The Rip Chords – Hey Little Cobra & Three Window Coupe - CD

The band was started by Ernie Bringas and Phil Stewart in 1957. They landed a deal with the Columbia label in 1962. Melcher, then just 20, was assigned to produce the duo’s first single ‘Here I Stand’ in 1963, which reached #51 on the national charts and was quickly followed by a second single, ‘Gone’. It was at this time, Johnston was brought in.

Melcher wrote ‘Hey Little Cobra’ with Carol Conners and decided to record this under the name of The Rip Chords, with only himself and Johnston on vocals. His lead vocal was outstanding with Johnston doing the falsetto and the single reached #4 on the American charts in 1964, with an album quickly following titled ‘Hey Little Cobra And Other Hot Rod Hits’.

In the Summer of ‘64, the band had another hit with ‘Three Window Coupe’, written by Jan Berry (of Jan And Dean fame) and Roger Christian. Again, an album of the same title quickly followed, with Melcher and Johnston handling a lot of the vocals. The band had one more hit with ‘One Piece Topless Bathing Suit’, before they performed the song ‘Red Hot Roadster’ in the movie A Swingin’ Summer (which featured Raquel Welch and the Righteous Brothers).