Leader of the Pack
The Shangri-Las
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Is she really going out with him? Well, there she is. Let's ask her. Betty, is that Jimmy's ring you're wearing? Mm-hmm Gee, it must be great riding with him Is he picking you up after school today? Uh-uh By the way, where'd you meet him? I met him at the candy store He turned around and smiled at me You get the picture? (yes, we see) That's when I fell for (the leader of the pack) My folks were always putting him down (down, down) They said he came from the wrong side of town (whatcha mean when ya say that he came from the wrong side of town?) They told me he was bad But I knew he was sad That's why I fell for (the leader of the pack) One day my dad said, "Find someone new" I had to tell my Jimmy we're through (whatcha mean when ya say that ya better go find somebody new?) He stood there and asked me why But all I could do was cry I'm sorry I hurt you (the leader of the pack) He sort of smiled and kissed me goodbye The tears were beginning to show As he drove away on that rainy night I begged him to go slow But whether he heard, I'll never know Look out! Look out! Look out! Look out! I felt so helpless, what could I do? Remembering all the things we'd been through In school they all stop and stare I can't hide the tears, but I don't care I'll never forget him (the leader of the pack) The leader of the pack, now he's gone The leader of the pack, now he's gone The leader of the pack, now he's gone The leader of the pack, now he's gone
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Written by: ELLIE GREENWICH, GEORGE MORTON, JEFF BARRY
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
14 facts about this song
Band Creation"Leader of the Pack" was recorded by The Shangri-Las, an American pop girl group formed in 1963.
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SongwritersThe song was co-written by the trio of Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and producer George "Shadow" Morton.
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Chart TopperThe song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 28, 1964.
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Story SongThe song was unique at the time for its “teen tragedy” theme, telling a story of a high school girl in love with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
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Engine SoundsThe song is notable for its sound effects: a revving motorcycle engine and crashing sounds, which were added for dramatic effect.
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Engineer’s InvolvementThe engineer for the recording was Brooks Arthur, who created the sounds using a toy motorcycle in the control room.
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Theater PopThe song is considered an example of 'theater pop', which used dramatic elements and sound effects to tell a story.
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ControversyDue to its tragic motorcycle crash theme, the song was banned by the BBC, fearing it glamorized reckless behavior.
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Recognition"Leader of the Pack" was named the 447th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.
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Cover VersionsNumerous artists, including Bette Midler and Twisted Sister, have recorded their own versions of the song over the years.
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Broadway MusicalThe song lent its title to a 1984 Broadway musical, which revolved around the music of Ellie Greenwich.
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High School SettingSince its release, the song has often been used in media to evoke high school or teenage nostalgia, seen in the film ‘Goodfellas’ and numerous TV shows.
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ParodiesThe song has also been subject to various parodies, making it quite a recognizable pop culture icon.
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Grammy Hall of FameIn 2019, "Leader of the Pack" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
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Citation
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"Leader of the Pack Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Nov. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/13933255/The+Shangri-Las/Leader+of+the+Pack>.
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