November 23, 1964
The girl group The Shangri-Las were cruising at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on this day with their classic song Leader Of The Pack.
The second hit record in a row by the quartet from Queens, New York – and only single to sell one million copies – had just ended a 4-week run at #1 by The Supremes with Baby Love.
It, along with the group’s first hit earlier in 1964 (Remember) Walking In The Sand (#5), both made Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the ‘Top 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time’ at #454 and #404 respectively.
The “Myrmidons of Melodrama” consisted of two sets of sisters: lead singer Mary Weiss, sibling Betty Weiss, Mary Ann Ganser and her twin Marge Ganser.
The Shangri-Las (L-R) Mary Ann Ganser, Betty Weiss, Marge Ganser, Mary Weiss
•
One of the great label logos of the Sixties
Red Bird Records was founded in 1964 by the legendary songwriting team Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller along with influential 50’s record promoter George Goldner.
Besides The Shangri-Las, its roster of artists primarily contained other girl groups like The Dixie Cups (Chapel Of Love) and The Jelly Beans I Wanna Love Him So Bad).
🎵🎵🎵
[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices. A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be required for optimal enjoyment.
•
LEADER OF THE PACK
The Shangri-Las
(Single Version)
[1964]
The second Top 10 hit by the Shangri-Las was penned by one of the famous teams working in New York City’s songwriting ‘factory’ known as the Brill Building, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich along with the record’s producer and colleague of the duo, George “Shadow” Morton.
One of the best-known ‘tragedy’ songs from the pop era, this is the rarely heard ‘true’ stereo version in crystal-clear HD from the HOTH music vault.
https://youtu.be/2eoP18lASqg
•
LEADER OF THE LAUNDROMAT
The Detergents
[1964]
The Detergents were a novelty song trio from New York led by Ron Dante (left top). This parody rendering of ‘Leader Of The Pack’ elicited a lawsuit against the group by composers Barry & Greenwich and producer Morton.
[Note) LOTL was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss who’d authored a number of significant hits like 1957’s Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como (which topped Billboard’s Most Played By Jockeys chart and became one of Como’s signature songs), Brian Hyland‘s Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (1962 • #3), Playground In My Mind from Clint Holmes (1973 • #2) and the David Geddes hit Run Joey Run (1975 • #4).
[Note] Dante sang the lead vocals on a pair of 1969 hits: the #1 million-selling Sugar, Sugar by The Archies (written by Barry and Andy Kim) and on the one-hit-wonder Top 10-er by The Cuff Links called Tracy (written by Vance-Pockriss).
He later became Barry Manilow‘s co-producer on his first nine albums (1973-1981) and provided back-up vocals for his 1974 number one hit Mandy.
•
https://youtu.be/5ulkgx_YP2k
•
BONUS TRACK!
I CAN NEVER GO HOME ANYMORE
The Shangri-Las
(Radio Edit Single Version)
[1965]
From late 1965, the third and last Top 10 single (#6) by the Shangri-Las was another three-minute mini-vacation – this time about teen-parent angst – called I Can Never Go Home Anymore, which “Shadow” Morton wrote solo and again produced.
This one’s also in rare ‘true’ stereo.
https://youtu.be/3YVJ-YPGOPE
Sadly Mary Ann Ganser died from a drug overdose in 1970 (22) and twin sister Marge Ganser from breast cancer in 1996 (48).
•
Produced & Written By: Rick Murray Hunter / HouseoftheHits.com
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
