The Shangri-Las were an American pop girl group of the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1966 several hit songs of theirs documented teen

tragedies Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

and melodramas. They continue to be known for their hits "

Remember (Walking in the Sand) "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", also known as "Remember", is a song written by George "Shadow" Morton. It was originally recorded by the girl group the Shangri-Las, who had a top five hit with it in 1964. A remake by Aerosmith in 1979 was ...

", " Give Him a Great Big Kiss", and in particular, "

Leader of the Pack "Leader of the Pack" is a song written by George "Shadow" Morton, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich. It was a number one pop hit in 1964 for the American girl group the Shangri-Las. The single is one of the group's best known songs as well as ...

" which went to #1 in the US in late 1964.

Early career

The group was formed at Andrew Jackson High School in

Cambria Heights Cambria Heights is a residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded by Springfield Boulevard and Francis Lewis Boulevard to the west, the Elmont, Nassau County border on the east, Qu ...

, a neighborhood in

Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

, in 1963. The group was two pairs of sisters:

Mary Weiss Mary Weiss (born December 28, 1948) is an American pop music vocalist, best known as the lead singer of the Shangri-Las in the 1960s. She then vanished from the music scene for decades, returning in 2007 to record her first solo album with Norto ...

(lead singer) (born December 28, 1948) and Elizabeth "Betty" Weiss (born November 27, 1946), and

identical twins Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

Marguerite "Marge"/"Margie" Ganser (February 4, 1948 – July 28, 1996) and Mary Ann Ganser (February 4, 1948 – March 14, 1970). They began playing school shows, talent shows, and teen hops; Artie Ripp heard about them and arranged the group's first record deal with

Kama Sutra The ''Kama Sutra'' (; sa, कामसूत्र, , ; ) is an ancient Indian Sanskrit text on sexuality, eroticism and emotional fulfillment in life. Attributed to Vātsyāyana, the ''Kama Sutra'' is neither exclusively nor predominantly ...

. Their first recording in December 1963 was "Simon Says", later issued on the Smash label, on which Betty Weiss sang lead. They also recorded "Wishing Well" / "Hate to Say I Told You So", which became their first release in early 1964 when leased to the small

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Cana ...

label. Initially the girls performed without a name for their group; however when they signed their first deal, they began calling themselves the Shangri-Las, after a restaurant in Queens. Some discographies list The Beatle-ettes and The Bon Bons, who both issued singles in 1964, as early versions of the Shangri-Las; however, they are different groups. Mary Weiss was the main lead singer; Betty, however, took lead on "Maybe" (the LP version), "Shout", "Twist and Shout", "Wishing Well", and a number of B-sides and album tracks. Mary Ann Ganser took lead on most of " I'm Blue", which is a cover of

the Ikettes The Ikettes, originally The Artettes, were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right. In the 1960s they had hits such as ...

' biggest hit at the time, and was included on their 1965 album ''Shangri-Las 65!''.

Success at Red Bird Records

In April 1964, while the girls were minors their parents signed with

Red Bird Records Red Bird Records was a record label founded by American pop music songwriters Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, and George Goldner in 1964. Though often thought of as a " girl-group" label, female-led acts made up only 40% of the artist roster on Red B ...

; Mary was 15, Betty was 17, and the Ganser twins were 16. Having been hired by

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

George "Shadow" Morton, they had their first success with the summer

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

" (

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

#5, UK #14). Billy Joel, a then-unknown working as a session musician, played on the demo of "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)". The demo was nearly seven minutes long, too long for Top 40 radio. Morton had hired the group to perform on the demo, but Red Bird released a re-recorded version. Morton faded the new version out around 2:16. The recordings for Morton featured lavish production with heavy orchestration and

sound effect A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media. Traditi ...

s, and their next and biggest hit, "

" (U.S. #1, UK #11), climaxes with roaring

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

s and breaking glass. UK re-issues peaked at #3 in 1972 and #7 in 1976. The song epitomized the "

death disc A teenage tragedy song is a style of ballad in popular music that peaked in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Examples of the style are also known as "tear jerkers", "death discs" or "splatter platters", among other colorful sobriquet ...

