RCobra

The RIP CHORDS
and How They Got Started

  

By Rev. Ernie Bringas -  A Founding Member of the Rip Chords

 

DISCOGRAPHY

Original Singles
  • 1962/63 A-side -- Here I Stand (Ernie Bringas on lead vocal) and
    B-side – Karen (Phil Stewart on lead)
  • 1963 A-side -- Gone (Ernie on lead) and
    B-side -- She Thinks I Still Care (Ernie on lead)
  • 1963/64 A-side – Hey Little Cobra (Terry Melcher on lead) and
    B-side – The Queen (Terry on lead)
  • 1964 A-side – Three Window Coupe (Terry on lead) and
    B-side – Hot Rod U.S.A. (Terry on lead)
  • 1964 A-side –One Piece Topless Bathing Suit (Terry and Ernie on lead)
    and B-side – Wah-Wahini (Terry on lead)
  • 1965 A-side – Don’t Be Scared (Terry on lead) and
    B-side – Bunny Hill (Instrumental by THE WRECKING CREW.
 Here I StandHere I Stand

Original Albums

Hey Little Cobra and Other Hot Rod Hits - - 1964 (In the order they appear on the original Columbia album)
  • Hey Little Cobra (Terry on Lead)
  • Here I Stand (Ernie on lead)
  • The Queen (Terry on lead)
  • 409 (Ernie on lead)
  • Trophy Machine (Terry on lead)
  • Gone (Ernie on lead)
  • Little Deuce Coupe (Terry on lead)
  • ’40 Ford Time (Instrumental by The Wrecking Crew)
  • She Still Thinks I Care (Ernie on lead)
    NOTE: The correct title of this song should have been, She Thinks I Still Care.
  • Shut Down (Ernie on lead)
  • Drag City (Terry on lead)
  • Ding Dong (Phil on lead)
 Hey Little Cobra
   

Three Window Coupe - - 1964 (In the order they appear on the original Columbia album)
  • Three Window Coupe (Terry on lead)
  • Bonneville Bonnie (Phil on lead)
  • Gas Money (Ernie on lead)
  • This Little Woodie (Terry on lead)
  • Hot Rod U.S.A. (Terry on lead)
  • Old Car Made In ’52 (Phil on lead)
  • Surfin’ Craze (Ernie on lead)
  • Beach Girl (Terry on lead)
  • My Big Gun Board (Terry and Ernie on lead)
  • Surf City (Terry on lead)
  • Summer U.S.A. (Terry on lead)
  • Big Wednesday (Instrumental by The Wrecking Crew)
 Three Window Coupe

Ernie Bringas sang lead alone on 9 songs which included 3 singles, Phil Stewart sang lead on 4 songs, Bruce Johnston did not sing any leads, and Terry Melcher sang lead alone on 15 songs. Ernie and Terry sang composite leads on 2 additional songs.

Ernie Bringas was one of the two founding members of the RIP CHORDS along with Phil Stewart.  Later, the group members expanded to four when Columbia producers, Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston joined the group. The RIP CHORDS recorded from 1962-1965 at Columbia Records in Hollywood, California, and placed five singles in the TOP 100 and also produced two albums for a total of 33 recordings.  They were best known for their mega-hit, Hey Little Cobra, which was fully layered by Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston. But that latter fact caused much confusion and mis-information to be published in books and on the web. By listening critically to the songs, it is possible to determine who sang lead as reported by Ernie Bringas, and therefore this list above seeks to correct the mis-information you may find elsewhere.

Note: The correct information that the singers who recorded all RIP CHORD songs can be seen in the insert of the 2006 Columbia/Sundazed CD release: NO GROUP EPITOMIZED THE SUN-SOAKED CALIFORNIA SOUND BETTER THAN THE fabulous Rip Chords… Led by legendary producer Terry Melcher along with future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston and ace-vocalists Ernie Bringas and Phil Stewart, these long-board big-guns left an indelible mark on the surf’n strip sounds of the ‘60s…. Visit the SunDazed Records web site and buy the CD! You may note that even Terry and Bruce are not pictured on the cover of any CD. Rather than showing the real RIP CHORDS recording individuals, only the touring group was pictured, for marketing purposes.

 

  
 
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