1970 - The Bells "Fly Little White Dove Fly"

[Budi]

FLY LITTLE WHITE DOVE BY THE BELLS
Peak Month: November 1970
8 weeks on Vancouver’s CKLG chart
Peak Position #15
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 #95
YouTube.com: “Fly Little White Dove”

The mid-60s Montreal duo, Cliff Edwards and Anne Ralph, were persuaded to form a group. They added Anne’s sister Jacki Ralph on vocals, drummer Doug Gravelle and keyboard player Gordie McLeod.
They named themselves The Five Bells. Shortly afterward Gordie McLeod left the group and Mickey Ottier became the groups drummer. In 1969 they released their first single called “Moody Manitoba Morning“.

They continued to play clubs in Canada and landed an 11-week run at the Copacabana in New York. The group shortened their name to "The Bells" and Anne Ralph left the group, leaving Jackie Ralph as the featured female vocalist and Cliff Edwards the lead male vocalist.


In 1970 pianist Frank Mills joined The Bells and the group released their second single “Fly Little White Dove Fly”. The song was part of a genre of anti-war/peace movement songs finding their way onto AM radio at the time.
Other songs at the time included “War” by Edwin Starr, “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)” by Melanie and “Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In” by the Fifth Dimension.

The Bells offered a gentle nudge for radio listeners to move toward one another in love instead of pulling back from each other due to fear or division.
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A most interesting bio from the Vietnam War era, it's political history & how "Fly Little White Dove" came to represent the sentiment of that era.:

https://vancouversignaturesounds.com/hits/fly-little-white-dove-by-the-bells/


Another hit song by The Bells is "Stay Awhile" ~ 1971
"The Bells went on to have a number of hits but none was bigger than “Stay Awhile”, which peaked at #2 in Vancouver, #9 in Australia and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100."

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(Though I do not recall hearingg "Fly Little White Dove" , I remember hearing "Stay Awhile" on the radio.)


In 2014 band member Cliff Edwards daughter created a documentary of the life of The Bells

Stay Awhile: daughter makes doc about family band the Bells
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thestar.com/amp/entertainment/movies/2014/11/26/stay_awhile_daughter_makes_doc_about_family_band_the_bells.html