"; other examples include

Ray Peterson Ray Peterson (April 23, 1935 – January 25, 2005) was an American pop music, pop singing, singer who is best remembered for singing "Tell Laura I Love Her". He also scored numerous other hits, including "Corrine, Corrina" which was compose ...

's "Tell Laura I Love Her",

Jan and Dean Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music style ...

's "Dead Man's Curve", J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers's "Last Kiss," Mark Dinning's "Teen Angel",

Dickey Lee Royden Dickey Lipscomb (born September 21, 1936), known professionally as Dickey Lee (sometimes misspelled Dickie or Dicky), is an American pop/country singer and songwriter, best known for the 1960s teenage tragedy songs " Patches" and "Laurie ( ...

's "Laurie (Strange Things Happen"), Twinkle's "Terry", and Jody Reynolds' "Endless Sleep". The Shangri-Las 1964

After the sudden success of "Remember (Walking in the Sand)", all the girls were called upon to make personal appearances, which required them to leave high school. Mary, however, stayed on for classes at a high school for young professionals in Manhattan. By the end of 1964, the group was an established act. They performed with

the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

, a Fall 1964 tour with the Rolling Stones, R&B artists such as

The Drifters The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in ...

and James Brown (who according to Mary Weiss was surprised to discover the girls were white), and '' Cashbox'' magazine listed them as best new R&B group. The group was also a fixture on the

Murray the K Murray Kaufman (February 14, 1922 – February 21, 1982), professionally known as Murray the K, was an influential New York City rock and roll impresario and disc jockey of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. During the early days of Beatlemania, he freque ...

shows at the Brooklyn Fox from 1964 to 1966. They also promoted

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brother ...

cosmetics. In March 1965, they toured the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

with

Wayne Fontana Glyn Geoffrey Ellis (28 October 19456 August 2020

and the Mindbenders, Herman's Hermits,

Del Shannon Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one ''Billboard'' hit "Runaway". In 1999, he was induc ...

, and others. The Shangri-Las appeared as a quartet to promote "Remember", starting with their stint on the 1964 Labor Day Murray the K show in September. Shortly before the Shangri-Las went to the UK for the aforementioned promotional tour in Oct. 1964, Betty Weiss dropped out temporarily, leaving the group as a trio. She is still featured on the recording for "Leader of the Pack", which was recorded prior to the release of "Remember". The trio which remained went on to tour the US and also appeared on many TV shows, including '' Hullabaloo'', ''

Shindig! ''Shindig!'' is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles,Cousin Brucie in New York City), and the group appeared as a quartet once again until the start of 1966, when they permanently became a trio again (Mary Ann and Marge left at different times, replacing each other until the demise of the group). The group alternated between touring with their own band and local bands. Among the latter were

the Sonics The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington that formed in 1960. Their aggressive, hard-edged sound has been a major influence on punk and garage music worldwide, and they have been named inspirations to the White Str ...

, as well as the Iguanas featuring a young Iggy Pop. They also appeared as headliners on package tours such as

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...

's Caravan of Stars, and as said tours with R&B acts like the Orlons and

Joe Tex Yusuf Hazziez (born Joseph Arrington Jr.; August 8, 1935 – August 13, 1982), known professionally as Joe Tex, was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the styl ...

. Later in their career, the Shangri-Las performed several college dates with bands like

The Young Rascals ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

The Animals The Animals (also billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals) are an English rock band, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early 1960s. The band moved to London upon finding fame in 1964. The Animals were known for their gritty, bluesy sound and ...

, and

Vanilla Fudge Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band known predominantly for their slow extended heavy rock arrangements of contemporary hit songs, such as their hit cover of The Supremes' " You Keep Me Hangin' On". The band's original line–up—vocalist ...

