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.
Summer in the City
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright And babe, don't you know it's a pity
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city Cool town, evening in the city
Dressed so fine and looking so pretty
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
Till I'm wheezing like a bus stop
Running up the stairs, gonna meet you on the rooftop But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head But at night it's a different world
Go out and find a girl
Come-on come-on and dance all night
Despite the heat it'll be alright And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city
Del Shannon's "Summer in the City" is an iconic song that perfectly captures the essence of hot summer days in the city. The lyrics describe how the summer heat can make people feel tired and unresponsive during the day, but at night, the city comes alive with energy and excitement.
The opening line "Hot town, summer in the city" immediately sets the stage for the song. Del Shannon sings about the back of his neck getting dirty and gritty, showing how the heat can make people feel uncomfortable and dirty. He then suggests that the city seems to lack any shadows, emphasizing the scorching sun and heat.
The second verse envisions the coolness of the evening and finding the cool cats and pretty kitties who come out at night. The lyrics mention running up the stairs and meeting someone on the rooftop, suggesting a romantic adventure in the night air. The song then comes back to the chorus, repeating the idea that summer days cannot compare to the energy and excitement of summer nights.
Overall, "Summer in the City" is a fun and catchy song that celebrates the vibrant energy of city nightlife during the hot summer months.
Line by Line Meaning
Hot town, summer in the city
The city has become unbearable due to the scorching heat of summer
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
The heat is so intense that it is causing discomfort and sweat
Been down, isn't it a pity
It is unfortunate that the current condition is affecting his mood
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city
It's so hot that there's no shade to take respite from the heat in the city
All around, people looking half dead
Everyone around him looks exhausted and drained due to the heat
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head
The temperature of the ground is too hot to walk on
But at night it's a different world
The weather is completely different in the night when it's cooler
Go out and find a girl
He is suggesting to go out, enjoy the night and find someone to spend time with
Come-on come-on and dance all night
He is encouraging the listener to dance and enjoy themselves all through the night
Despite the heat it'll be alright
The hot weather can't stop them from having a good time
And babe, don't you know it's a pity
It's unfortunate that the days can't be like the cooler nights
That the days can't be like the nights
He wishes the weather during the day was as pleasant as the cool nights
Cool town, evening in the city
The city is considerably cooler in the evening
Dressed so fine and looking so pretty
People are dressed up and look beautiful
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
He is looking for a partner to spend time with on the cooler evening
Gonna look in every corner of the city
He is determined to find someone to enjoy his time with, in every part of the city
Till I'm wheezing like a bus stop
He will keep looking until he's out of breath, like a bus stop that is exhausted from its constant work
Contributed by Riley C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@terrycullen3262
Off his Total Commitment album, every cover he made, he made it his own. Rock on DEL.