In 1958, when Tommy was eleven, his family moved to Niles, Michigan. In 1959, when he was twelve, James formed his first band called Tom and the Tornadoes. In 1963, the band changed their name to The Shondells. By 1964, a local DJ at WNIL radio station in Niles formed his own record label, Snap Records. The Shondells were one of the local bands the DJ recorded at WNIL studios. One of the songs was the Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich ditty "Hanky Panky," which was recorded as The Raindrops. The song was a hit locally, but the label had no resources for national promotion and it was soon forgotten.
In 1965, a DJ in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, found a copy of "Hanky Panky" and played it as a station "exclusive." Listener response was positive, with many wanting to know where they could get a copy of the "new" single. Another DJ started playing the song at local dance parties. Responding to the demand, a local bootlegger taped the song off the radio and began pressing copies of it. Eventual sales of the bootleg were estimated at 80,000. Pittsburgh DJ "Mad Mike" Metro tracked down Tommy James and informed him that his record was No. 1 in the city. James almost hung up on Metro, but was convinced to come to Pennsylvania and make appearances promoting the surprise hit. Soon, James was in New York, selling the original master of "Hanky Panky" to Roulette Records. By the late summer of 1966, it was the top-selling single in the nation.
The Shondells had long since broken up, and did not wish to reform in order to travel to Pittsburgh. James flew there solo, and hired a local band named The Raconteurs to become the replacement Shondells. The group needed a follow-up and selected a song called "Say I Am (What I Am)". Although not as successful as "Hanky Panky", it reached #21 on the charts later in the same year.
Roulette assigned songwriters Richie Cordell and Bob King the task of writing songs for Tommy James & The Shondells. From 1967 to 1969, the group turned out hit after hit on the Roulette label, including six more that made it to the top ten: "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage", "Mony Mony", "Crimson and Clover" (the group's second and final U.S. #1 hit), "Sweet Cherry Wine", and "Crystal Blue Persuasion".
Tommy James and The Shondells broke up in 1970. James then went solo and had two further chart hits with "Draggin' the Line" (Written by Bob King) (#4 in 1971) and "Three Times In Love" (#19 (Adult Contemporary #1) in 1980). James has had twenty three gold singles, and nine gold and platinum albums. He also wrote and produced the million-selling 1970 hit "Tighter, Tighter" for the group Alive 'N Kickin' (Written by Bob King).
In October 2007, Tommy James and the original Shondells reunited in a New Jersey studio to record once again.
Ball And Chain
Tommy James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down home in the valley, I've got to get myself back together again, now.
I looked all around me, but everything was still the same.
People, you can't climb that mountain carrying a ball and chain, no.
Because it takes all the love that your give to get to the other side.
It makes all the life that you can live so satisfied, yeah, so satisfied.
Children, you better turn around, take a look where you been before, now.
Come, come come on people, don't you know that we're all the same;
You know we ain't gonna climb that mountain carrying a ball and chain.
The lyrics of Tommy James's song Ball And Chain embody the theme of self-realization and the need to let go of burdensome attachments. The narrative of the song follows the singer as he descends into the valley to explore his identity and put his life together. However, despite his efforts, he finds that everything around him remains unchanged, and the only way to achieve true freedom is to let go of all his emotional baggage - the ball and chain. He urges his listeners not to follow in his footsteps and carry the burden of their past with them, but instead embrace their shared humanity and move forward together to conquer the mountain of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I went down to the valley, just to find out who I am, Lord.
I went to a secluded and peaceful area to discover my true self.
Down home in the valley, I've got to get myself back together again, now.
In that valley, I must heal myself and become whole again.
I looked all around me, but everything was still the same.
Despite my efforts, my circumstances remained unchanged.
People, you can't climb that mountain carrying a ball and chain, no.
You can not accomplish your goals while still holding onto past traumas and burdens.
Because it takes all the love that your give to get to the other side.
To overcome challenges, you must give love and compassion to yourself and others.
It makes all the life that you can live so satisfied, yeah, so satisfied.
When you approach life with love and compassion, you will feel fulfilled and satisfied.
Come, come, comin' together, that's the only way we can go.
Only by working together and supporting each other can we progress and succeed.
Children, you better turn around, take a look where you been before, now.
You must reflect on your past experiences and learn from them to move forward in life.
Come, come come on people, don't you know that we're all the same;
We are all human and equal, so we must treat each other with respect and kindness.
You know we ain't gonna climb that mountain carrying a ball and chain.
We can not succeed in life if we continue to hold onto past traumas and burdens.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK-ANTHONY TIEKU, MURRAY JAMES, BLUE MAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Norm Cardillo
on Crimson and Clover
school colors?