(for The Burns Sisters)

Shelley and three of her four sisters—
Susan, Sally and Sherri—sang together
and began performing as little girls,

and The Burns Sisters were born.
(The musical act, that is.) As teens,
the “vocal darlings” toured in their

cute minidresses, and, ever after,
Shelley’s been singing jazz and
teaching jazz and living jazz.

I know her as the delightful human/
exercise goddess who makes moving
fun on Tuesday mornings, but now

I can die happy because I got to see
all five Burns Sisters take the stage
for a rare performance,

singing one of my favorite songs
as a kid that spun on a 45 on my little
red and white record player:

Lollipop, lollipop
Oh, lolli, lolli, lolli
Lollipop, lollipop
Oh, lolli, lolli, lolli
Lollipop, lollipop
Oh, lolli, lolli, lolli
Lollipop (pop)
Bobom, bom, bom

Shelley providing the cheek pop alongside
sisters Susan, Sally, Sherri and Shauna,
all of them singing together in the ’50s,

now singing ’50s tunes in the ’20s—
the 2020s, that is. And as I listened to
their voices swirl on “You Belong to Me,”

I thought, not for the first time,
that sisters are the best—
there were never such devoted sisters—

harmonizing throughout their lives.
Look at them up there, singing
their sweet hearts out:

All I want is loving you
and music! music! music!

•••

Listen to Jo Stafford, who popularized “You Belong To Me” in 1952. sing here.

Listen to Teresa Brewer, who popularized “Music! Music! Music!” in 1950, sing here.