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.
I Think We're Alone Now
Tommy James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what they say when we're together
And watch how you play
They don't understand
And so we're running just as fast as we can
Holdin' onto one another's hand
Tryin' to get away into the night
And we tumble to the ground and then you say
I think we're alone now
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
Look at the way
We gotta hide what we're doin'
'Cause what would they say
If they ever knew
And so we're running just as fast as we can
Holdin' onto one another's hand
Tryin' to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground and then you say
I think we're alone now
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
I think we're alone now
(Alone now)
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
(Alone now)
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
I think we're alone now
(Alone now)
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
(Alone now)
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
"I Think We're Alone Now" is a song by Tommy James and The Shondells that explores the theme of young love pursued in secret. The lyrics suggest that the couple must run from the world to find time alone to be together. The opening line is "Children behave, that's what they say when we're together," which indicates that societal norms and perceptions of young love are at play. The couple must hide what they're doing or risk facing judgment and criticism from others. Despite the outside world putting pressure on their relationship, they lean on each other for support and comfort. The lyrics highlight the idea that love can be isolating but can ultimately bring people closer together.
Line by Line Meaning
Children behave
Society expects children to behave properly.
That's what they say when we're together
People always make comments about our behavior when we're together.
And watch how you play
People are always keeping an eye on our actions.
They don't understand
The people do not understand our relationship.
And so we're running just as fast as we can
We are running away as fast as we can.
Holdin' onto one another's hand
We are holding hands tightly.
Tryin' to get away into the night
We are trying to escape while it is dark.
And then you put your arms around me
You embrace me tightly.
And we tumble to the ground and then you say
We fall to the ground and you utter these words.
I think we're alone now
I have a feeling that we are alone here.
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I do not think there is anyone else here.
The beating of our hearts is the only sound
We can only hear the sound of our hearts beating.
Look at the way
Observe how we are.
We gotta hide what we're doin'
We must conceal our actions from others.
'Cause what would they say
Because we are afraid of what others would think.
If they ever knew
If they were ever to find out.
I think we're alone now (Alone now) There doesn't seem to be anyone around I think we're alone now (Alone now) The beating of our hearts is the only sound
We feel that we are alone and the only sound we hear is the beating of our hearts.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ritchie Cordell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thenightbladefeeds
Tommy James and the Shondells are one of, if not THE most underrated hitmakers of the 1960s
@MrAdvance2go
Tommy James is...no doubt
@onazram1
No he isn't what so ever
@memaw5boys1girl14
I’m a 67 year old that feels 15 again when I hear this music 🤩
@christinevicker9017
Me 2 and I'm from Australia
@bollywoodoverhollywood8139
That’s so adorable
@sandrahumes1874
Same here. All the people that didn't know this was the original
@sean8077
I’m 53 in April, and only just found out this is a cover! My lord, where have the years gone???
@rmtmiller
17 would be about right.
@catcat8705
Tommy James & The Shondells SHOULD BE IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME RIGHT NOW!