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
Take The Time
The Shangri-Las Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plus le temps d'avoir
Du temps et le temps
Ça compte, dis-le à mes dents
Alors je prends le temps
Plus le temps d'avoir
Du temps et le temps
Putain plus je sais plus je ne sais rien
Je pensais avoir les clefs de demain
Pourtant j'y voyais loin
La main sur le coeur remplie de convictions
Un sac plein de déception
Took all my life to live for real
Prepped with the creme de la creme and in the end i didn't know shit
I know it's all about the writing on the paper, no room for will to take it
Wonder time to time where did the threshold hit
To all those big eyes that came around to split
When did the smooth slippin', rum and juice whipping,
Finding every way to wet throat started to show
Every now and again I'm at the top of the globe
Never high enough, till the sun comes close
So I take time, the time to lose track
But shit comes back
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
C'est magique et tragique, la dragée haute
Ton hôte prend note de ses lacunes
De la bonne musique y'en a qu'une
Chaques jours en batailles
Je tailles les mots tambours battants
Accords chromatiques, pas de tactique
Ya pas de trick, juste un truc
Je montre mon manque d'assurance
Je joue avec la chance
En grattant sur du papier couleur crème, certain flegme
On m' parle de talent, technique, répétition
Moi j'ai de l'allant, et je me fabrique que des questions
But I keep going on and on
This is what it is and what it is is what I do
I heard them flipping right away: the type of guy that's coming through, ah?
I saw it distant around the corner coming
What to be and what to do and how to say: well, who are you?
I had to flip to stop and see the trace I drew
Say it a million times repeating lines until you got
Sauve qui peut, ça polarise idéalise radicalise
Ça crache dans le dos, je survis aux envieux
En veux-tu en voilà des grands égos
Légos sensibles aux algorithmes
Alors j'apprends, faut continuer à se foutre au goût du temps
Alors je prends le temps
Plus le temps d'avoir
Du temps et le temps
Ça compte, dis-le à mes dents
So I take time, the time to lose track
But shit comes back
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
Alors je prends le temps
Plus le temps d'avoir
Du temps et le temps
Ça compte, dis-le à mes dents
So I take time, the time to lose track
But shit comes back
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
The lyrics of "Take The Time" by The Shangri-Las convey a reflection on the passage of time and the singer's self-awareness. The song seems to contemplate the value of time and the importance of embracing the present moment. The opening lines, in French, suggest the singer's determination to take the time and acknowledge its significance. They express the idea of recognizing the passing time and its impact, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging it before it becomes too late.
The lyrics also touch upon themes of self-discovery and self-acceptance. The lines "Took all my life to live for real" indicate a journey of discovering what truly matters and what is important in life. The mention of having "the keys to tomorrow" but still feeling uncertain reflects a sense of disappointment and disillusionment. Despite the challenges faced and the mistakes made, the singer's perspective evolves, acknowledging that life is about the experience itself.
The song further explores the pursuit of personal growth and the complexities of navigating one's own path. The recurring references to time and the urgency felt by the singer highlight the fleeting nature of life. They express the desire to grasp the present moment and make the most of it. The lyrics also comment on the pressure of external expectations and the need to find one's own way, free from the influence of others.
Overall, "Take The Time" captures a sense of introspection, emphasizing the importance of embracing time, self-discovery, and personal growth in the midst of life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Alors je prends le temps
So I take the time
Plus le temps d'avoir
No more time to have
Du temps et le temps
Some time and the time
Ça compte, dis-le à mes dents
It counts, tell it to my teeth
Putain plus je sais plus je ne sais rien
Damn, the more I know, the less I know
Je pensais avoir les clefs de demain
I thought I had the keys to tomorrow
Pourtant j'y voyais loin
Yet I saw far ahead
La main sur le coeur remplie de convictions
Hand on my heart filled with convictions
Un sac plein de déception
A bag full of disappointment
Took all my life to live for real
I took my whole life to live authentically
Prepped with the creme de la creme and in the end i didn't know shit
Equipped with the best of the best but in the end I was clueless
I know it's all about the writing on the paper, no room for will to take it
I know it's all about what's written on the paper, no space for personal choice
Wonder time to time where did the threshold hit
Sometimes I wonder where I hit the breaking point
To all those big eyes that came around to split
To all those judgmental eyes that came around to divide
When did the smooth slippin', rum and juice whipping,
When did the smooth transitions, the mixing of rum and juice
Finding every way to wet throat started to show
Finding every way to indulge in excess began to have consequences
Every now and again I'm at the top of the globe
Every now and then I feel on top of the world
Never high enough, till the sun comes close
Never satisfied until I reach the highest point
So I take time, the time to lose track
So I take the time to forget about time
But shit comes back
But reality catches up
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
Because I don't have much time
C'est magique et tragique, la dragée haute
It's magical and tragic, the high life
Ton hôte prend note de ses lacunes
Your host takes note of their shortcomings
De la bonne musique y'en a qu'une
There is only one good music
Chaques jours en batailles
Every day in battles
Je tailles les mots tambours battants
I shape words with great enthusiasm
Accords chromatiques, pas de tactique
Chromatic chords, no tactics
Ya pas de trick, juste un truc
There is no trick, just one thing
Je montre mon manque d'assurance
I show my lack of confidence
Je joue avec la chance
I play with luck
En grattant sur du papier couleur crème, certain flegme
Scratching on cream-colored paper, a certain nonchalance
On m' parle de talent, technique, répétition
They talk to me about talent, technique, repetition
Moi j'ai de l'allant, et je me fabrique que des questions
But I have momentum, and I only create questions
But I keep going on and on
But I keep going, tirelessly
This is what it is and what it is is what I do
This is the way it is, and what it is, is what I do
I heard them flipping right away: the type of guy that's coming through, ah?
