After working together for a bit, Mary Weiss ended up singing lead. In April of 1964, since the girls were still minors, their parents signed for them with Red Bird Records, with their name coming from the title of a mythical place of wonder. Mary was 15, Betty was 17, and the Ganser twins were 16. That same year, they had their first hit with "Remember (Walking in the Sand)". The song, a U.S. #5 and a U.K. #14, was created after producer George "Shadow" Morton hired the band.
Their songs with "Shadow" Morton featured lavish production with heavy orchestration and sound effects. Their biggest hit, the renowned death disc "Leader of the Pack", climaxes with the sounds of roaring motorcycles and breaking glass. A U.S. #1 and U.K. #11 hit, the tune still gets serious airplay to this day.
According to a Biography episode on various 60s 'Brill Building' songwriters, including retrospective interviews with Greenwich, Barry and Morton among others, Barry said that at the time he was suspicious of Morton's overt attention to Greenwich. Disbelieving Morton was really the songwriter he claimed to be, Barry challenged Morton to prove his legitimacy and bring in samples of his recent work (expecting never to hear again from an embarrassed Morton). Morton stated in his interview that, with an empty song portfolio at the time, he felt sufficiently challenged by Barry, whereupon he left the Brill Building and drove his automobile to a Long Island Beach.
Full of both inspiration and desperation, Morton spent the evening writing his first song, while sitting in the dark in his parked car. Entitled "Remember (Walking In The Sand)", Morton then 'rolled the dice' and recorded a demo of his song with a long-shot, unknown girl-group local club act that he admired, The Shangri-Las (according to Morton, with the then-unknown Billy Joel on piano in the demo recording), and offered the demo recording to Jerry Leiber, who was then setting up Red Bird Records. The recording "Remember (Walking In The Sand)" by the Shangri-Las reached #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Considering the scope of this accomplishment, Morton was transformed overnight from a credential-less industry 'wannabe' into a teen recording songwriter and recording producer. According to Steve Kurutz at Allmusic, "Morton's production work, which included brilliant sound effects and inventive percussion, carried the Shangri-Las to girl-group history."
The band continued to have a string of American hit records, mainly on depressing themes such as death, loneliness, and abandonment. Songs included "Past, Present and Future", "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" and "Long Live Our Love".
In 1966, the Shangri-Las' subsequent two releases on Red Bird failed to make the top 50. That same year the band left Red Bird and Morton after the label folded. At the beginning of 1967, Marge decided to leave the group. Despite signing to Mercury Records that year, the group had no further hits. In 1968, they disbanded.
Mary Ann died of a drug overdose in 1970. Marge succumbed to breast cancer on July 28, 1996 at age 48.
The group experienced a small revival in the UK when "Leader Of The Pack" was re-issued twice, reaching #3 in 1972 and #7 in 1976.
The Shangri-La's 1966 hit "Past, Present & Future" was effectively covered in 2004 by ex ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog on her 2004 album, "My Colouring Book".
Since the 1980's, the group has had to deal with a group calling themselves The Shangri Las, but having nothing to do with the original group. The group was put together by Dick Fox.
Discography
Standard albums
* 1964: Leader of the Pack (US #109)
* 1965: Shangri-Las-65!
Compilations
* 1966: Golden Hits of the Shangri-Las
* 1975: The Shangri-Las Sing
* 1996: The Best of the Shangri-Las
Singles
* 1964: "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" (US #5, UK #14)
* 1964: "Leader of the Pack" (US #1, UK #11)
* 1965: "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" (US #18)
* 1965: "Give Us Your Blessings" (US #29)
* 1965: "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" (US #6)
* 1965: "Maybe" (US #91)
* 1965: "Out in the Streets" (US #53)
* 1965: "Right Now and Not Later" (US #99)
* 1966: "He Cried" (US #65)
* 1966: "Long Live Our Love" (US #33)
* 1966: "Past, Present and Future" (US #59)
* 1966: "Take the Time"
* 1967: "Sweet Sounds of Summer"
References
* "Shangri-Las 77!", footnote 4, by Phil X Milstein, Spectropop
Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shangri-Las
Boy
The Shangri-Las Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, he a boss boy
Carita mala
He with the big toy
I make him park it right here, he a big boy
He love me cuz I treat em like my lil boy toy
Pa' que me sienta mejor
Mi golosina de lunes hasta domingo, mi amor
Baby boy, disculpa
Yo ya no soy tuya
Y si la pasas conmigo
Es por que a mà me gusta
Es que no somos amigos
Nunca lo fuimos
Noche de travesura
El alcohol me hizo tuya, ay
Oh, he a boss boy
Carita mala
He with the big toy
I make him park it right here, he a big boy
He love me cuz I treat em like my lil boy toy
I call him entre de las doce y las dos
Pa' que me sienta mejor
Mi golosina de lunes hasta domingo, mi amor
Baby boy, disculpa
Yo ya no soy tuya
Y si la pasas conmigo
Es por que a mà me gusta
Es que no somo' amigos
Nunca lo fuimos
Noche de travesura
El alcohol me hizo tuya (ey, ey, ey)
Es que tú puede se' un killa
Drug deale'
Te la juego como Neymar
Papi, mira, ponte las pilas
Es que yo tengo una carita 'e póker
I know he like it when these cakes be poking
Green light pa' que no pares, pares
Pa' que no pares, pares, ay
Oh, he a boss boy
Carita mala
He with the big toy
I make him park it right here, he a big boy
He love me cuz I treat em like my lil boy toy
I call him entre de las doce y las dos
Pa' que me sienta mejor
Mi golosina de lunes hasta domingo, mi amor
Baby boy, disculpa
Yo ya no soy tuya
Y si la pasas conmigo
Es por que a mà me gusta
Es que no somo' amigos
The Shangri-Las's "Boy" is a song that speaks about a bad boy who is a boss and is in possession of some kind of toy. The singer in the song refers to him as her "lil boy toy," treating him like a child. She mentions a specific time of day, "entre de las doce y las dos," which translates to "between twelve and two," which seems to be a time when she feels better around him. The singer acknowledges that they are not friends and never were, but the night of the encounter was just a night of mischief fueled by alcohol. She then apologizes for not being his anymore before confessing that he only spends time with her because she likes it.
