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.
Hats off to Larry
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 said we must partHe 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 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
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
To you, to you
The Del Shannon song "Hats off to Larry" was written by Shannon and features a catchy melody with lyrics that tell a story of heartbreak, revenge, and karma. The song is a classic example of Shannon's signature sound, blending rock 'n' roll and doo-wop influences with his distinctive falsetto vocals.
The song tells the story of a man whose girlfriend has left him for another guy named Larry. The singer is bitter about the situation but ultimately wishes his ex well in her new relationship. The chorus is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Larry for "breaking" the girl's heart, much like she broke the singer's heart when she left him. The singer takes a certain amount of satisfaction in the fact that his ex is now experiencing the same pain he endured.
One of the key themes of "Hats off to Larry" is the idea of karma. The singer believes that his ex's actions will come back to haunt her, and that she will eventually pay for the hurt she caused. This idea is emphasized by the repetition of the phrase "now it's your turn to cry" in the chorus. The song is also notable for its catchy tune and clever lyrics, which use wordplay to convey the sense of emotional pain and betrayal the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I had a pretty girl
In the past, I had a beautiful girl in my life
Her name it doesn't matter
The name of the girl is insignificant
She went away with another guy
She left me for some other man
Now he won't even look at her
The guy she left me for doesn't even acknowledge her existence now
Hats off to Larry, he broke your heart
We salute Larry as he successfully shattered your heart
Just like you broke mine when you said we must part
You smashed my heart in the same way when you expressed our separation is necessary
He told you lies
Larry was deceitful towards you
Now it's your turn to cry, cry, cry
Now you have to cry, suffer and feel the pain
Now that Larry said goodbye to you
Now that Larry has parted ways with you
I know this may sound strange
I understand if you find what I'm about to say weird or perplexing
I want you back, I think you'll change
I want to reconcile with you, and I believe you can change
Hats off to Larry, it may sound cruel
Once again, we give Larry credit for being mean
But you laughed at me when you said we were through
When you said goodbye, you didn't act seriously, and that hurt me
To you, to you
This entire song is dedicated to you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Del Shannon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johnslomski5958
How can anybody give it a thumbs down, Del Shannon was pure classic
Rock & Roll !!
@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.
@maryellenquinn5267
Always a fan of Del Shannon..what a range his voice has! Hats off to hm❤️
@JogaBonitoCFTV
And Harry
@ogredad55
And don't forget Larry!
@maryellenquinn5267
@@ogredad55 That was the point!
@ogredad55
@@maryellenquinn5267 Clue me in here, Maryellen. I don't understand your comment!
@brandtbecker1810
It is with a great deal of sadness I have to report the passing of Del's great keyboardist, Max Crook, on July 1st of 2020 at the age of 83. He'd have been 84 on November 2nd of last year. At various times a musician, security systems installer and even firefighter, one can't say that Max didn't live a full and interesting life. Max even worked some with Barry Gordy in the early years of MoTown Records, albeit without much commercial success. In recent years, he was increasingly involved in Christian-oriented music. However, it will most likely be for the famous musitron solos in "Hats Off To Larry" and "Runaway" that will assure him immortality.
@cynthiaennis3107
Thanks for letting us know. I just came across his name elsewhere in a bio. I didn’t know he passed.