Leader of the Pack (album)
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 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2017) |
| Leader of the Pack | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1965 | |||
| Genre | Pop, rhythm and blues | |||
| Length | 28:18 | |||
| Label | Red Bird | |||
| Producer | George "Shadow" Morton | |||
| The Shangri-Las chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Leader of the Pack | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Record Mirror |   [1] |
Leader of the Pack is the 1965 debut album by girl group the Shangri-Las. The album was produced to capitalize on the group's breakthrough hits "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" and "Leader of the Pack" which had been co-written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. After the album's focal track went to number one, The Shangri-Las' style and image had evolved into something tougher and earthier.
Much of the material for Leader of the Pack such as "Bull Dog" and "It's Easier to Cry" emphasized their new style. Other songs on the album include cover versions of "Maybe" originally by The Chantels with Betty Weiss on lead vocals, along with "Shout" by The Isley Brothers and "Twist and Shout" by the Top Notes. Also on the album is "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" which The Shangri-Las would release as a single later in the year. Although the group had scored two major hits, the album only charted at 109 on the U.S. albums chart.
The album was rated the 49th best album of the 1960s by Pitchfork.[2]
Track listing[edit]
Side one
- "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" (George Morton) – 2:12
- "Leader of the Pack" (Morton, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich) – 2:48
- "Bull Dog" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 2:22
- "It's Easier to Cry" (J. J. Jackson, Joe De Angelis, Robert Steinberg) – 2:35
- "What Is Love" (Morton, Tony Michaels) – 2:55
- "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" (Morton) – 2:18
Side two
- "Twist and Shout" (Phil Medley, Bert Russell) – 2:39
- "Maybe" (Arlene Smith, George Goldner) – 2:40
- "So Much in Love" (Billy Jackson, Roy Straigis) – 2:16
- "Shout" (Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr.) – 2:10
- "Good Night, My Love, Pleasant Dreams" (George Motola, John Marascalco) – 1:15
- "You Can't Sit Down" (Cornell Muldrow, Dee Clark) – 2:18
Personnel[edit]
Shangri-Las
- Mary Weiss – lead and backing vocals
- Betty Weiss – lead and backing vocals
- Marge Ganser – backing vocals
- Mary Ann Ganser – backing vocals
Technical
- Shadow Morton – producer
- Brooks Arthur – engineer
- Rod McBrien – engineer
- Loring Eutemey – artwork
- Hugh Bell – cover photography
Singles history[edit]
- "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" b/w "It's Easier To Cry" (U.S. #5, UK #14)
- "Leader of the Pack" b/w "What Is Love?" (U.S. #1, UK #11 (1965), UK #3 (1972), UK #7 (1976)
- "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" b/w "Twist and Shout" (U.S. #18)
- "Maybe" b/w "Shout" (U.S. #91)
References[edit]
- Specific
- ^ Jones, Peter; Jopling, Norman (3 April 1965). "The Shangri Las: Give Him A Great Big Kiss" (PDF). Record Mirror. No. 212. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ "The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
