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
The Dum Dum Ditty
The Shangri-Las Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But when he does he sayin' somethin'.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
He lives in the slums,
'Cause his folks never had nothin'
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
(He's a rebel without a cause.) (He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
I see him every day,
Hangin' 'round the neighborhood.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
They say stay away, don't talk to him,
'Cause he is no good.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
(He's a rebel without a cause.)
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
(How did he ever get in so much trouble?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)
(Why do the papers always mention his name?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)
(He's a rebel without a cause.)
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
Oh-ah, yes. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
Oh-ah, yes. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (Makes my heart go run-run ditty...)
The Shangri-Las' "The Dum Dum Ditty" is a song about a boy who is considered an outcast by society. The singer is in love with him and is also aware of his troubled past. The song starts by highlighting how the boy rarely speaks, but when he does, he has something important to say. He comes from a poverty-stricken neighborhood, and his parents have never had anything of value. The singer refers to the boy as a "rebel without a cause" because he doesn't conform to societal norms. The chorus focuses on how the boy makes the singer's heart go run-run ditty, and she cannot help but be attracted to him despite the warning to stay away.
The second verse of the song describes how the boy is viewed by society. The singer sees him every day in the neighborhood, but others warn her not to talk to him because he is "no good." The repetition of the phrase "run-run ditty" creates a sense of urgency and excitement, and the use of onomatopoeia adds a playful tone to the song. The bridge of the song seeks to understand the boy's troubles and why he seems to be in constant trouble. The singer questions the reasons behind the media's coverage of his actions, and it is unclear whether his troubles are self-inflicted or a result of society's failures.
Overall, "The Dum Dum Ditty" is a song about teenage rebellion and societal rejection. The singer is attracted to the boy's non-conformity, but she is also aware of the consequences that come with being an outcast. The song's catchy melody and playful lyrics hide the darker undertones of the story and make it a classic of the girl group genre.
Line by Line Meaning
He doesn't talk much,
But when he does he sayin' somethin'.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
Despite his quiet demeanor, when he speaks, he has something meaningful to say.
He lives in the slums,
'Cause his folks never had nothin'
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
He resides in poverty-stricken areas because of his family's perpetual state of financial struggle.
(He's a rebel without a cause.)
He doesn't conform to societal norms, and his behavior seems aimless and directionless.
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
Contrary to the masses, he chooses to act in a manner that is not typical or expected.
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
Despite his unconventional nature, she feels a strong attraction towards him.
I see him every day,
Hangin' 'round the neighborhood.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
She encounters him frequently within her local area.
They say stay away, don't talk to him,
'Cause he is no good.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
Others caution her against associating with him, citing his reputation as undesirable.
(How did he ever get in so much trouble?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)
She wonders how he ended up in his current situation, facing multiple issues and challenges.
(Why do the papers always mention his name?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)
She questions why the media consistently features his name in their coverage.
Oh-ah, yes. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)
She reiterates her feelings towards him and the strong physical reaction he elicits from her.
Contributed by Kennedy L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.