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.
Misery
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doin' things we use to do Mi-i-isery.
I remember every kiss we use to share.
It's hard to believe that you don't care.
When I turn around and your not there.
When I turn around and your not there.
Misery Oh Misery
How I long to hold you tight Mi-i-isery.
If this is the price I have to pay.
I don't want to live another day.
I just can't go on this way.
But I just can't go on this way.
Misery Oh Misery.
When your with somebody new Mi-i-isery.
Doin' things we use to do Mi-i-isery.
I remember every kiss we use to share.
It's hard to believe that you don't care.
When I turn around and your not there.
When I turn around and your not there.
Misery Oh Misery
The lyrics of Del Shannon's song Misery paint a picture of heartbreak and longing for a lost love. The singer expresses the pain he feels when he sees his former love with a new partner and how he remembers the moments they shared together. The use of the word "misery" throughout the song emphasizes the intensity of his emotions, showing how much he is suffering.
The lyrics also reveal the singer's struggle to move on from the past, as he sits alone at night longing for his former love. He questions whether living without her is worth it and it appears that he is struggling to find a way to cope with his sadness. The repetition of the opening lines ("When your with somebody new... Doin' things we use to do...") emphasizes the constant pain he feels even months or years after the breakup.
Overall, the lyrics of Misery capture the feeling of heartbreak and the difficulty in letting go of a lost love. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the intensity of the singer's emotions, making the song a powerful representation of the pain of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
When your with somebody new Mi-i-isery.
It brings me great pain to see you with someone else, as it reminds me of the times we used to spend together.
Doin' things we use to do Mi-i-isery.
Doing activities we once enjoyed together now brings only misery to me, as it is a constant reminder of our past happiness.
I remember every kiss we use to share.
Every kiss we shared is still fresh in my memory, and it is difficult to forget how much I loved you.
It's hard to believe that you don't care.
It is difficult for me to accept that you no longer feel the same way about me as I do about you.
When I turn around and your not there.
When I look around and realize you are not with me, it intensifies my feeling of loss and loneliness.
Misery Oh Misery
My sorrow and pain are all-consuming, and every moment is filled with heartache and sadness.
When I sit alone at night Mi-i-isery.
Spending time alone at night just makes me feel even more miserable and alone, and I yearn for your company.
How I long to hold you tight Mi-i-isery.
I can't help but imagine holding you tight again and feeling the warmth and love we once shared.
If this is the price I have to pay.
If living with this unbearable pain and heartache is the only way to be with you again, then I would pay any price.
I don't want to live another day.
Life feels meaningless without you in it, and I can't imagine going on without your love and presence.
But I just can't go on this way.
Even though I am holding on to the hope that we may be together again, the pain of being apart is too much to bear.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOC POMUS, MORT SHUMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamesheath7601
Legend
RIP
@kellywalker5580
The great sound of early Del Shannon with Max Crook on organ.
@Heavyg254
Kelly Walker do you know of any other artists that sound like Del?
@HurricaneHomer9
There really isn't any. He was so unique.
@clydecash2212
Heavyg254 roy orbison, but he doesn't have the energy of del
@yunggoonz1926
cali 💞 + funk$ 💞