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.
Those Magic Changes
Sha Na Na Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why do I start swayin' to and fro?
I have never heard that song before
But if I don't hear it anymore
It's still familiar to me
Sends a thrill right through me
'Cause those chords remind me of
Those magic changes
My heart arranges
A melody that's never the same
A melody that's calling your name
And begs you please come back to me
Please return to me
Don't go away again
Oh make them play again
The music I wanna hear as once again
You whisper in my ear
Oh, my darling, uh huh
I'll be waiting by the radio
You'll come back to me someday, I know
Been so lonesome since our last goodbye
But I'm singing as I cry-ay-ay
While the bass is sounding
While the drums are pounding
Beatings of my broken heart
Will rise to first place on the charts
Oh, my heart arranges
Oh, those magic changes
Oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, yeah, woo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
The opening lines of Sha Na Na's song "Those Magic Changes" describe how music can evoke strong emotions and memories. The singer hears a song for the first time, yet it feels familiar, and their body instinctively responds to the rhythm. The chord progression of the melody transports the singer back to a specific moment - the night they fell in love. The magic changes refer to the transformative power of music and how it can heighten our emotional experiences.
Throughout the song, the singer pleads for their lost love to return. They yearn to be reunited and for the music to play once again. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of heartbreak and longing, and the music amplifies these emotions. The bass and drums add a depth and intensity to the song, building to a crescendo that echoes the beating of a broken heart. The ballad ends on a hopeful note - the singer believes that their love will come back to them someday.
Overall, "Those Magic Changes" is a beautiful ode to the power of music and how it can evoke strong emotions and memories. The song captures the sense of longing and loss that can accompany a breakup and the hope that comes with the possibility of rekindling lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
What's that playin' on the radio?
I'm curious about the song that's currently playing on the radio.
Why do I start swayin' to and fro?
I can't resist moving my body to the beat of the song.
I have never heard that song before
This is the first time I'm hearing this song.
But if I don't hear it anymore
I'll feel like I'm missing out on something special.
It's still familiar to me
The melody of the song feels familiar to me.
Sends a thrill right through me
It gives me a rush of excitement and joy.
'Cause those chords remind me of
The specific chords used in the song bring back memories.
The night that I first fell in love to
It reminds me of the special moment when I fell in love.
Those magic changes
The emotions I feel when I listen to this song are inexplicable.
My heart arranges
It's like my heart is composing its own song.
A melody that's never the same
Every time I listen to this song, it feels like a new experience.
A melody that's calling your name
The song reminds me of the person I love and want to be with.
And begs you please come back to me
The song makes me want the person I love to come back to me.
Please return to me
I'm desperate for this person to come back to me.
Don't go away again
I don't want this person to leave me again.
Oh make them play again
I want the radio station to play this song again.
The music I wanna hear as once again
I want to hear this song again as I did when I first fell in love.
You whisper in my ear
I want to be close to the person I love and hear their voice.
Oh, my darling, uh huh
I miss and love the person I'm singing about.
I'll be waiting by the radio
I'll be eagerly waiting to hear this song again.
You'll come back to me someday, I know
I'm hopeful that the person I love will return to me soon.
Been so lonesome since our last goodbye
I've been feeling extremely lonely since the last time we parted ways.
But I'm singing as I cry-ay-ay
Although I'm hurting, I still find comfort in singing along to this song.
While the bass is sounding
I find solace in the sounds of the instruments as they play.
While the drums are pounding
The strong beats of the drums help me release my emotions.
Beatings of my broken heart
The song resonates with the pain I'm feeling in my heart.
Will rise to first place on the charts
This song represents my emotions and experiences so perfectly, it could become a hit.
Oh, my heart arranges
My heart continues to compose the song that reflects my emotions.
Oh, those magic changes
The way this song makes me feel is indescribable and magical.
Oh oh, oh oh oh oh
This is a chorus that emphasizes the significance of the song.
Oh yeah, woo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
This is a celebratory and enthusiastic response to the emotions this song brings out in me.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind