The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack (1964) Stereo HQ Audio
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 เม.ย. 2016
- "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 girl group The Shangri-Las. The single is one of the group's best known songs as well as a popular cultural example of a 'teenage tragedy song'.
The tune of "Leader of the Pack" is credited to pop impresario George "Shadow" Morton together with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. According to Morton, he wrote the song for the Goodies (also known as the Bunnies), but instead it was needed as a follow-up to the Shangri-Las hit "Remember (Walking in the Sand)". He said he did not know that he was supposed to have a second idea ready to follow up "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" until Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (Red Bird Records co-owners with George Goldner) asked him, "Hey, what do you want to do for the second record?" Morton said he "got a bottle of champagne, two cigars" and "went into the shower, sat down, drank the champagne, smoked the cigars, and wrote the song on a shirt cardboard with my kids crayons." Morton claimed he credited Barry and Greenwich as co-writers for business reasons; however his recollection has been questioned by Ellie Greenwich.
The song is about a girl named Betty, asked by friends to confirm that she is dating Jimmy, the leader of a motorcycle gang. After singing of love at first sight ("I met him at the candy store/He turned around and smiled at me/You get the picture?/That's when I fell for the Leader of the Pack"), Betty's heart turns to despair as she bemoans her parents' disapproval. The parents claim Jimmy hails from "the wrong side of town" and ask Betty to tell Jimmy goodbye and find someone new. Betty does as she is asked, and Jimmy speeds off on his motorcycle. Moments later, he crashes on a rain-slickened surface and dies; Betty's pleas for Jimmy to slow down are in vain.
In July 1964, Morton recorded the vocals for "Leader of the Pack" with the Shangri-Las at the Ultrasonic Sound studio on the second floor of a Manhattan hotel. The song was produced by George "Shadow" Morton. These vocals were dubbed over the instrumental parts, which had been previously recorded at the Ultrasonic Recording Studios in Hempstead, New York. Billy Joel, then a young session musician, said on November 16, 2010 during an interview with Howard Stern that he played piano on one of the demos for "Leader of the Pack," but he was not sure if any of his parts made the final recording. In fact, the piano part was played by Roger Rossi, a staff musician for Ultrasonic Recording Studios at the time. Rossi said, "I remember the date like it was yesterday, there were no written charts, so unfortunately, some musicians kept making mistakes. As I recall, it took 63 recording takes before Shadow Morton was satisfied." Rossi added, "By the end of the session, in take 62, I also messed up and Morton laughingly yelled out, 'Ohhhh, noooo. Not you, too!'"
According to legend, to add the authentic sound of a motorcycle engine, one was driven through the lobby of the hotel and up to the floor of the recording studio. No one was arrested, but a ticket was issued. However, in an interview four decades later, Shangri-Las lead singer Mary Weiss said the motorcycle sound was taken from an effects record. The Zombies' drummer Hugh Grundy recalls revving up a motorcycle backstage when the Shangri-Las performed on a U.S. tour.
"Leader of the Pack" was released as a single on the Leiber and Stoller label Red Bird Records, the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1964. In the United Kingdom, the single was refused airplay by the BBC, probably due to its death theme, although some have speculated that it was considered likely to encourage violence between mods and rockers. It charted three times on the UK Singles Chart: number 11 in 1965; number 3 in 1972[8] (by which time the BBC ban had been lifted); and once again at number 7 in 1976, when its sales figures as a reissue on two different labels (Charly and Contempo) were combined to arrive at its chart position. The record also reached number 1 in Australia.
In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at number 447. In the 2010 revision of the list, it was moved to number 454 as new entries were added.
