Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Hat
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her name it doesn't matter
She went away with another guy
Now he won't even look at her
Hats off to Larry,
He broke your heart,
Just like you broke mine when you
He told you lies, now it's
Your turn to cry cry cry-why
Now that Larry said goodbye to you.
I know this may sound strange
I want you back, I think you'll change
But there's one more thing I gotta say
Hats off to Larry,
It may sound cruel,
But you laughed at me when you
Said we were through.
You told me lies, now it's
Your turn to cry cry cry-why
Now that Larry said goodbye to you.
Hats off to Larry,
It may sound cruel,
But you laughed at me when you
Said we were through.
You told me lies, now it's
Your turn to cry cry cry-why
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
To you
To you.
The song "Hats off to Larry" by Del Shannon is a heart-wrenching break-up song. The singer (Del) introduces a girl he had once dated and had his heart broken by, who apparently went away with another guy who in turn broke up with her. The song is about how the girl laughed at Del when they broke up but is now getting a taste of her own medicine, and Del is caught in the middle.
Del starts by singing "Once I had a pretty girl, her name it doesn't matter" which suggests two things: firstly, that she is no longer pretty to him, and secondly, that she's not important enough to be named. He explains that she went away with another guy who then broke her heart, and she's now suffering. Del then sings "Hats off to Larry", which suggests that the girl's ex (Larry) did what Del would've done, but by doing so has earned Del's respect. By taking her away from Del and breaking her heart, Larry has also broken up with her, leaving her to feel the same pain that he has felt.
Del then goes on to say that even though it may sound cruel, he still wants her back, believing that she will change. However, he still needs to tell her off and remind her that she laughed at him when they broke up, but now she is getting what she deserved. He sums up by repeating "Hats off to Larry" and "now that Larry said goodbye to you", pointing out that the girl is suffering for the same thing Del had to go through.
Overall, "Hats off to Larry" is a song about a man who, in spite of the girl's mistreatment of him, has the grace to acknowledge that she is also suffering. The song is a commentary on the cyclical nature of heartbreak, and how it is often tempting to say "I told you so" when those who hurt us experience their own heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I had a pretty girl,
At one point in time, I had a beautiful girlfriend
Her name it doesn't matter
It's not important what her name was
She went away with another guy
She left me for someone else
Now he won't even look at her
The guy she left me for doesn't even acknowledge her now
Hats off to Larry,
Congratulations to Larry
He broke your heart,
He caused you emotional pain and heartbreak
Just like you broke mine when you
The same way you hurt me when you
Said we must part.
Told me we had to break up
He told you lies, now it's
Larry deceived you and now
Your turn to cry cry cry-why
It's your time to feel upset and cry
Now that Larry said goodbye to you.
Now that Larry has left you
I know this may sound strange
I'm aware this might be unexpected
I want you back, I think you'll change
I want us to get back together, and I believe you'll be different
But there's one more thing I gotta say
However, there's one more thing I need to bring up
Hats off to Larry,
Once again, congratulations to Larry
It may sound cruel,
This next statement may seem harsh
But you laughed at me when you
But when you
Said we were through.
Ended our relationship
You told me lies, now it's
You deceived me and now
Your turn to cry cry cry-why
You're the one who has to feel sadness now
Now that Larry said goodbye to you.
Now that Larry has ended things with you
To you
Directly to you
To you.
Once again, to you
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEL SHANNON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ww7ec2ot4n
Lyrics:
Once I had a pretty girl
Her name it doesnโt matter
She went away with another guy
Now he wonโt even look at her
Hats off to Larry
He broke your heart
Just like you broke mine
When you said we must part
He told you lies, now itโs your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larrys said goodbye to you
I know this may sound strange
I want you back I think youโll change
But thereโs one more thing Iโve got to say
Hats off to Larry
It may sound cruel
But you laughed at me
When you said we were through
You told me lies, now itโs your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larrys said goodbye to you
Hats off to Larry
It may sound cruel
But you laughed at me
When you said we were through
You told me lies, now itโs your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larrys said goodbye to you
To you
To youโฆโฆ
@LepoVNI
Once I had a pretty girl
Her name it doesn't matter
She went away with another guy
Now he won't even look at her
Hats off to Larry he broke your heart
Just like you broke mine when you said we must part
He told you lies now it's your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
I know this may sound strange
I want you back I think you'll change
But there's one thing I gotta say
Hats off to Larry it may sound cruel
But you laughed at me when you said we were through
You told me lies now it's your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
Hats off to Larry it may sound cruel
But you laughed at me when you said we were through
You told me lies now it's your turn to cry cry cry
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
@maryellenquinn5267
Always a fan of Del Shannon..what a range his voice has! Hats off to hmโค๏ธ
@aaronpenfold9918
And Harry
@alanclarke6035
One of the most underrated voices in rock n roll rip del
@auschuck65
This song was popular in the summer of '61 when I was in boot camp. Del's number two song. So extremely sad that this singer is no longer with us. I NEVER tire of his music. Always worth blowing out the speakers! He had this cool sound that was Del Shannon!
@johnconway9882
Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
@twilightsymphony1371
This man was light years ahead of music.The synthesizer was never on a record until he did it...
R.I.P Mr.Del
@cactusanal9395
Twilight Symphony you brought disturbed to what I think Is the 50 - 60's?
@rayelwick9543
Sounds like an organ to me.
@durandjohnson1321
A woman played the synthesizer!
@mmmMatto
I believe it's a Farfisa organ.
Bob Moog didn't prototype his modular synth until the mid 60's. Notable early synth recordings were Wendy Carlos' Switched on Bach, and in pop music I think some of the first bands to use them were the Doors and the Monkees. Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends also had a Moog synth in it I think.
That said, I love this song.