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.
Two Kind of Teardrops
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I know you can cry (two kinds of teardrops)
One is known as lonely teardrops (two kinds of teardrops)
That come when lovers say goodbye
I know the last lover you had
He let you down and treated you bad
I know he made you cry, oh yeah
Those lonely teardrops
But there's another kind of teardrop (two kinds of teardrops)
That I know you can cry (two kinds of teardrops)
And they're known as happy teardrops (two kinds of teardrops)
That come from feeling good inside
I'll make you cry those tears of joy
I'll mend the heart he nearly destroyed
I'm gonna make you cry, but don't worry
I'm gonna make you cry
Those happy teardrops
I know your little heart has suffered in vain
He hurt you over and over again
But he won't hurt you any more, so
Just forget the lonely past
And the romance that didn't last
And dry those lonely teardrops from your eyes
(from your eyes)
In Del Shannon's "Two Kinds of Teardrops," the singer comforts his love interest and assures her that there are two kinds of tears that she can cry. The first kind is represented by "lonely teardrops" that come when lovers say goodbye. The singer understands that her last lover treated her badly and left her crying lonely tears. However, the second kind of tear is the "happy teardrop" that comes from feeling good inside. He promises to bring her joy and mend her broken heart, offering her a chance to cry happy tears instead of the sad ones that have plagued her.
The lyrics of this song are deeply emotional and demonstrate the singer's empathy toward his love interest. Despite her past sadness, he offers her a glimmer of hope by promising her that he will treat her with the love and care she deserves. The lyrics also showcase the idea that tears are not always representative of sadness or pain; tears can also represent joy and happiness.
Overall, the lyrics of "Two Kinds of Teardrops" demonstrate the singer's deep understanding of emotional turmoil and offer a message of hope to those who have experienced heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
There are two kinds of teardrops (two kinds of teardrops)
Del Shannon sings about the existence of two kinds of tears that a person can shed.
That I know you can cry (two kinds of teardrops)
The singer acknowledges that the person he is addressing is capable of shedding both types of tears.
One is known as lonely teardrops (two kinds of teardrops)
The first type of tears that a person can cry are usually associated with loneliness and heartbreak that comes after a relationship ends.
That come when lovers say goodbye
The lonely teardrops are shed when lovers part ways and the person is left feeling lonely and heartbroken.
I know the last lover you had
The singer claims to know about the last romantic partner that the person he is addressing had.
He let you down and treated you bad
The previous romantic partner did not treat her well and failed her in some way.
I know he made you cry, oh yeah
The singer claims to know that the person he is addressing cried because of her previous romantic partner's actions.
I know he made you cry
The singer is emphasizing the fact that the person he is addressing shed the first type of tears or the lonely teardrops.
But there's another kind of teardrop (two kinds of teardrops)
The singer introduces the second type of tears or the happy teardrops.
That I know you can cry (two kinds of teardrops)
The singer acknowledges once again that the person he is addressing is capable of shedding both types of tears.
And they're known as happy teardrops (two kinds of teardrops)
The second type of tears or the happy teardrops are associated with feeling good and happy inside.
That come from feeling good inside
The singer explains that one can shed happy tears when they feel content, joyful, or happy inside.
I'll make you cry those tears of joy
The singer promises to make the person he is addressing cry happy tears or the tears of joy.
I'll mend the heart he nearly destroyed
The singer promises to fix the damage that the previous romantic partner did to the person he is addressing's heart.
I'm gonna make you cry, but don't worry
The singer acknowledges that making someone cry can be taken negatively, so he reassures the person he is addressing not to worry.
I'm gonna make you cry
The singer is emphasizing the fact that the person he is addressing will shed happy tears or the tears of joy.
Those happy teardrops
The singer reminds the person he is addressing of the second type of tears or the happy teardrops.
I know your little heart has suffered in vain
The singer acknowledges that the person he is addressing's heart suffered because of the previous romantic partner's actions.
He hurt you over and over again
The previous romantic partner caused the person he is addressing to experience pain repeatedly.
But he won't hurt you any more, so
The singer is assuring the person he is addressing that the previous romantic partner will no longer hurt her.
Just forget the lonely past
The singer is advising the person he is addressing to forget about the past when she felt lonely and heartbroken.
And the romance that didn't last
The singer is asking the person he is addressing to forget about the past romance that did not work out.
And dry those lonely teardrops from your eyes
The singer is encouraging the person he is addressing to stop shedding the first type of tears or the lonely teardrops.
(from your eyes)
The singer's last words are a repetition or an emphasis of the need for the person he is addressing to stop shedding the lonely teardrops.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEL SHANNON, MARON MCKENZIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen
Just brilliant memories flood back .uplifting happy tunes we need them back on the radio. Lift us from society's misery.
eigna0625
Wow! Love your voice, Chuck!
Janet Wonderful song, wonderful voice.
Great sounds of the sixties so many great songs
El Guinness
Always stood out to when on the Radio, good song when driving, Viva a class act.
umpiredC hombresCuevas
Yup one of my favorites
TheMickvee
Sounds like he used the same brilliant backing singers that appeared on little town flirt. And, why not? They lift the song on to a different level. Fabulous!
Seedhill Bruiser Music
there are two types of peardrops too! it's uncanny! wonderful Del Shannon. GENIUS!
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Amazing talented man
Claudio Dean
great !!!
Rochdale Cowboy 1957
Great singer and under-rated . Gordon Lincoln