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.
Mr. Bass Man
Sha Na Na Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ba-ba-bah-ba-bah, ba-ba-ba-ba-bah-boom ...
Mr. Bass Man, you've got that certain somethin'
Mr. Bass Man, you set that music thumpin'
To you it's easy when you go 1-2-3
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-bah
You mean ba-bah-ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-bah
Yeah! Mr. Bass Man, you're on all the songs
With the bip-bip-boom-boom
And the dit-dit-bom-bom-bom
Hey Mr. Bass Man, you're the hidden King of Rock 'n' Roll
Ba-ba-ba-bah, No-no, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-bah ...
Oh, it don't mean a thing when the lead is singin'
Or when he goes Hi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yah
Hey Mr. Bass Man, I'm askin' just one thing
Will you teach me, mmm, yeah, the way you sing
'Cause Mr. Bass Man, I wanna be a bass man too
Ba-ba-ba-bah
Try this, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
Oh Mr Bass Man, I really think I'm winnin'
With the bip-bip-boom-boom
And the dit-dit, dit-dit-da-dah
Hey Mr. Bass Man, now I'm a bass man too
Ba-ba-ba-bah
That's it, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
Now you
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
With me
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
Oh, it don't mean a thing when the lead is singin'
Or when he goes "Hi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yah"
Hey Mr. Bass Man, I'm askin' just one thing
Will you teach me, mmm, yeah, the way you sing
'Cause Mr. Bass Man, I wanna be a bass man too
Ba-ba-ba-bah
Try this, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
Oh Mr Bass Man, I really think I'm winning
With the bip-bip-boom-boom and the dit-dit-bom-bom-bom
Oh Mr. Bass Man, now I'm a bass man too
Ba-ba-ba-bah
That's it, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
The song "Mr. Bass Man" by Sha Na Na, is about the lead singer's admiration for the bassist in their band. The song highlights the bassist's ability to create a booming rhythm with his instrument and how he adds that special something to the songs they play. The vocalist also mentions that the bassist finds it easy to play 1-2-3 while he tries to mimic the same rhythm in a playful manner.
The song also focuses on the lead singer's desire to learn to sing like the bassist. He pleads with him to teach him how to sing like a bassist so he can bring the same kind of rhythm to the band. Throughout the song, the bandmates mock the lead singer's inability to sing like the bassist by adding "ba-ba-ba-bah" and "ba-ba-bah-ba-bah" to their lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Ba-ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-ba-bah
Intro music with gibberish syllables
Ba-ba-bah-ba-bah, ba-ba-ba-ba-bah-boom ...
Continuation of intro music with gibberish syllables
Mr. Bass Man, you've got that certain somethin'
Addressing the bass player with a compliment
Mr. Bass Man, you set that music thumpin'
Praising the bass player for contributing to the rhythm
To you it's easy when you go 1-2-3
Implying that the bass player has natural talent and can easily follow timing
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-bah
Gibberish syllables used as an interlude
Yeah! Mr. Bass Man, you're on all the songs
Admiration for the frequency of the bass player's appearance in songs
With the bip-bip-boom-boom
Typical bass guitar sounds
And the dit-dit-bom-bom-bom
Another example of typical bass guitar sounds
Hey Mr. Bass Man, you're the hidden King of Rock 'n' Roll
Acknowledging the importance of the bass player in the rock genre
Ba-ba-ba-bah, No-no, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-bah ...
Interlude with gibberish syllables
Oh, it don't mean a thing when the lead is singin'
Implying that without the bass line, the lead singer's performance would be lackluster
Or when he goes Hi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yah
Mocking the lead singer's vocalizations
Hey Mr. Bass Man, I'm askin' just one thing
Asking the bass player for a favor
Will you teach me, mmm, yeah, the way you sing
Asking to learn the bass player's unique style
Cause Mr. Bass Man, I wanna be a bass man too
Expressing a desire to become a bass player
Ba-ba-ba-bah
Interlude with gibberish syllables
Try this, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
Suggesting a bass line to play with gibberish syllables
Oh Mr Bass Man, I really think I'm winnin'
Feeling confident about playing the bass line
With the bip-bip-boom-boom and the dit-dit, dit-dit-da-dah
Using typical bass guitar sounds in the bass line
Hey Mr. Bass Man, now I'm a bass man too
Announcing that the singer can now play the bass line
Ba-ba-ba-bah
Interlude with gibberish syllables
That's it, ba-ba-bah, ba-ba-bah-bah-boom
Applying a newly created bass line with gibberish syllables
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
Outro music with gibberish syllables
Now you
Instructing the listener to join in
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
Gibberish syllables to sing along to
With me
Inviting the listener to sing along
Ba-ba-boom-boom ...
Gibberish syllables to continue singing along to
Writer(s): Johnny Cymbal
Contributed by Gianna D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
heaventree ofstars
This is one of the most fun songs ever. I always loved it and I always will.
vtm57
RIP Lennie Baker. His voice and sax brought great joy.
Hairy Mo
Well his sax certainly did.
jockellis
I can't watch Sha Na Na without breaking into a big grin.
terry wheatley
the whole cast of sha na na were good singers!
rockville34
My favorite Sha Na Na video! Thanks for posting it. You can tell they really enjoy performing.
GunGuru
Thank you for sharing that! I so miss that show. It brings back memories of a time when life was sweeter.
Mark Hill
Man i love theses guys!!!! They are awesome!!!!
Tommy Hubbs
God Speed Lennie! Sing and Play in Eternal Peace! The music will never stop. Well done, sir! And thank you!
rachel saradoc gamgee robertson
Could not get a more great duo for this song love it 💗