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.
Earth Angel
Sha Na Na Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will you be mine
My darling dear
Love me all the time
I'm just a fool
(Just a fool)
A fool in love, with you
Earth angel, earth angel
Lovely for ever and ever more
(I'm just a fool)
I'm just a fool
(Oh what a fool)
A fool in love with you
Yes in love with you
I fell for you
And I knew
The vision of my love's loveliness
I hope and I pray
that some day
I'll be the vision
(Vision)
The vision of your happiness
Angel my darling
Last night I fell in love with a little piece of heaven on Earth
It was you
The way you walk, the way you talk
The way you bat your eye lids as I pull up in my open-top Chevy
I don't know what I'd do without you
Earth Angel I will never let you go
Angel of angels
Earth angel - oh
Earth angel, earth angel
Will you be mine
My darling dear
Love me all the time
(I'm just a fool)
I'm just a fool
(Oh what a fool)
A fool in love with you
Oh - my love
I'm just a fool
(Just a fool)
A fool in love
With
You
Fool in love with you
The song "Earth Angel" by Sha Na Na speaks about the deepest and truest expression of love. The lyrics are passionate and simple; they express a lover's desire to have the object of his affection love him back for eternity. The singer confesses that he is a fool in love with his angel and asks if she will be his, committing to loving her always, no matter what.
Furthermore, the lyrics portray a vision of a perfect love, where the singer hopes and prays that he could be the vision of his lover's happiness. He acknowledges his feelings and declares that he fell in love with his lover, with the vision of her loveliness. Everything about her, the way she walks, the way she talks, and even how she bats her eyelids, makes him feel like he is in heaven on earth. He promises to never let her go and shows his undying love for her.
Overall, the song captures the essence of true love and commitment, where the singer is willing to be vulnerable and declare his love. It is a beautiful and timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate listeners to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Earth angel, earth angel
Addressing the person as an angel from the Earth.
Will you be mine
Expressing the desire to be in a romantic relationship.
My darling dear
Endearingly calling the person who is being addressed as darling.
Love me all the time
Requesting the person to love unconditionally throughout the day and night.
I'm just a fool
Admitting foolish behavior.
(Just a fool)
Emphasizing the foolish behavior mentioned earlier.
A fool in love, with you
Loving the person who is being addressed despite their foolish behavior.
The one I adore
Expressing the extent of affection towards the person who is being addressed.
Lovely for ever and ever more
Explaining that the love will be forever and beautiful.
I fell for you
Falling in love with the person who is being addressed.
And I knew
Feelings were certain and known.
The vision of my love's loveliness
Describing the attractiveness of the person who is being addressed.
I hope and I pray that some day
Expressing a hope for a future together.
I'll be the vision
Desiring to be the perfect picture for the person being addressed.
(Vision)
Repeating the desire to be the perfect picture.
The vision of your happiness
Wanting to be a cause of happiness for the one being loved.
Angel my darling
Repeating the endearing term for the person being addressed.
Last night I fell in love with a little piece of heaven on Earth
Describing the feeling of falling in love with the perfect person.
It was you
Expressing that the person who is being addressed was the perfect person for the singer to love.
The way you walk, the way you talk
Describing the attractive qualities of the person who is being addressed.
The way you bat your eye lids as I pull up in my open-top Chevy
Detailing a particular instance when the artist felt attracted towards the person being addressed.
I don't know what I'd do without you
Expressing that the artist feels lost without the person being addressed.
Earth Angel I will never let you go
Promising to never end the romantic relationship.
Angel of angels
Describing the person being addressed as the most perfect angel.
Oh - my love
Addressing the person who is being loved as a term of affection.
With
Starting the last line of the song.
You
Expressing the love for the person who is being addressed.
Fool in love with you
Repeating that the artist is foolishly in love with the person who is being addressed.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jesse Lorenzo Belvin, Gaynel Hodge, Curtis Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lindasheperd512
Boy, Lennie does this number so beautifully!! Really great!
@jessicaallen901
I totally agree one if my most favorites from " my Len" 💕🎷😇
@Wolfsky9
I always enjoyed hearing all the guys take a lead vocal. --------------Lennie did a great job on this.--------------WolfSky9, 73 y/o
@GODPLEASEHELPUS
One of my very favorite songs,,,love them, so good to hear them again....
@deborahdouville3926
Favorite song, very nice rendition.
@gazoontight
Sha Na Na is the greatest. Sing it, Lennie!
@lisafrankel6101
Lenny was fabulous on Earth Angel.
@derekllewellyn6663
It's looks like universal studios hollywood movies back to the future movie series finale of same stuff on board with different colors of the same timeline time travel movie
@robertchance7797
I've been watching these wonderful uploads all evening from you and a few others. Brings back memories. I was in my late teens when Sha Na Na was pop on TV. Those were the days, right! Thank you for these terrific performances.
@janetprice8553
Robert Chance
I've been doing the same thing, in was a preteen during these days. a much simpler time in my life. I'd love to go back to those wonderful days for a while!!!