The song is featured in a Broadway musical based on the songs of Ellie Greenwich, Leader of the Pack, which opened in 1985. In 1990, the song was featured in the soundtrack of the Martin Scorsese film, Goodfellas. - เพลง
Listening to this AWESOME song in April 2024 🎊 ❤
Here may 24
@@avantixsiemprein Italia, in Sicilia,in Germania ,in Saxonia it is April 10 hours ago 😅😂
@@sindyrichter7040 good 4 u
Loved robert goulet!
damn puts a tear in the eye, i miss being a child in the sixties , beautiful time to be alive
God, I wish I could start my life all over again! I miss them good ole days.
I was born to the oldies no music is better than this💯❤️
My heart is broken at the loss of beautiful Mary Weiss. Her voice and performance was permeated with the pathos of her many wonderful songs. Only 15 when she recorded “Leader of the Pack” with her school friends who became The Shangri-Las. Now it is like the ELO song “ My Shangrila has gone away. Faded like the Beatles on “Hey Jude” . Goodbye Mary. We will miss you. ❤
Well said❤😢
You’re weird
that was such a beautiful song very well performed and at such a young age they think they're living room destined for real good life in the music industry but unfortunately thingsthings happen😢😢😂😂😂😢😢😢😢😊❤❤😂😂❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉nevernever forgotten
"My heart is broken" a bit of a drama queen I think
I didn’t know she had died. The twins both died pretty young.
I was born in the 80s but the 50s and 60s had the best music I grew up with my mum listening to it on a weekend cleaning the house and making the Sunday dinner
Feb 2024 and who's listening to this classic with me.
Meeeee
April for me, went down the rabbit hole and Under Pressure led me to this. Weird isn't it.
God bless you ! Jesus saves sinners
April 2024
Me, bring it on ❤
It had to be the summer of 1970. I was a paperboy and was getting ready for our family to head up to the cottage in Canada. I came across a bunch of boxes that the folks had left out in the trash after they moved. So I loaded what I could carry in my wagon. Records, by the score. 1950's and early 60's. Had to been hundred 45's. The girls that owned them loved to dance, that became clear. All summer long we played "oldies" this one was one of my favorites. I always wanted to thank those girls..I had never owned a record before. We ha the gift of music in our era, it help us cope. The kids today...no poets, not songs,only games. Pity
And just think this is what your parents must have experienced with the change in generations. Because back in their day people had to be multi-talented to even be famous for the most part. Dance, sing, act , horse riding, trained in stage combat etc whatever the case may be for movies / music. These days all you need is a good computer engineer and a green screen or some auto tune and a pretty face.
@@hamsandwich6374 The need for a pretty face & a nice body is going to vanish...digitized performers looking so real no one can tell.
Actually, I was still in grade school or just starting H S so it was definitely the mid to late 60’s. HS grad in 67
You found a treasure.
I was born in 80 and these songs were part of my childhood too. My bff and I listened to the 50s and 60s religiously lol. Good times. I was actually lucky because I was introduced to so many genres and decades in my youth. I feel old though.
As someone who is 74 you can’t beat this music 👏👏👏👏
Me too! The twin backup signers were born the same day as I was in 1948!
Awesome.
You are so right!
@@kixigvakthat's awesome 😎
❤
One of my all time favorite songs depicting teenage drama. RIP Mary Weiss.
I was 6yrs old and I remember the words still great era my sisters played it over and over Mary you always made me cry this song still tugs at my heart ❤ RIPIH MARY WEISS never forgotten ♥
I was 9 when leaders of the pack came out in 1964
Love you Mary Weiss. 😢❤😢
Gosh I loved this song! I was 14 when it came out! Now I’m 71 and it sure brings back memories!! 🏍
✨🌷🌱✨ ,,,😎,,,
🌱🌱✨
✨🌱🌱
✨🌱
🌱✨
🌱
✨
Same here!!
Yep
spot on
🙋🏼♀️
I grew up listening to music like this. I'm old. Good for me. That means I grew up in great times.
agreed
Same here it was the best of time's!!
Så sant....