Public image

The Shangri-Las' "tough girl" persona set them apart from other girl groups. Having grown up in a rough neighborhood of

, New York, they were less demure than their contemporaries. Rumors about supposed escapades have since become legend; for example, the story that Mary Weiss attracted the attention of the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

for transporting a firearm across state lines. In her defense, she said someone tried to break into her hotel room one night and for protection she bought a pistol.Iain Aitch
"The Leader's Back"
''The Telegraph'', April 14, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2014. Whatever truth the stories may have, they were believed by fans in the 1960s, and they helped cement the group's bad-girl reputation. According to Weiss, that persona helped fend off advances from musicians on tours. The Shangri-Las continued to chart with fairly successful U.S. hit

records A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, r ...

, specializing in adolescent themes such as alienation, loneliness, abandonment, and premature death. Singles included "Give Him a Great Big Kiss", "Out in the Streets", "Give Us Your Blessings", the top ten hit " I Can Never Go Home Anymore", "Long Live Our Love" (a rare example of a song dedicated to the men at the time fighting overseas in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

), "He Cried" and the spoken-word "Past, Present, and Future", featuring a musical backdrop inspired by

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...

's "Moonlight Sonata". Noteworthy B-sides included "Heaven Only Knows", "The Train from Kansas City", "Dressed in Black" and "Paradise" (written by

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ov ...

). Among titles in favorites lists is "I Can Never Go Home Anymore", the story of a girl who leaves home for a boy; her pride keeps her from returning to her mother who ''"grew so lonely in the end/the angels picked her for their friend"''. Lines from "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" include ''"When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V"'', and ''"Well I hear he's bad." "Hmm, he's good-bad, but he's not evil."'' "Past, Present, and Future" has been said to be about rape, something Weiss disagrees with. She has said it is about "teenage angst," heartbreak, and "being hurt and angsty and not wanting anyone near you."

Disintegration and retirement

The group appeared on several TV shows and continued to tour the US, but in 1966, two of three releases on Red Bird failed to crack the U.S. top 50, though the group remained popular in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and Japan. Mary Ann Ganser left, but returned early in 1967 when Marge–the most outspoken member, sometimes considered the leader – left. Red Bird Records had folded. The group recorded more tracks with Shadow Morton producing (some of which remain unreleased) and signed with

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...

. However, Morton had begun working with

Janis Ian Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her signature songs are the 1966/67 hit "Society's Child, Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" an ...

and

, and Mercury had little enthusiasm for the group. During their Mercury stint, the Shangri-Las had no further hits; in 1968, they disbanded, amid litigation. All the Shangri-Las withdrew from the spotlight. Morton said, "The Shangri-Las vacated, they vanished". Reportedly they were angry that they had received few royalties despite the millions of records they had sold. Mary Weiss moved to New York's

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

and then to

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

. Returning to

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

a few years later and prevented from recording because of lawsuits, she worked as a secretary while taking college classes. She then went into the architectural industry, working in the accounting department of a New York architectural firm. Weiss moved up to be the chief purchasing agent and later ran the commercial furniture dealership. In the late eighties, she managed a furniture store and was an interior designer. By 2001, she was a furniture consultant to New York businesses. She married in 1974, but the marriage ended in 1988; she married again several years later, and her second husband now manages her music career. Betty Weiss had a daughter in 1964, necessitating her absence from the group during this period. She was the only member of the group to have a child (who was raised with the help of Betty's brother George Weiss, who died in 1998). Betty Weiss also married and held several jobs and now lives and works on Long Island. Mary Ann Ganser began having problems with drug and alcohol addiction in 1968. She died in Queens on March 15, 1970, aged 22, of a drug overdose. (This may have been a heroin overdose as mentioned in a contemporary newspaper report and on her death certificate, or a barbiturate overdose as related later by her mother to a journalist) Her death has been incorrectly reported as having been caused by encephalitis, or by a seizure disorder. Marge Ganser reportedly returned to school in the late 1960s. By the early 1970s, she married (changing her name to Marguerite Ganser Dorste), worked for NYNEX in

Valley Stream, New York Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population in the Village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census. The incorporated Village of Valley Stream is within the Town of Hempstead, ...

, and died of

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a r ...

on July 28, 1996, at age 48. The group declined offers to perform throughout the 1970s, although they did have a few live performances. Following the successful re-issue of "Leader of the Pack" in the UK in 1976, which renewed interest in the group, Mary and Betty Weiss and Marge Ganser reunited. Contacting

Seymour Stein Seymour Stein (born April 18, 1942) is an American entrepreneur and music executive. He co-founded Sire Records and was Vice President of Warner Bros. Records. With Sire, Stein signed bands that became central to the new wave era of the 1970s ...

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehre ...

, they spent summer 1977 in New York with producer

Andy Paley Andrew Douglas Paley (born November 2, 1952) is an American songwriter, record producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who formed the Paley Brothers, a 1970s power pop duo, with his brother Jonathan Paley. Following their disbandment, And ...

. Paley said the sessions went well, but they weren't satisfied with all the material, and declined to release the record. The tapes are now owned by the Warner Music Group. They did, however, give a live performance at

CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kr ...

; Paley put together a band, including Lenny Kaye, and after two hours of rehearsal, the Shangri-Las returned to the stage for the first time in a decade. Although the Sire sessions came to naught, the group toyed with signing to another label; however, they were put off by the insistence of record executives that they be a disco vocal group, the musical trend of the day. Mary said she envisioned the Shangri-Las like

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

singer

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album ''Horses''. Called the "punk poet ...

. Eventually, the Shangri-Las split up again. Since the 1980s, a trio has been performing under the name the Shangri-Las, although unconnected with the original group. The copycat act was put together by Dick Fox, who claimed to have bought the rights to the name, and resulted in legal action from both sides, largely due to a video tape of the new Shangri-Las claiming in public to be the original group. The original group performed for the last time at a reunion show hosted by Cousin Brucie (Bruce Morrow) in East Rutherford, New Jersey on June 3, 1989. In March 2007,

Norton Records Norton Records, is an independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller in 1986. The label concentrates on rock, rockabilly, primitive music, punk, garage rock and early rhythm and blues.solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Comics * ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series * Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...

album by Mary Weiss (backed by garage rockers

The Reigning Sound Reigning Sound was an American rock and roll band originally based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States As of 2019, along with fronting Reigning Sound, Cartwright also reformed his past band Greg Oblivian and the Tip Tops. In 2020, he also refor ...

) titled ''Dangerous Game''. She performed in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Influence

The streetwise image of the Shangri-Las – initially a promotional device for "Leader of the Pack" – contrasted with other "girl groups" of the 1960s, and they were cited as an influence by 1970s punk rock-era acts such as the New York Dolls and Blondie; the latter covered "Out in the Streets" twice.

The Go-Go's The Go-Go's are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar and keyboar ...

have been performing "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" live ever since their early punk rock days in Los Angeles clubs. The opening line from "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" – ''"When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, L-U-V"'' – was used by

the New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial succ ...

on their 1973 recording "Looking for a Kiss". It is also used by the English pop trio SOHO in the beginning of their song "Nuthin' on My Mind" from their album, ''Goddess''. The New York Dolls' guitarist Johnny Thunders included a cover of "...Great Big Kiss" on his first solo album ''So Alone''.

Ian Svenonius Ian F Svenonius is an American musician and singer of various Washington, D.C.-based punk bands including Nation of Ulysses, the Make-Up, Weird War, XYZ, Escape-ism, and Chain and the Gang. Between his numerous projects, Svenonius has release ...

also used the line at the beginning of "Today I Met the Girl I'm Going to Marry" by his band

Nation of Ulysses The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kron ...

on the album '' 13-Point Program to Destroy America''. More recently,

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams lef ...

(and the Cardinals) paid homage to that line in their song "Beautiful Sorta" off the album ''

Cold Roses ''Cold Roses'' is the sixth studio album by alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on May 3, 2005 on Lost Highway. The album is his first with backing band The Cardinals, and the first of three albums released in 2005. ''Cold Roses' ...

'', but they changed it to ''"When I say L-U-V, you better believe me L-U-V. Give me a beer!"'' In 2005, Julian Cope parodied the famous line in "Dying to Meet You" from his album '' Citizen Cain'd''. He's heard to say ''"When I say I'm dead, you best believe I'm dead, D-E-A-D"'' during the outro. In an outtake of "Careless" from their album '' Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash'', The Replacements opened with the line ''"When I say I'm in debt, you best believe I'm in debt, D-E-T!"'' In 1972, "Leader of the Pack" was performed by Bette Midler on her debut album '' The Divine Miss M''. The opening from "Leader of the Pack" – ''"Is she really going out with him?"'' – was recycled both as the opening lines of 1976's "

New Rose "New Rose" by The Damned (band), The Damned was the first single by a British punk rock group, released on 22 October 1976 on Stiff Records, and in 1977 in the Netherlands, Germany and France. Written by guitarist Brian James (guitarist), Brian ...

" by the Damned, the first British punk rock single, and of "Kill" by the parody punk group Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, as well as the

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

of the 1979 hit song by Joe Jackson. Aerosmith released a more rock-style version of "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" featuring uncredited backing vocals by Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las as a single in 1980. It can be found on both their ''Greatest Hits'' album and on their ''Night in the Ruts'' album, and charted on the Hot 100 at 67. Scottish alternative rock band

The Jesus and Mary Chain The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they re ...

cited the Shangri-Las as an early influence. In 1985, the band's guitarist William Reid stated: "We all love the Shangri-Las, and one day we're going to make Shangri-Las records." The Shangri-Las are referenced in John Mellencamp's 1985 single "

R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.", subtitled "A Salute to 60's Rock", is a rock song written and performed by John Mellencamp. It was the third single from his 1985 album ''Scarecrow'' and a top-ten hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Top Rock Trac ...

" from his third album ''

Scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley ...

''. They were also referenced by

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

in a ''

McCartney II ''McCartney II'' is the second solo album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 16 May 1980. It was recorded by McCartney at his home studio in the summer of 1979, shortly before the dissolution of his band Wings in 1981. Like his fir ...

'' sessions track, "Mr H Atom" / "You Know I'll Get You Baby", recorded in 1979, but not released until 2011.

Twisted Sister Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. Their best-known songs include " We're Not Gonna Take It" and " I Wanna Rock", both of which were associated with ...

covered "Leader of the Pack" on their 1985 gold-selling album '' Come Out and Play''. "Past, Present, and Future" was covered in 2004 by ex-

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group ...

singer

Agnetha Fältskog Agneta Åse Fältskog (born 5 April 1950), known as Agnetha Fältskog (), is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and musician. She first achieved success in Sweden with the release of her 1968 self-titled debut album. She later achieved internatio ...

on her album, '' My Colouring Book''. The Johnny Thunders / Patti Palladin album '' Copy Cats'' (1988) features a version of "He Cried".

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

artist Rowland S. Howard included a version of "She Cried" on his album ''Teenage Snuff Film'' (1999). Although most covers and remakes of the Shangri-Las material focus on the hit singles, some express the group's influence on them by recording songs from the Shangri-Las which were never released as singles by the group. Among these, the Los Angeles rock group

Redd Kross Redd Kross is an American rock band from Hawthorne, California, who had their roots in 1978 in a punk rock band called the Tourists, which was started by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while Steve was still in middle school. With the additi ...

covered "Heaven Only Knows," an album cut from the Shangri-Las' second album ''Shangri-Las '65''. Superchunk, Belle and Sebastian, The Shop Assistants and

Neko Case Neko Richelle Case (; born September 8, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case has a powerful, untrained contralto voice, which has been described by contemporaries and cr ...

recorded versions of "The Train from Kansas City", which was a b-side, and an album cut from the Shangri-Las debut album, ''Leader of the Pack''. British singer

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...

cited the Shangri-Las as an influence and occasionally integrated the hook lyrics from "

" into the bridge of her song "

Back to Black ''Back to Black'' is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. Winehouse predominantly based the album on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfrien ...

