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.
Yakety Yak
Sha Na Na Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or you don't get no spending cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
Yakety yak (don't talk back)
Just finish cleaning up your room
Let's see that dust fly with that broom
Or you don't go out Friday night
Yakety yak (don't talk back)
You just put on your coat and hat
And walk yourself to the Laundromat
And when you finish doing that
Bring in the dog and put out the cat
Yakety yak (don't talk back)
Don't you give me no dirty looks
Your father's hip; he knows what cooks
Just tell your hoodlum friend outside
You ain't got time to take a ride
Yakety yak (don't talk back)
Yakety yak, Yakety yak
Yakety yak, Yakety yak
Yakety yak, Yakety yak
Yakety yak, Yakety yak
"Yakety Yak" is a humorous song by the doo-wop group Sha Na Na that was released in 1958. The lyrics are addressed to a teenager who is being told by his parents to do his chores instead of going out and having fun with his friends. The repetitive phrase "yakety yak (don't talk back)" is used throughout the song to demonstrate the parents' authority and the teenager's frustration.
The first verse encourages the teenager to finish his chores, including taking out the trash and scrubbing the kitchen. If he doesn't complete his tasks, he won't receive any spending money and won't be able to "rock and roll." In the second verse, the teenager is told to clean his room and get rid of any garbage in order to go out on Friday night. The third verse humorously suggests that the teenager should take care of his pets and chores before doing anything else. The final verse tells the teenager not to argue with his parents and to tell his friends that he can't go out with them.
Overall, "Yakety Yak" highlights the generational gap between parents and teenagers and the struggle for independence during adolescence. The song is upbeat and catchy, making it a classic example of 1950s and 1960s rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
Take out the papers and the trash
You need to clean up your living area, and if you don't, you won't be rewarded with spending cash.
Or you don't get no spending cash
If you don't clean your living area, your parents won't give you any money to spend.
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor
You need to clean the kitchen floor, or else you won't be able to participate in any rock and roll events.
You ain't gonna rock and roll no more
If you don't do the house chores, you won't be able to attend any rock and roll parties.
Yakety Yak (don't talk back)
Don't argue or complain, just do what you are told to do.
Just finish cleaning up your room
You must complete the tidying up of your bedroom.
Let's see that dust fly with that broom
Clean the room thoroughly with the broom and make sure that all dust is removed.
Get all that garbage out of sight
You should remove all the trash and keep the whole house neat and tidy.
Or you don't go out Friday night
If the house is not clean and tidy, then you won't be allowed to go out on Friday nights.
You just put on your coat and hat
Put on appropriate attire to prepare yourself for going outside.
And walk yourself to the Laundromat
You have to take your dirty clothes to the Laundromat.
And when you finish doing that
After you finish washing your clothes at the Laundromat.
Bring in the dog and put out the cat
Bring the dog inside the house and move the cat outside the house.
Don't you give me no dirty looks
Do not stare at me with a malicious intent.
Your father's hip; he knows what cooks
Your father knows what is going on; he is cool and trendy.
Just tell your hoodlum friend outside
Inform your mischievous friend who is outside your home.
You ain't got time to take a ride
You do not have time to go out for a leisurely drive with your friend right now.
Yakety Yak (don't talk back)
Do not argue, just do as you're told.
Yakety Yak, Yakety Yak
Continuation of the refrain.
Yakety Yak, Yakety Yak
Continuation of the refrain.
Yakety Yak, Yakety Yak
Continuation of the refrain.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore, BELINDA ABERBACH STEVENSON AGAR REVOCABLE TRUST, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paul Gogo
Shocking how good these guys are. Amazing.🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Hanno-Erdmann Tietz
I watched this broadcast in May 1973. The guy playing the sax in this performance is my favourite.
Wesley Cook
Sadly Lennie is no longer with us. Five of the group had musical training. Bowser, Denny Greene, Johnny Contralto, The Captain and Lennie. The other guys were also good singers. This band pulled out all the stops when doing their music. They also did their own choreography with a little help from Toni Basil. We didn't really start getting the show around here until 1976. Every Saturday afternoon. But they did run them all in sequence.
Derek Llewellyn
@Wesley Cook it's looks wonderful weather Woodstock before Donny Boaz before I was looking for something like that 1970 I just let you know that we have a great time years before
David Ayers
@Wesley Cook great band
David Ayers
@Derek Llewellyn happy to share this video
Steve Blaufeder
Epic. Absolutely epic.
Obscure Music Tabs
wow. I bet at the time they all thought they were going to live forever. crazy to think that these people are all around 80 now.
Bennet Rosenthal
Saw them in concert around that time at Rider College in Lawrence, NJ. Are any of my "Puking Rats" brothers out there?
BTW, the sax player is Leonard J. Baker.
RIP Lennie.
Misskitty 123
2023 and we’re still listening!