The most Boomer comment ever, lol
We are blessed! Wouldn't want to be a youngster with the state of the world and the state of music now
I loved listening to this record with my father when I was a kid. One of his prized possessions was a signed photo he had. gotten from the band at a show. RIP Mary, say hello to my father for me if you see him on the other side.
The 60's and 70's were GREAT!!
I know...my young life growing up is in those years...never to happen again.
Except Vietnam
@@sammyvh11 Very true. So very true.
So very true.
The 50's, 60's....and the 70's...My favorite time in MUSIC!!!!🧡💛💚💙❤️💜❤️🎷🎺🎸🎹🎶🎵
WHO'S STILL ENJOYING THIS SONG?
GREAT ERA OF MUSIC🎶
I am right now! ❤❤❤
Wow I remember this huge hit
A timeless classic, YES I'M STILL LISTENING TO THIS SONG IN 2023, !!!!!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉😂😂❤
🥰
Me
My dad gave me a "Silvertone" (Sears) transistor radio and this was one of the first songs I heard, laying on the sand in So. Cal., circa 64'. What a time to be young. Next would come The Beach Boys and then The Beatles and everything would change!
R.I.P. Mary 🌈🌈🕯🕯
You're now in Heaven,
riding with your beloved
"Leader Of The Pack".
The guy on the motorcycle is my (was my...R.I.P.) famous cousin, singer and actor, Robert Goulet.
Loved him!
I remember him well from those days. Terrific voice! You're lucky to have had such a distinguished relative.
Robert Goulet!
Really good looking and talented but maybe slightly too old for the par
I should have recognized him. I'm a fan. I actually thought it was Danny Thomas. Thanks for sharing.
one of the greatest classics of alltime
I lived on Long Island ten miles from where the Shangri-Las lived in Queens. I have fond memories of trying to look as cool as these young women were, but, there was nothing like the real thing. Incredible talent and raw emotion. This was 60s rock music at its peak-tried and true, and nothing comes close to it. Mary and The Shangri-Las will live on in our hearts forever.
100100 I agree with you
Glad my Mom listened to allot of music- One of my favorites- still listening Mom
Guy on the bike pure makes me laugh, the facial expressions and bouncing the bike around.
Singer Robert Goulet, helping promote the group.
He was funny while they were serious. Sort of made me laugh.
the honda 50cc was bouncing around under all that horsepower.
@@belkyhernandez8281 WHAT? this song isn't a joke? I thought they were satirizing, the lyrics seemed too ridiculous to be serious.
@@blurgle9185 Real song. Not satire. Still played on the radio when I was a kid in the 80s. I liked it through my teen years
The guy on the motorcycle is famous singer Robert Goulet from Canada, he did this as a favor for the girls who are huge Robert Goulet fans at the time and to promote the song for the girls record label too
Thank you for the Interesting music fact.
My Mom loved Robert Goulet
Wow, didn't know that! Thanks for sharing!
That’s amazing.
Thank you for the info.
SIGH...I was 15 years-young and this video and song floods my mind with great memories of 1964.
I still listen to all these songs. I was born in 1957. I like all these old songs.
Her hair is pure gold!😋😀😀😀😀👍👍👍
...and a major fire risk, a few haystacks went up in the ciggie-smoking days.
Looks like Joe pesci is going to shake some diamonds out of that mother f*****
Lost era. Wonderful innocence. With a touch of rebelliousness in the song. Wistful times.
Hello Caroline, How are you doing?.
I'm in England and I bought this single in the days when we could listen in a booth, to a whole album if we wanted! I love this and all Shangri-Las music. I feel so lucky to be born when I was, and have The Best musical memories. Thank you BeepSleepMusic for posting this video.
Smiles, how are you doing Jennifer?
Mary Weiss, what a voice, no autotune in those days!
Double Tracking Though
I wasn’t born till 1978 grew up listening to this music from my parents and I love it I am now 42 and still loving it.
