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
Give Us Your Blessings
The Shangri-Las Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mary, run, run, run,
Jimmy, run, run, run,
Mary, run, run, run,
Mary and Jimmy were both very young
But as much in love
As two people could be
Was to share that love eternally
They went to their folks they told them
That someday soon they'd be wed
Their folks just laughed
And called them kids
So Mary said
Give us your blessing
Please don't make us Run away
Give us your blessing
Say you'll be there on our wedding day
They wouldn't have laughed at Mary
If they could have seen through the door
But Jimmy was waiting in the car
While Mary begged once more
Give us your blessing
Please don't make us Run away
Give us your blessing
Say you'll be there on our wedding day
Well as they drove off they were crying
And nobody knows for sure
That, that's why they didn't see the sign
That read detour
The next day they found them
Mary and Jimmy were dead
And as their folks
Knelt beside them in the rain
They couldn't help but hear
The last words that Mary and Jimmy had said
Give us your blessing
Please don't make us Run away
Give us your blessing
Say you'll be there on our wedding day
Run, run, run,
Mary, run, run, run,
Jimmy, run, run, run,
Mary, run, run, run,
The Shangri-Las' "Give Us Your Blessings" is a narrative ballad that tells of Mary and Jimmy's forbidden love. As two young lovers, they are keen on getting their parents' blessings to wed. However, their parents dismiss them as kids and don't take them seriously, causing Mary to plead with them to give their blessing. This plea falls on deaf ears, and the couple decides to elope. Tragically, on their journey, they accidentally take a detour, resulting in a fatal car crash, leading to their parents finding them dead in the rain.
The song is significant as it tackles the topics of teenage love, rebellion, and death. Listeners can pick out some themes of the 60s, such as the popular trope of rebellious love that seems to go against the norm, and the fear of parents reluctantly accepting teenage romance. Perhaps the song's most striking element is the story behind it. It is quite remarkable that the artistry of the song came from Fran Landesman, who wrote this tale intending to write a play, rather than a song. Her husband, Jay, who was a lyricist and producer, noticed the potential in the words and turned it into a hit song.
Line by Line Meaning
Run, run, run,
The opening line is a plea for movement, seemingly directed at Mary and Jimmy as they frantically try to secure their families' approval for their marriage.
Mary, run, run, run,
Mary is urged to run, symbolizing the need to escape the confines of her disapproving family and embark upon a new chapter in her life with Jimmy.
Jimmy, run, run, run,
Jimmy is also encouraged to 'run', signifying his willingness to stand by Mary's side and fight for their love regardless of the objections of others.
Mary, run, run, run,
The repetition of Mary's name reinforces the idea that she is the driving force behind the couple's attempt to win their families' approval and start a new life together.
They went to their folks they told them
That someday soon they'd be wed
Their folks just laughed
And called them kids
So Mary said
Mary and Jimmy approached their families and shared their plans to get married, but were met with ridicule and belittlement, prompting Mary to plead for their support.
Give us your blessing
Please don't make us Run away
Give us your blessing
Say you'll be there on our wedding day
This is the central request of the song- Mary and Jimmy are begging their families to accept their love and give them 'permission' to marry, hoping that this will prevent them from being forced to 'run away' to start their own life together.
They wouldn't have laughed at Mary
If they could have seen through the door
But Jimmy was waiting in the car
While Mary begged once more
The lyrics suggest that Mary's parents would not have objected to the marriage if they could have seen that Jimmy was a good person who would treat their daughter well. However, Jimmy was not seen as a suitable partner- perhaps because of his age, social background or occupation.
Well as they drove off they were crying
And nobody knows for sure
That, that's why they didn't see the sign
That read detour
This verse suggests that Mary and Jimmy were so upset by their families' disapproval that they failed to notice a warning sign, leading them to take a wrong turn which ultimately resulted in their deaths.
The next day they found them
Mary and Jimmy were dead
And as their folks
Knelt beside them in the rain
They couldn't help but hear
The last words that Mary and Jimmy had said
This last section reveals that Mary and Jimmy died in a tragic accident the day after they pleaded with their families for support. Their loved ones are left with the haunting final words echoing in their minds.
Give us your blessing
Please don't make us Run away
Give us your blessing
Say you'll be there on our wedding day
Finally, the chorus is repeated one last time, underscoring the heartbreak and tragedy of the story while reminding the listener of the couple's earnest desire to be accepted and loved by those around them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF BARRY, ELLIE GREENWICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind