The Little Dippers, Forever | Throwback Vibez

In the 171^st edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Forever” by The Little Dippers.

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez! Throwback Vibez is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 171^st edition of Throwback Vibez (2025), we recollect and reflect on “Forever” performed by The Little Dippers.  

Oh, how romantic, sweet, and wholesome. In 1960, The Little Dippers – Delores Dinning, Emily Gilmore, Darrell McCall, and Hurshel Wigintin – released a one-in-a-lifetime song.  Albeit short, “Forever” is nothing short of utterly sweet! Buddy Killen wrote and produced this vintage classic.  The lyrics are simple – uncomplicated to the nth degree – but carry weight and signify a vibe, nonetheless.

“Forever” features an old-school, lush, warm instrumental comprised of guitar, dreamy piano, bass, and drums. It commences with bass and drums, with piano and guitar joining afterwards. The gorgeous, soothing, easygoing vocals of The Little Dippers match the dreamy nature of the instrumental. This is evidenced by the centerpiece and major section, the unforgettable chorus, excerpted above.  Notably, the instrumental is allowed to shine, arguably even more than the vocals. During the bridge, The Little Dippers sing on syllables rather than lyrics: “Ah-ah-ah-ooh, ooh, ah-oh,” etc.  It is simplistic, but highly effective. Beyond the stellar instrumental and celestial vocals, a gorgeous harmonic progression helps the record to shine.  A timely key change, executed flawlessly, is another selling point.  No extensive analysis is necessary when describing “Forever” by The Little Dippers. This is a brief but magical early ‘60s gem. Sigh, they simply don’t make songs that sound like this anymore.

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The Little Dippers » “Forever” » University RecordsTM / 43 North Broadway, LLC » 1960

The Little Dippers, Forever: Throwback Vibez No. 171 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; University RecordsTM / 43 North Broadway, LLC; AcatXlo, OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]

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