Same here. I'm 1973
Gees, that's too bad you guys were born so late! But, you've got the music and flicks if not the direct memories. Hey, not too bad!
Am pre-Boomer era here, and I congratulate you for having excellent taste in music. (I myself was mostly into classical then but, even though this music got into one. Now it IS nostalgic to me.)
Happy listening.
You can't beat these classics from the 60s. The greatest music ever.
Without a doubt
Agreed ❤
Great music.great times loved the sixtees
Yepp I was born in 1958 and I love this music
Agreed
I LOVE the lead singer's hair, it was GORGEOUS.
1964 i was 6yrs old but i remember this.
never will we see this talent ever again again
"Look out, look out, look out, look out"....
I love it.
Never in history has there been a more beautiful love song written about a greaser.
For sure, this is an epic song. As for beautiful love songs about greasers, you might also
consider Richard Thompson's "Vincent Black Lightning."
How about ‘Do the Fonzie.’
I remember this song, my older brother listened to all kinds of music
I grew up on this kind of music.. 68 years old today and still love that good old rock and roll
Right on, Janet ! 💝💝 Hey from AK !
I grew up and learned my way around SoCal in the Sixties on that very same Yamaha 80. I definitely remember the song but didn't hang around home long enough to watch pretty girls on TV. 72 today!
Wow! only 15 with a voice like that..
@@TEAMERICA96 72 also! I had a Honda 90 in high school & used to take the college girls that housed in my neighborhood on motorcycle rides..... the tighter they held on, the better! ❤ You and I probably both knew instantly that the 4-cycle exhaust track used in the recording didn't come from that 2-cycle Yama' 😂😎
Her voice breaks your heart. And what an amazing opening line to a song. It's like a mini drama. Wonderful stuff.
That Honda 305 Dream revving up sounds awesome!....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!
It drew us right in, Mikey moo.
Whats on her head?
@Dan Dugan Super!!!
@@sharksport01 Roadkill???!!!
I love music like these and I am only in my 40s ❤
I was 8 yrs old...still great music when music said something.
I love the 60s and 70s I can’t get out of it
❤❤❤ Class of '69 here! I just flat-out tell everyone that "I'm stuck in the '60's" when it comes to music.... I'm very happy in the golden days of Rock-N-Roll, Ballads and Love Songs and never want to leave! ❤❤❤
My cousin bought me this seven single when I was 11 years old...😍 She is 74 now and I'm 68...brings back so many memories. 😊
That is lovly...
Go give her that hug of love
that's very sweet.
That’s awesome 🤩
Makes you wonder just where did all those decades go ! I recently retired and am still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up...............
@@kfl611 ❤❤❤ I'm 72 and I never want to grow up! Happily "Stuck in the '60's!" 💟☮😎
first time I`ve seen this group instead of just hearing it on the radio. the lead singer is a "babe"🙂love the hair🩷
I must be getting on..I remember liking this when I was at school in Cardiff. Time is pushing on..
The Shangri-Las. A Great Group. Seen Them In Person,Back In The 60's' Twice. Sang All Their Hit's. Even Received Their Autograph.
Lucky
Absolute Gold. Aged liked fine wine. The older it gets the better it sounds, the more it's appreciated. Best decade for music.
Brilliant brings back so many memory's 👍🤗🙏💖🇬🇧
Rest in Peace Mary......big hit been a long time.....best to all.
OMG Mar 2022, I grew up with this and all the song's from one of the last best Era's!!!💕
Must have heard this hundreds of times, but I never knew what the singers looked like. Thanks.
Just what I was thinking
Robert Billing, same here!
Those other 2 are twins?
Me too
Ted Zaremba , according to wiki, yes. Marge and Mary Ann Ganser are twins. It also says they began with four members. I had no idea! 🤷♀️
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shangri-Las
I remember well 1964, standing in front of the bedroom mirror with our hairbrushes as microphones, singing along to this song and dreaming of one day having our own boyfriends since we were only nine. The feelings this song made of feel even then, what great memories, and I still can't help singing along!!
