1962. Shelley was so popular as an actress especially with teens that she was persuaded to record 3 albums. I am also a fan of her as an actress and I have listened to all 3 albums. Sadly, Shelley wasn't really a very good singer. I don't know what magic the producers used to get the great recording of Johnny Angel from her but I'm glad they did. It was a number one hit in the US for her from her 1st album. Johnny Love Me from her 2nd album reached #21 on the US charts and she had nothing else reach the top 40.
And she was on coach
Check out "My Dad" by Paul Petersen. (He played Shelley Fabares's brother on the Donna Reed show.)
Lovely song, I have heard it before. It feels like a throwback to a seemingly much more innocent time.
Other good ones of that era were
Patty Duke - Don't Just Stand There &
Lesley Gore - Maybe I Know..
And I'm the same; becoming way more melancholy as I get older..
Memories from high school; such a great time.
Most famous as the teenage daughter on the Donna Reed Show
She was married to Lou Adler, a very much in demand record producer in the ‘60s & ‘70s. Adler produced The Mamas & Papas. She wasn’t too enthusiastic about singing. Gave it up to just act. Very beautiful woman. As you can see. Peace out.
This was one of my favorite songs when I was a teenager. I remember how crazy I was about Shelley on The Donna Reed Show. She was a popular actress and starred in some movies with Elvis Presley "Girl Happy" "Spinout" and "Clambake."
This is the only song Shelly sang that I know of except when she costar with elvis presley in girl happy they sang spring fever together she was a very good actress
Thank you Harri for reacting to Shelley Fabares singing Johnny Angel. This footage was taken from a 1960's TV comedy episode of The Donna Reed Show. She was pretty much FORCED to sing this song for the show. She had a FEAR of singing cause, in her opinion, she felt her singing was NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Even after Johnny Angel sold more than 1 million records, Shelley remained uncomfortable singing. Of course, we both know Shelley could hold her own when it came to singing. She was my high school celebrity crush in the 70's. Shelley co-starred with Elvis in the 60's when Elvis was filming ALL his Hollywood films. Shelley co-starred with Elvis in THREE of his Hollywood film. NO OTHER Hollywood female actress co-starred as Elvis' love interest MORE than Shelley. Whenever she is interviewed, she always expected questions about Elvis & what her experience was like being his love interest in three movies. One story she told was that on the first day of filming a movie, Elvis made certain that he sent rose flowers to ALL his leading ladies in every one of his films. Shelley was married at the time she filmed her movies with Elvis, so she had no personal romance with The King. Shelley left Hollywood with an illustrious acting, singing, & dancing career in both TV & movies.
Harri, I've got to give you credit for your ability to not only appreciate the music, but to also place it in context. Not everyone can do that.
This was played at all the gay clubs & revues in the 60's, great song.
I do agree with you on this. I was 11 yrs old and listened to this song while going through my first ever ‘crush’ on a girl. So much nostalgia…it’s an incredibly beautiful song that brings back those feelings I had then, whenever I listen to it.
When I was a kid in the 60's, I I loved the Donna Reed show. I thought Donna Reed was an awesome mom (with all due respect to my own loving and perfect mother). Shelley never looked prettier than she did in this scene.
Lots of very enjoyable 'girl singers' in that era. Lesley Gore (You Don't Own Me, It's My Party, & many more), Ruby & the Romantics (Our Day Will Come), & Joanie Sommers (Johnny Get Angry) are just a few. From another genre, you'd love
Sarah Vaughn (Somewhere Over The Rainbow is incredible)
Ella Fitzgerald (How Deep Is The Ocean is one of my favorites by her, but there are so, so many to choose from)
Barbra Streisand (probably the greatest voice of all - huge catalogue of songs - What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life is one of my favorites)
Nancy Wilson - jazz singer, not from Heart. My favorite song of all the songs in all the world is Someone To Watch Over Me, & Nancy's version is my absolute favorite rendition. Magnificent ballad! If you want to hear Nancy Wilson swing, listen to This Song Is You. Or anything else you find by her. So much wonderful music to explore!!
Brenda Lee was my favorite, (still is), but I love Shelley as well.
Harri, by reading the comments below it seems you are followed by a lot of us "oldies but goodies" which is a great song (Those Oldies But Goodies Remind me of You). Cheers!
Gosh I love your reactions! You are so genuine and when you love a song, it shows all over your face. You are so cute! By the way, she was an actress ... this was a segment on "The Donna Reed Show", Look forward to seeing more reactions. Thsnk you
I had such a profound crush on her when I was a kid considering that she's a good 10 years older than I but that didn't matter to me I just thought she was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw.
I loved seeing Shelley on "The Donna Reed Show", which was on for a number of years. Yes, Shelley and the Blossoms, who were doing the backing vocals, sounded heavenly. I am an almost lifelong record collector and music enthusiast, and am happy to say that "Johhny Angel" is one of my all-time favorite songs. I was only 8 or 9 when the song came out and I was already totally entranced by it before the first verse was even finished. In spite of what some have said, Shelley had a very sweet and pretty voice, perfectly suited to this gentle song . Love you, Shelley!!!
From Wikipedia:
Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (/fæˈbreɪ/; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958-1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom Coach (1989-97), the latter of which earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations.
In 1962, her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
You are playing a lot of music I like listening to, Harri.
Harri she was in the film Ride the wild Surf With the soundtrack by Jan & Dean 🇬🇧👍
Was that opening from "Father Knows Best?" I think Shelley played the mother.
This is from a TV family show called The Donna Reed Show, about a woman and her husband and two kids, a son and Shelley, the daughter. Thats the mother (Donna Reed) you see watching her sing. It's amazing how much Shelley looks like Donna in this video as if theyre really related. You can see the mother getting emotional while watching her daughter sing about her "Johnny Angel", because she realizes that her little girl will one day soon be leaving her to love someone else, she's growing up. I got all this from watching many videos related to this song and I also used to watch this show on TV in the early 60s. BTW, the name has 3 syllables : FAH - BEH - RAY .
A cool song back then.