The group began singing as part of the longstanding Columbia University a cappella group "Kingsmen", but the ensemble changed their name due to the popularity of the Pacific Northwest rock band of the same name (see: "The Kingsmen"). Conceived by George Leonard, then a graduate student in Humanities, Sha Na Na began performing in 1969, at the height of the hippie counterculture. The guys achieved national fame after playing at the Woodstock Festival, where they preceded Jimi Hendrix. In fact, the ever friendly and genial Hendrix stuck out his neck for the group, insisting the band be allowed to take the stage even after festival’s promoters wanted to cut them from the bill at the last minute, and Sha Na Na members have since credited him for 'saving' them from obscurity almost single-handed.
Their ninety-second appearance in the popular Woodstock concert film brought the group national attention, and they were a part of the 50s nostalgia craze of the era. Similar artists both in the Americas and in the U.K. appeared (examples being Alvin Stardust and Gary Glitter). The Broadway musical 'Grease' and the TV show 'Happy Days' both also displayed the same ethos as Sha Na Na.
The degree to which their act was truly nostalgic, as opposed to the degree to which it was "invented nostalgia" for joking purposes has been called into question. Still, the group appeared in the movie 'Grease' (based off of the musical of the same name) as "Johnny Casino & The Gamblers", gaining them even more attention. Sha Na Na was also successful with the hit syndicated television show of the same name that the guys did from 1977 to 1982. The program featured guests with much 70s fame such as soul and funk star James Brown and the popular punk band Ramones; musicians from rock & roll's golden era such as Little Richard and Chubby Checker also appeared.
The original band line-up featured twelve performers: Alan Cooper (bass vocals), Rob Leonard (vocals), Frederick 'Denny' Greene (vocals), Henry Gross (guitar), John 'Jocko' Marcellino (drums), Joe Witkin (piano), Scott Powell aka Captain Outrageous aka Tony Santini (vocals), Donald 'Donny' York (vocals), Elliot Cahn aka 'Gino', (rhythm guitar), Rich Joffe (vocals), Dave Garrett (vocals) and Bruce 'Bruno' Clarke. The act has often involved three "up front" dancers/singers in gold lamé and the other nine in "greaser attire", such as rolled up t-shirt sleeves, leather jackets, tank tops, et cetera. During their long-running career, the ensemble has gone through multiple line-up changes. Most recently, co-founder John 'Jocko' Marcellino has served as the group's central frontman. Their latest release is 2013's 'Sha Na Na Greaser High School Hop', with them still touring even decades upon decades after their foundation.
Also that year, Sha Na Na was notably a part of the "Grease Sing-A-Long" event, which is held annually at the Hollywood Bowl. During the 35th anniversary of the beloved movie, they performed several of their tracks from the work's famous soundtrack. "This has become a family event," Marcellino remarked, "They all come dressed up greased with their Pink Lady outfits on, their T-Birds leather jackets, and it’s fabulous that a fourth generation is learning these songs and loving these songs."
Examples of former members:
Vinnie Taylor (1949 - 1974) (real name Chris Donald), who replaced Henry Gross as the lead guitarist in 1970, died from a heroin overdose on April 17, 1974, after a concert at University Hall at the University of Virginia.[citation needed] He was found in a Holiday Inn hotel room in Charlottesville, Virginia.[citation needed]
Former Sha Na Na bass player, from their television show lineup, Dave "Chico" Ryan, died in 1998.
Former Sha Na Na guitarist, from their television show lineup, Danny "Dirty Dan" McBride, died in 2009.
Founding member of the band Robert Leonard is a professor of linguistics at Hofstra University, and had an appearance as a qualified expert in linguistics for the murder case of Charlene Hummert in the episode "A Tight Leash" of the TV medical detectives series Forensic Files in 2004.[citation needed]
The group's first guitarist, Henry Gross, went on to become a solo performer, and had a hit single with "Shannon" in 1976. Another founding member, Alan Cooper, the lead singer in the group's performance of "At the Hop" in the Woodstock film, also went on to an academic career. He taught religious studies for ten years at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was a professor of Bible studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, and now serves as the Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies and provost at the Jewish Theological Seminary.[citation needed]
Long time member Jon "Bowzer" Bauman replaced Alan Cooper and became a recognizable member of the group as he taunted audiences while he flexed his muscles, burped and spat in the direction of the bass player. For two years in 1983 and 1984 he served as the host of the game show Hollywood Squares between the retirement of longtime host Peter Marshall and the last host John Davidson. Today, Bowzer continues to tour under his own banner.
Elliot Cahn, the group's original rhythm guitar player and musical arranger, later became the first manager of Green Day. "Screaming" Scott Simon replaced Joe Witkin, the original keyboard player (and singer of Teenager in Love on their first album). Today, Witkin is an emergency room physician living with his family in San Diego, California and playing with a band called "The Corvettes"[3] doing an oldies revue. Witkin's son, Brian Witkin, went on to become the founder of Pacific Records.
Joe Witkin left the band in 1970 to finish medical school, and subsequently moved to San Diego in 1975 to do his internship and residency at the University of California in San Diego. He worked at Scripps Hospital East County from 1978 to 2000 as an ER physician, and currently holds the same position at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa.