This song came out a year after I was born and as I was growing up I would hear it in the radio, I loved this song😊😊 I even did a drawing of a wing mirror of a bike with a guys face in it because of this song, now I’m 59🙀 and I still have the drawing and I still love listening to the song, I have the LP of the Shangri-Las 😹😹found a copy when I was 13 in an old second hand shop in Grey’s England
I'm 65 now but remember this song well. Aged 14 was bombing around in a field next to the M1 on a 200cc Triumph Tiger Cub which cost £10! Raced from one field to another misjudging narrow gap ending up with front wheel going into ditch with barbed wire fence and hedge the other side. Dislocated hip and ended up in hospital for three weeks in traction. School mates requested 'Leader of the pack' be played on the hospital radio. Cheered me up immensley. Spent 3 months in plaster from knee to chest and tried one day unsuccesfully to ride with cast still on!!
So lucky not to end up in wheel chair or dead because of not wearing helmet and traveling at over 50 MPH..
We all have our teen motorcycle ending accidents.
Mine was against a tree.
Didn't learn.
Then it was a hill too steep for me and 125cc bike.
Cracked knee cap.
Learned.
These girls get a number 1 hit right in the middle of Beatlemania.
All ⏱️-"CLASSIC" "LEADER OF THE PACK" 🎶 Rest in "SHALOM" Miss Weiss! -🌹-❣️-🌄...1/19/24
This is from the old Steve Allen show, I've Got A Secret. Robert Goulet was a guest on the show. When the band started singing their new number 1 hit, Goulet rolled out on the bike. The girls never missed a beat... After the song ended, Goulet stumbled back on stage all bandaged up.
they were clearly miming, so it wouldn't have been that hard to not miss a beat.
@@redoz9768 If I were that lead singer I would have cracked up when Robert Goulet started "revving the engine" by bouncing the motorcycle up and down..... 😂😂😂 If that didn't crack me up, when he gave her the stupid grin, and then started talking to her while she was singing would have done the trick! 🤣🤣🤣
Sensational ¡!!!!!!!
Thanks for the context. I was wondering what was with him.
They looked like they had loads of fun doing this performance. Wish I had a time machine. 60s was a beautiful, fun time to be young.
Written by Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich-Fantastic song that topped the charts in 1964.
Loved this song back in the 60's! The dude on the motorcycle is renowned baritone and 50's-60's crooner Robert Goulet!
simply brilliant
It's the first time I've ever seen the shangilas, I heard them first bring played about 1969 in my house because someone had this record. This came out the year I was born 1964. I'm nearly 60 now and I still love this tune and the story 👈🤩
Me and my friends were 13 14..this loved this song we were so cool😄😆😃❤️
Who's still listening in March of 2024?
I’ve never stopped!
March 29th, 2024! In fact I'm doing a Playlist. Up to about 50 pre-1970s songs so far.
Me !
Northwest floriduh
I ironically just now discovered this song bc it’s playing at dennys at 12:58am right mow
I loved this song
Here cause of Back to Black. Can’t believe never heard of this awesome song before . ❤
Rest in love ❤ and peace 🕊, Mary Weiss!
"They told me he was bad, but I knew he was sad" is such a great lyric
Sarcasm spotted.
@@cascade3769 no....very much the opposite
It's proto-emo
Just coming back from watching Amie Winehouse. This was played in the film.
So much i could say...
I am. Listening to this in March 2024. A storyteller song
I was born in 67, been listening to this song every now and then my whole life, love it! in 2024, saw the girls sing it here for the first time, I never once imagined they were white girls singing this classic.
What a GREAT Piece of Nostalgia!!! 🎶💖🎶
Most certainly!
great piece of music too
Beautiful piece of music, really brings back fond memories
I love the relatively elderly motorcyclist here, and his amusement at his role.
