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.
Give It All
Tommy James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Remember, I got there before you.
The little demons used to chase me;
Had me thinkin' they were cool, fool!
Aw, give it all,
Don't believe in T.V. and the mall.
Aw, give it all,
Don't believe what you see anymore.
Don't be scared to be rejected.
Don't give in, they won't expect it.
You can do your dream, just give it all.
And if you think the ground is shakin',
It's just the sound of baby-boom!
All the good stuff has been taken;
'Ya think there's nothin' left for you, that ain't true.
Aw, give it all,
Don't believe in T.V. and the mall.
Aw, give it all,
Don't believe what you see anymore.
Don't look up if they impress you.
Don't look down, it may depress you.
It ain't that far if you fall, so give it all.
(guitar solo followed by an instrumental break and chorus adlibs)
So, grit your teeth and grind your axes,
Trust in God, and pay your taxes.
Go break down the wall, but give it all!
The song "Give It All" by Tommy James is an uplifting and motivating anthem that encourages listeners to pursue their dreams without fear or hesitation. The lyrics suggest that the world can often be a confusing and discouraging place, but that individuals have the power to overcome these obstacles and achieve greatness. The first verse reminds listeners that they are not alone in their struggles and that others have faced similar challenges before them. The second verse encourages listeners to take risks and not to be afraid of rejection or failure. The chorus urges listeners to give their all to achieve their goals and not to be swayed by the distractions of modern life.
The song's lyrics are notable for their use of colloquial and informal language, such as "ya" instead of "you" and "cool, fool" as a playful insult. This adds to the song's overall sense of energy and spontaneity. The guitar solo in the middle of the song is also a highlight, adding a sense of rock and roll excitement to the track.
Line by Line Meaning
And if you think you're goin' crazy
If you feel like you're losing your mind
Remember, I got there before you.
Know that you're not alone and others have felt the same way before
The little demons used to chase me;
Referring to the negative voices in our heads that try to bring us down
Had me thinkin' they were cool, fool!
Those negative voices try to fool us into thinking they're in control and it's cool to listen to them
Aw, give it all,
Give everything you have and don't hold back
Don't believe in T.V. and the mall.
Don't let material possessions and media influence your beliefs and values
Don't believe what you see anymore.
Be skeptical of what's presented to you and question everything
Don't be scared to be rejected.
Don't let the fear of rejection hold you back from taking risks and pursuing what you want
Don't give in, they won't expect it.
Don't cave into others' expectations of you and surprise them by doing something unexpected
You can do your dream, just give it all.
You have the ability to pursue your dreams, but it requires giving it everything you have
If you think the ground is shakin',
If you feel like things are uncertain or unstable
It's just the sound of baby-boom!
It's a reference to the generation of Baby Boomers, implying that even though they had issues to deal with, they ultimately made it through
All the good stuff has been taken;
It may seem like all the opportunities have been taken, but that's not necessarily true
'Ya think there's nothin' left for you, that ain't true.
Don't believe that there aren't opportunities available for you
Don't look up if they impress you.
Don't be too influenced by others who impress you
Don't look down, it may depress you.
Don't let the negative things in life affect you to the point of depression
It ain't that far if you fall, so give it all.
Even if you fail, it's not that far of a fall, so still give it everything you have
(guitar solo followed by an instrumental break and chorus adlibs)
Musical interlude
So, grit your teeth and grind your axes,
Prepare yourself for hard work and determination
Trust in God, and pay your taxes.
Have faith and be responsible
Go break down the wall, but give it all!
Don't let obstacles stop you and give everything you have to break them down
Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Norm Cardillo
on Crimson and Clover
school colors?