The song portrays the dynamic that exists between a woman and a man who is a bad boy. The singer likes the thrill of being with him and treating him like a child, but she knows it cannot last. It highlights the power imbalance that exists in such a dynamic, with the woman taking control and treating the man like a child. The song also references a time "entre de las doce y las dos," which adds to the thrill-seeking and the danger associated with being with a bad boy.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, he a boss boy
She is talking about her significant other and how he is a boss or leader-like figure.
Carita mala
She is saying that he has a bad or tough-looking face, but she still loves him.
He with the big toy
She is talking about her significant other having a big car or something else that is impressive.
I make him park it right here, he a big boy
She is showing her control over him by telling him where to park because he is just a big boy to her.
He love me cuz I treat em like my lil boy toy
She says that she treats him like a toy because it’s playful and fun, and he loves her for it.
I call him entre de las doce y las dos
She gives him the nickname 'entre de las doce y las dos' which means between 12 and 2 in Spanish because that’s when he is at his best.
Pa' que me sienta mejor
She says she calls him that so she feels better and likes it more.
Mi golosina de lunes hasta domingo, mi amor
She calls him her candy from Monday to Sunday, which is just a term of endearment.
Baby boy, disculpa
She is addressing him as 'baby boy' when she says sorry.
Yo ya no soy tuya
She is saying that she is not his anymore.
Y si la pasas conmigo / Es por que a mà me gusta
She says that if he spends time with her, it’s because she likes it.
Es que no somos amigos
She clarifies that they are not friends, they are something more.
Nunca lo fuimos
She specifies that they were never just friends in the first place.
Noche de travesura / El alcohol me hizo tuya, ay
She describes a night of mischief where alcohol made her his (tuya).
Es que tú puede se' un killa / Drug deale'
She is saying that he could be a killer or a drug dealer.
Te la juego como Neymar / Papi, mira, ponte las pilas
She is saying that she will play the game like Neymar (the soccer player) and telling him to take things seriously.
Es que yo tengo una carita 'e póker / I know he like it when these cakes be poking
She is saying that she has a poker face, and he likes it when she shows off her figure (cakes).
Green light pa' que no pares, pares / Pa' que no pares, pares, ay
She is giving him the green light to keep going and not stop (to keep doing whatever he is doing to her).
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Israela Claro, Mishon Ratliff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Skylarking00
Just discovered the Shangri-Las. Wow. I thought I knew about all the undiscovered 60s gems. Their harmonies and emotive qualities are as good as the Beach Boys.
@Corporations8MyBaby
The astonishing voice of Betty Weiss (Elizabeth/Liz) ... Another one of the 11 tracks she sings lead on.
@princeee4417
This song just made me cry for no reason😢
@delsongalasinao706
The shangrilas music is my life saver this very dark millenial times
@lastrada52
What an incredible track. Pounding piano, dark lyric & desperation that seldom makes it into modern songs. The Shangri-Las..a female group far ahead of their time its startling. The end of this track the vocalist hits notes that are so achingly beautiful. A song still waiting to be covered by someone....this was relegated to a B-side? Imagine the tracks they didn't release. Truly brilliant whoever guided this band. "Dressed In Black" & "Love You More Than Yesterday" are equally terrific.
@michaelhughes8057
This song was regulated to a B Side? Unbelievable!!
@lastrada52
@@michaelhughes8057 - Agreed.
@michaelhughes8057
What a beautiful song and track!
@normanbommarito6029
There will never be a group. Asgreat as they are.
@alices.b867
One of my favorites by them really beautiful and deep song this is really what to be in love feels like