I met him at the candy store, he never said he was forty-four !
I love this song
This cracks me up! That guy can’t keep a straight face face his life! Even she started grinning!! 💋❤️🕯
Know this song by heart!
Love love love this song
I grew up listening to this song. And after 44 years this is the first time I’ve seen a video of it! Thanks for sharing it!
I saw them in concert many years ago in Cleveland Ohio I remember the motorcycle on stage.
same for me ,,,,,,jeez. im old
@@alpiekaar ~ Age sometimes creeps up on us. Sad.
@@pricklycactusblossom6790 it sure does
@@pricklycactusblossom6790 Nothing sad about it when I consider the alternative...😁😁
That was a great song I was 10 years old when there was singing that in 1964 loved it 💕 thanks for the Time capsule keep them coming please, 👍🇺🇸
These women were remarkable singers and actresses
I remember this song growing up. Just saw Back to Black Amy Winehouse movie. I loved the scene in the movie. Had to listen to it again.
When this song was released, I was a toddler, but still I remember and like this song. Always when I read the title, the melody is in my head. This song accompanies me now nearly my whole life.
Same here, I was a toddler as well, but the music stayed on the radio charts for quite a few years, I remember listening to the 60's music as far back as my memories go, 67 or so, and of course, my 1st transistor radio around 70! :)
We listened to everything when I was small..this was a massive tune even by the time I arrived.
Still know the harmonies. Just listen. Brilliant. 🎶🎶🎶🎶💖🎼
This brought back good memories of a great time to just be a kid. My sister had this song on a "45" record. I heard it many times growing up👍 thankyou for this. 🇨🇦 🍁
Hello Joanne
How are you doing today?
Great memories, one of the great novelty songs. I saw them live back in '65.
Pure class!
One of my all-time favorites from the 60s!!
Hello Martha, How are you doing?.
The Shangri las we're way ahead of the time's and should be in the rock and roll hall of Fame ❤
I rember receiving a pack of cds full of songs just like this one when I was about 10 or so, this song was one of my favorites and I'm so happy to find it again
One of my all time favourites.Thanjs for the memories
Damn! That lead singer girl is so beautiful! 😍 She looks like a 2021 girl! Any body have a time machine?
I always loved this song!!!! RIP MARY XOXOXOXO
Memories from my early childhood, Lynda Hart, Christine Cookson and Lynne Sarsfield .Aall my childhood mates along with my sister. Happy memories .
Haven't heard this since it was in the charts way back then.
It's still as I remember it . Great.
The pride of our high school! Cambria Heights, Queens, New York
That New Yawk accent. “Is he pickin ya up afta school?”
It's one of those songs that surprises you with dialogue, that sets up the story, a story of youthful love, which ends in tragedy, a melodrama.💥 A teenager falls in love with the pack leader of a motorcycle gang, decides to leave him to please his father and the boy, after a motorcycle ride in the rain ends up crashing and losing his life. 💥The whole story is told as a nursery rhyme by Mary Weiss, lead singer of Shangri-Las while the others in the group imitate her. 💥Shangri-Las, one of Pop's (Punk-New Wave), most beloved girl groups was one of the foremost exponents of teenage angst, a group that avoids being glamorous and promotes the image of the tough girl. 💥Shangris - Las was a group of student sisters from Queens who began their singing career in talent shows , they would later strike gold with the collaboration of the eccentric Pop genius, George Morton.💥 It was one of the most acclaimed, successful songs at that time , personally reminds me of Amy Wirehouse, presents originality in the exposition, in the drafting of the entire story, from the interweaving of voices and noises that I can compare to the confusion of the adolescent period , a confusion that you carry with you once you finish listening to it. 💥Thanks for this novelty in style and writing, I think it's a rarity, to have it where it was a stroke of luck, thank you 😊😊😊..
I always pictured a bigger bike. Enjoyable. Thanks Frank