The Shangri-Las, widely known as the queens of teen melodrama, were one of the more popular girl groups of the sixties. Their hip contenence and song content along with a measure of innocence combined to create their appeal.

Mary Weiss and her sister Betty joined with identical twins Marge and Mary Ann Ganser to form the group. While the girls were still in high school they were performing at sock hops and local talent shows when they came to the attention of Artie Ripp. He arranged a contract with Smash Records for the 15 and 16 year olds. They cut the songs Simon Says and Wishing Well during this period. There is evidence to support claims that they also cut two singles for Coral Records as the Bon Bons in late 1963 or early 1964. Unknown songwriter George "Shadow" Morton bluffed his way into a meeting with Brill Building songwriting pros Greenwich and Barry. He produced a demo tape of Remember (Walkin' In The Sand) and took it to them. The sound of seagulls screeching in the background was added, the tune reworked and shortened from over seven minutes and it was released on Red Bird Records. The song shot up the charts to number five on September 26th, 1964.

Greenwich, Barry and Morton collaborated again to produce the next "tapestry of torment" and Leader of the Pack was born. Barry and Greenwich penned most of the soon to follow Shangri-Las' tunes including Out in the Streets, The Train from Kansas City and Give Us Your Blessings.

The final Shangri-Las hit I Can Never Go Home Anymore was penned by Morton and featured a tortured intensity matching that of Leader of the Pack.

The girls moved to Mecury when Red Bird folded and released two singles that didn't chart. By 1968 the girls had gone their seperate ways.

In 1989 the three surviving members re-united for the first time in over twenty years. They did a Cousin Brucie nostalgia show and when they ended the show by coming in on motorcycles to do Leader of the Pack for an encore they brought down the house.

Bibliography:
Aquila, Richard. That Old Time Rock and Roll, A Chronicle of an Era, 1954-1963. New York: Schirmer Books, 1989
Spector,Ronnie with Vince Waldron. Be My Baby. New York: Harmony Books, 1990
Warner, Jay The Billboard Book of American Singing Groups, A History 1940-1990. New York: Billboard Books, 1992
Gaar, Gillian G. She's A Rebel, The History of women in Rock and Roll Seatle: Seal Press, 1992
Grieg, Charlotte Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?, Girl Groups from the 50's on... London: VIRAGO PRESS
Szatmary, David A Time To Rock, A Social History of Rock 'N' Roll New York: Schirmer Books, 1996

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