Sh-Boom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream)"
Single by The Chords
B-side	"Little Maiden"
Released	1954
Recorded	1954
Genre	Doo-wop rhythm and blues traditional pop
Length	2:33
Label	Cat Records
Songwriter(s)	The Chords

"Sh-Boom" (also known as "Life Could Be a Dream") is a super famous early doo-wop song. It was first sung by an R&B group called The Chords. The members of The Chords wrote the song themselves in 1954.

Many people think "Sh-Boom" was one of the first doo-wop or rock 'n' roll songs to become a big hit on the pop music charts. Both The Chords and another group called The Crew-Cuts had top-10 hits with this song in 1954. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine even put "Sh-Boom" on its list of the "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time." It was ranked at number 215!

The Song's Journey to Fame

The Chords' Original Version

The Chords first recorded "Sh-Boom" on March 15, 1954. They recorded it for Cat Records, which was a smaller record label connected to Atlantic Records. This song ended up being their only big hit.

When The Chords first tried to get their song heard, a famous music producer named Bobby Robinson wasn't impressed. He thought the song wasn't "commercial enough," meaning he didn't think it would sell well.

However, Cat Records let The Chords record "Sh-Boom" as the "B-side" of their first single. A B-side is like a bonus track on a record. The main song was a cover of "Cross Over the Bridge" by Patti Page. Luckily, "Sh-Boom" became much more popular than the main song! It reached number 2 on the Billboard R&B charts and number 9 on the pop charts. Because it was so popular, Cat Records later released "Sh-Boom" as the main song.

The Crew-Cuts' Hit Cover

Another group, The Crew-Cuts, recorded their own version of "Sh-Boom." This group was from Canada and sang in a more traditional pop style. They released their version with Mercury Records.

The Crew-Cuts' "Sh-Boom" was a massive hit! It stayed at number 1 on the Billboard charts for nine weeks in 1954. The song first appeared on the charts on July 30, 1954, and stayed there for 20 weeks. The Crew-Cuts even performed the song on Ed Sullivan's TV show, Toast of the Town, in December 1954.

Other Popular Recordings

Many other artists have recorded "Sh-Boom" over the years.

• In 1954, Stan Freberg made a funny version of "Sh-Boom." He thought the singers mumbled, so he made a spoof that reached number 14 in the US.
• The Billy Williams Quartet also released a version in 1954 that reached number 21 on the Billboard charts.
• A college singing group called the Harvard Din & Tonics loves "Sh-Boom" so much that they've put it on 12 of their 13 albums! They perform it as their special song at all their concerts.
• The British doo-wop group Darts recorded a slower version of "Sh-Boom" in the late 1970s.
• The reggae singer Alton Ellis recorded a cover called "She Boom" in the 1970s.
• In the 1980s, a funny version of the song called "Dubuque" was used in a TV commercial for Dubuque ham.
• The German rock-and-roll band Spider Murphy Gang made a Bavarian version called "Leben is wiar a Traum" in 1985.
• Canadian children's entertainers Sharon, Lois & Bram covered the song on their 1995 album Let's Dance!.