" during live performances. Winehouse has called "I Can Never Go Home Anymore" the "saddest song in the world."

Faris Badwan Faris Adam Derar Badwan (born 21 September 1986) is an English musician, best known as the lead vocalist of the Horrors, and more recently as half of Cat's Eyes. Early life Born in Bexley, Kent on 21 September 1986 to a Palestinian father and ...

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has listed the Shangri-Las as an influence in The Horrors' sound and lyrics, and had added a reworked version of "He Cried" to "She Cried" into The Horrors' song, "Who Can Say," using the lines, "''And when I told her I didn’t love her anymore, she cried/and when I told her, her kisses were not like before, she cried/and when I told her another girl had caught my eye, she cried/and I kissed her, with a kiss that could only mean goodbye,''" in spoken-word with a drum beat similar to that the Shangri-Las used. The song is also originally "She Cried" by

Jay and the Americans Jay and the Americans are an American rock group who formed in the late 1950s. Their initial line-up consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane (born Howard Kirschenbaum), Kenny Vance (born Kenneth Rosenberg) and Sandy Deanne (born Sandy Ya ...

, another (if slight) influence over The Horrors.

Black Lips Black Lips is an American garage rock band from Atlanta, Georgia formed in 1999. History The band formed in Dunwoody, Georgia after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Rer ...

, an

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band, called their 2007 album '' Good Bad Not Evil'', after the line in "Give Him a Great Big Kiss". Sonic Youth referenced the "very, very close" lyric of "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" on the Kim Gordon/Kim Deal duet " Little Trouble Girl" in 1995. Early punk band

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also reference the song in "Love Und Romance" on the 1979 album ''

Cut Cut may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely-directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** Cut (ea ...

''. The

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song "What's a Girl to Do?" has been widely acknowledged as a Shangri-Las pastiche.

Kathleen Hanna Kathleen Hanna (born November 12, 1968) is an American singer, musician, artist, feminist activist, pioneer of the feminist punk riot grrrl movement, and punk zine writer. In the early-to-mid-1990s she was the lead singer of feminist punk band B ...

of the electropunk group

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has mentioned that the "one girl calling another" motif and the opening sound of seagulls on the track "What's Yr Take on Cassavetes?" were inspired by the Shangri-Las. The Shangri-Las were imitated by groups like The Nu-Luvs, who had a hit with "So Soft, So Warm", which was originally recorded by the Shangri-Las as "Dressed In Black" and used as the b-side to Jay and the Americans' original, "He Cried". Others included the Pussycats and the Whyte Boots, who scored big with their single "Nightmare", originally intended for the Shangri-Las, and written, produced and performed by Lori Burton and

Pam Sawyer Pamela Joan Sawyer (born 1938) is a British songwriter/lyricist, who started writing songs in the mid-1960s and whose credits as a co-writer at Motown included " Love Child", " If I Were Your Woman", "My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left ...

. The Goodees had a hit in early 1969 with "Condition Red", a "Leader of the Pack"-inspired tale about a girl who wants to be with her long-haired, bearded boyfriend despite her parents' objections. The Detergents had hits with "Leader of the Laundromat" and "I Can Never Eat Home Any More", both of which were parodies of Shangri-Las records. Giddle Partridge and

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recorded a cover of "Past, Present, and Future" in 1989.

Alex Chilton William Alexander Chilton (December 28, 1950 – March 17, 2010) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial success in the 1960s ...

often played it in concert. Brooklyn band Vivian Girls cite the Shangri-Las as one of their influences.

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

rock band HIM used "Dressed in Black" as an intro song for their tour promoting their album '' Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice''.

