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
Heaven Only Knows
The Shangri-Las Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't sleep at night
(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
I dream about makin' you mine, yes I do
And of holding you tight
(Heaven only knows, mm hmm)
I've never been sure 'bout a boy before
Given you my heart and my soul and my love
Cause I trust you so
(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
Heaven only knows that I want you Baby
Everytime I see you it drives me crazy
You're the only boy that my heart wants to know
Whoah yeah
Tell me what you want and I'll do it for you
Baby let me show you that I adore you
Baby let me go everywhere you go
Whoah yeah
Never been sure 'bout a boy before
But I want you to know...(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
Given you my heart and my soul and my love
Cause I trust you so
(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
Heaven only knows that I want you (Baby)
Heaven only knows that I need you (Baby)
The Shangri-Las's song "Heaven Only Knows" is a poignant declaration of love and longing. The lyrics express the singer's intense desire for her beloved, whom she dreams about frequently, and her willingness to give her all to this person. The opening lines create a sense of yearning and restlessness, as the singer confesses that she can't sleep at night due to her obsessive thoughts. The phrase "Heaven only knows" is used repeatedly throughout the song, emphasizing the uncertainty and complexity of human emotions.
The singer's uncertainty is further underscored by the repetition of the phrase "I've never been sure 'bout a boy before." Despite her lack of experience, however, she is willing to risk everything for her beloved. The lines "Given you my heart and my soul and my love/Cause I trust you so" express her deep commitment and trust.
The chorus, with its upbeat rhythm and catchy melody, is a great contrast to the emotional weight of the verses. The use of the word "baby" throughout the chorus is a nod to the youthfulness and innocence of the song's subject matter.
Overall, "Heaven Only Knows" is a classic example of The Shangri-Las's ability to convey raw emotion through their music, and a testament to the timeless appeal of teenage love.
Line by Line Meaning
I dream about you all the time, yes I do
I constantly daydream about you
And I can't sleep at night
My thoughts about you keep me up at night
(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
It's beyond my understanding
I dream about makin' you mine, yes I do
I fantasize about being in a relationship with you
And of holding you tight
I long to hold you in my arms
I've never been sure 'bout a boy before
I've never been certain about a romantic relationship with a boy
But I want you to know...(Heaven only Knows, mm hmm)
But I need you to understand, even if I don't fully comprehend it myself
Given you my heart and my soul and my love
I've offered you all of myself, my emotions and feelings
Cause I trust you so
Because I have utmost faith in you
Heaven only knows that I want you Baby
I want you more than anything, heaven only knows
Everytime I see you it drives me crazy
Seeing you fills me with intense emotions
You're the only boy that my heart wants to know
My heart desires only you
Tell me what you want and I'll do it for you
Just tell me what you need and I'll do anything for you
Baby let me show you that I adore you
Let me express how much I love you
Baby let me go everywhere you go
I want to be with you all the time
Heaven only knows that I want you (Baby)
All I know is that I want you, nothing else matters
Heaven only knows that I need you (Baby)
I need you in my life more than anything, beyond any comprehension
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ELLIE GREENWICH, JEFF BARRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Outsider
Incredible vocal harmony ….. the finest, but very sadly much under rated group of their time.
John Sherrod
I simply love this tune. can't get enough. Purely heaven.
Michael Paranormal
How can music get any better than this!!!!!!
Taishi Singleton
Everytime I hear Heaven Only Knows, it gives me goosebumps. Beautiful harmonization
Donald Fewell
Me too! :)
Wayne Garrard
I can never go home does it for me👍
Dan Maurer
It's of its time yet somehow timeless. Magic...
Marc Noack
For many years now I am a huge fan of sixties girl groups. Thanks god there are a lot of them. The Shangri-Las are one of my very favourite groups of that era. I love "Give Him a Great Big Kiss", "Lead of the Pack", "The Train From Kansas City", but especially "Heaven Only Knows". It is so lovely. It should have been a single! It is such a catchy tune....
Charles Quinn Warwick
This will never grow old.
strictlynorton
Mary's voice here.... pure bliss. The Shangri Las were amazing. Ripe for rediscovery.