Scott Powell today is a specialist in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine.[4] He performed on the TV show under the stage name "Santini" (which he changed from his previous alias, "Captain Outrageous"). Powell left the band in 1980 and returned to Columbia to take pre-medical courses.[citation needed] He is a member of the medical staff of U.S. national soccer teams, and is the team physician for the Federation Women’s National Team and an associate clinical professor at USC.[citation needed] While Powell was with Sha Na Na, he sang the bulk of the Elvis revival songs.
Frederick "Denny" Greene left the group to pursue studies in law.[citation needed] After graduating from Yale Law School, he became the vice president of production and features at Columbia Pictures.[citation needed] He is currently a professor at the University of Dayton. Greene was known for his skilled dancing, and sang the lead in "Tears on My Pillow", "Duke of Earl" and others.
Bruce "Bruno" Clarke is now a professor of English at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Sha Na Na Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't believe it's true!
Girl, there's just no livin' without you.
Don't take your love away from me.
Don't you leave my heart in misery.
'Cause if you go, then I'll be blue,
Breakin' up is hard to do.
And you kissed me all through the night.
Think of all that we been through,
And breakin' up is hard to do.
They say that breakin' up is hard to do,
Now I know, I know that it's true.
Don't say that this is the end.
Instead of breakin' up I wish that
We were makin' up again.
I beg of you don't say goodbye,
Can't we give our love just one more try?
Come on baby, let's start anew,
Breakin' up is hard to do.
The lyrics to Sha Na Na’s “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” perfectly capture the pain and confusion that come with a breakup. The singer is in disbelief that the person they love is leaving, pleading with them to stay and not leave their heart in misery. The second verse reminisces about the good times they shared, highlighting the deep connection they once had before things fell apart. The chorus repeats the phrase “breaking up is hard to do,” acknowledging the fact that no matter how much they may try to prepare for it, the end of a relationship is never easy.
The third verse hints at the possibility of rekindling the relationship, with the singer expressing a desire to reconcile and make things work again. They don’t want things to end; they want to start anew. The final plea in the last line sums up the entire song: breaking up is hard to do.
Overall, these lyrics tap into the universal emotions of heartbreak, longing, and desperation that so many people experience when going through the end of a relationship. The repetition of the titular phrase reinforces the idea that no matter how much we try to rationalize and emotionally prepare for it, there is no getting around the fact that breaking up is a difficult and painful process.
Line by Line Meaning
You tell me that you're leavin',
When you inform me that you're departing,
I can't believe it's true!
It's hard for me to accept that it's factual!
Girl, there's just no livin' without you.
I can't continue existing without you, my lady.
Don't take your love away from me.
Please don't deprive me of your love.
Don't you leave my heart in misery.
Please don't leave me in emotional anguish.
'Cause if you go, then I'll be blue,
If you leave, I'll be downhearted.
Breakin' up is hard to do.
It's challenging to end a romantic relationship, and it's difficult to move on.
Remember when you held me tight,
Do you still recall how tightly you used to embrace me?
And you kissed me all through the night.
And your kisses were so passionate all night long.
Think of all that we been through,
Reflect on all the good and bad times we've had together,
And breakin' up is hard to do.
And breaking up is never easy.
They say that breakin' up is hard to do,
People claim that ending a romantic relationship is difficult,
Now I know, I know that it's true.
And now I've come to realize that it's accurate.
Don't say that this is the end.
Please don't declare that this is the conclusion.
Instead of breakin' up I wish that
Rather than breaking up, I desire that
We were makin' up again.
We would reconcile once more.
I beg of you don't say goodbye,
I implore you not to utter farewell,
Can't we give our love just one more try?
Could we attempt to rekindle our romance one last time?
Come on baby, let's start anew,
Please, baby, let's begin afresh,
Breakin' up is hard to do.
Because breaking up is not easy.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Donny York
If I may say so, this sounds not bad for a such an ambitious song. The original Sedaka recording was full of tricks that we had to mimic on live microphones. I even threw in the high girl's part at the ending, and these many years later I'm impressed with the harmonic fidelity between me and Chico, rest his soul.
Texlahoma Girl
Donny York
It was amazing! Well done, mate. These singers today have all the latest technology and cannot come close to sounding as great as you guys.
Sherri Shott
Donny York You harmonized so well with everyone! Your voice is wonderful!
SaraNell Kaufmann
I especially like the harmony in this on. I always love your Donny.
vilgunn sefting
Exellent cover❤❤❤❤❤
Foofsmom
They ALL deliver such a FABULOUS performance. I just love how balanced they are too. I'd of fallen off that roof for sure.
Lunette Grojean
Love this little duet. Chico is a little doll. Rip Angel ❤
Tonithenightowl
If they would release a box set of these guys...... I'd be the first to buy it.
winnamil1961
I love Jocko. He seems to love what he does. Just very talented.
lynktalz
I love seeing Jocko, too. We both went to the same high school, although he graduated before I even started there. But his brother Jim was there when I was there. Jim was a great running back.