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released a cover of "Past, Present, and Future" on her 2011 album '' Horses and High Heels''. The bridge of "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and the background vocals of "Leader of the Pack" are heavily sampled in the track "No" from the 2012 album ''

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'' by French hip hop artist

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. While recording her 2017 album '' Lust for Life'', American singer

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was heavily influenced by The Shangri-Las. In the 2015 documentary ''Wider Horizons'', David Gilmour, guitarist for Pink Floyd, cited the Shangri-Las as an influence, saying their music "painted aural pictures". In the eighth episode of ''RuPaul's Drag Races 14th season, drag queens Bosco, Daya Betty, and

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performed an original song "Bad Boy Baby" as "The Shang''ru''-Las", both parodying and paying homage to the music and style of The Shangri-Las. In

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's 2016 album "Who Really Cares", the song "For You" starts with a sample of their Good Taste Tips

Discography

Timeline

Studio albums

Compilation albums

*1966: ''Golden Hits of the Shangri-Las'' *1975: ''The Shangri-Las Sing'' *1986: ''The Dixie Cups Meet the Shangri-Las'' *1994: ''Myrmidons of Melodrama'' *1996: ''The Best of the Shangri-Las'' *2002: ''Myrmidons of Melodrama'' (Re-issue) *2008: ''Remembered'' *2008: ''Greatest Hits'' *2009: ''The Complete Collection''

Singles

Lead vocalist, per song

(Lead vocals were often double-tracked: The vocalist recorded her part and then overdubbed that part herself, singing the same notes and words, in order to "thicken" the sound) *"Simon Says"—Betty *"Wishing Well"—Betty *"Hate to Say I Told You So"—Betty *"

"—Mary *"It's Easier to Cry"—Betty *"

"—Mary and Betty in tandem (i.e., singing the same notes and words), with Mary mixed slightly louder *"What Is Love?"—Betty *"Give Him a Great Big Kiss"—Mary *" Maybe"—Betty (The overall song was slowed down during the mastering stage, in order to extend the length) *" Shout"—Betty (in spite of Mary later lip-synching the song on the Lloyd Thaxton show in February, 1965 due to Betty's absence) *"Out in the Streets"—Mary *"The Boy"—Betty *"Give Us Your Blessings"—Mary *"Heaven Only Knows"—Mary (The overall song was slowed down during the mastering stage, in order to extend the length) *"Never Again"—Mary (with Betty singing the prominent "baby" twice near the end) *"I'm Blue"—Mary Ann *"Right Now and Not Later"—Mary *"The Train From Kansas City"—Mary *"I Can Never Go Home Anymore"—Mary *"Bull Dog"—Betty *"Sophisticated Boom Boom"—Betty (with Mary Ann singing the ad-libbed "yeahs" during the second chorus) *"Long Live Our Love"—Mary *"He Cried"—Mary *"Dressed in Black"—Betty *"Past, Present, and Future"—Mary *"Paradise"—Mary *"Love You More Than Yesterday"—Mary *"The Sweet Sounds of Summer"—Mary *"I'll Never Learn"—Mary *"Take the Time"—Mary (with Mary Ann singing the prominent "yeah" at the end of each chorus) *"Footsteps on the Roof"—Mary

Notes

References

"Shangri-Las 77!"
footnote 4, by Phil X Milstein, Spectropop

External links

MacKinney, L. (2012). "Dressed in black": the Shangri-Las and their recorded legacy.
Doctoral Thesis by Lisa MacKinney
Fan website
an extensive article by John J. Grecco

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20160303190757/http://www.loti.com/sixties_music/The_Shangri-Las.htm Article by David Galassiebr>August 2008 Interview
with L.A. Record
Biographic details for Marge Ganser in findagrave.comNorton Records' extensive 2007 interview with Mary WeissA unique footage
showing the Shangri-Las and The Playmate Blues Band leaving an hotel during a tour, year 1966. From the public

Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...

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The Playmate Blues Band

Listening

Interview with Mary Weiss
from ''Fresh Air'' radio program, NPR Podcast, March 6, 2007
Interview with Mary Weiss
from WFMU-FM, Real Audio archive, October 9, 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:Shangri-Las, The Mercury Records artists Smash Records artists Sibling musical groups American pop music groups American pop girl groups Musical groups established in 1963 Musical groups disestablished in 1968 Female-fronted musical groups Musical groups from Queens, New York