I heard them judging right away: the kind of person who's emerging, huh?
I saw it distant around the corner coming
I saw it coming from a distance, around the corner
What to be and what to do and how to say: well, who are you?
What to become and what to do and how to say: well, who are you?
I had to flip to stop and see the trace I drew
I had to change direction to pause and see the path I created
Say it a million times repeating lines until you got
Repeat lines a million times until you understand
Sauve qui peut, ça polarise idéalise radicalise
Every man for himself, it polarizes, idealizes, radicalizes
Ça crache dans le dos, je survis aux envieux
They backstab, but I survive the jealous ones
En veux-tu en voilà des grands égos
There are big egos everywhere
Légos sensibles aux algorithmes
Egos sensitive to algorithms
Alors j'apprends, faut continuer à se foutre au goût du temps
So I learn, I have to continue to adapt to the times
So I take time, the time to lose track
So I take the time to forget about time
But shit comes back
But reality catches up
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
Because I don't have much time
Alors je prends le temps
So I take the time
Plus le temps d'avoir
No more time to have
Du temps et le temps
Some time and the time
Ça compte, dis-le à mes dents
It counts, tell it to my teeth
So I take time, the time to lose track
So I take the time to forget about time
But shit comes back
But reality catches up
Cuz I don't have a lot of time
Because I don't have much time
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Corentin Sauvetre, Pedro Fonseca
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Holdenon3
Yes, we may.
"Did you ever take the time
a moment or more
to stop and thank the one's we left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more
I can picture one of many boys
very brave and so alone
giving up the life that he enjoys
protecting what he has at home
Did you ever take time
a moment or more
to stop and thank the ones we left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more
Don't you wish that you could do your part
for this country proud and tall
If we don't finish what we did not start
there'll be no country left at all
This country that we're living in
knows only that we've got to win
no matter what the cost may be
our loss is deep in you and me
Free
So, now we got to stop and take the time
a moment or more
to stop and thank we've left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more."
40plym
Very rare thoughts for the time, but well appreciated!!
Paul Antonio
Mary and the girls singing to the homesick boys in the Mekong Delta. Not a cool thing to do in '67 but many years later much appreciated.
Jeff Boice
This was released in early 1967 so I think the song's failure to chart had more to do with Mercury Records lack of support. In 1967 you had records like "Open Letter to my Teenage Son" that made the top 10.
Mercury dropped the Shangri-Las after just two singles- I think the label was more interested in putting out that greatest hits album. And Shadow Morton moved on to Janis Ian and the Vanilla Fudge
ken bourt
good song
Norman Bommarito
They made really.great.songs
ken bourt
written by the late Sal Trimachi and the late Richie Cordell
joe appelbaum
CAN WE GET THE WORDS TO THIS SONG?
Holdenon3
Yes, we may.
"Did you ever take the time
a moment or more
to stop and thank the one's we left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more
I can picture one of many boys
very brave and so alone
giving up the life that he enjoys
protecting what he has at home
Did you ever take time
a moment or more
to stop and thank the ones we left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more
Don't you wish that you could do your part
for this country proud and tall
If we don't finish what we did not start
there'll be no country left at all
This country that we're living in
knows only that we've got to win
no matter what the cost may be
our loss is deep in you and me
Free
So, now we got to stop and take the time
a moment or more
to stop and thank we've left behind
on some foreign shore
to hear from no more."
Charles Watson
They didn't like this song. They felt it supported the war more than the troops.
Holdenon3
@vestiphobe Hmm. "He's a Rebel", yes. "One Fine Day"? Maybe. The Shangri-Las were good girls singing about bad boys. They were all about the passionate roller coaster that is teenage angst. But, yes, everything they recorded was great! :-D