A few weeks ago, Tunesmate marked the 25th anniversary of the peak of the song “Iko Iko” at number 14 for the Belle Stars. The Belle Stars weren’t the first act to take the song to the Top 20, though. Twenty-one years earlier, in 1965, New Orleans-based vocal group the Dixie Cups took their version of “Iko Iko” to number 20. “Iko Iko” was the final of four Top 40 hits on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart for the Dixie Cups, all of which charted in just over a year’s time between 1964 and 1965. The biggest of these hits, and the group’s first hit, was “Chapel Of Love,” which peaked at number 1 exactly 50 years ago and would remain in the top spot for three weeks.
The Dixie Cups remain active, and just performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival earlier this week.