In 1964 James renamed the band the Shondells because the name "sounded good" and in honor of nearby Fort Wayne's own Troy Shondell, famous for his 1961 release "This Time." Sugar On Sunday, was never released as a single but its one of the sweetest songs that Tommy James And The Shondells ever released. What time does normal church end on Sunday? (Crystal blue persuasion, aah-aah) Writer/s: Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, Tommy James Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind More songs from Tommy James & the Shondells More songs inspired by the Bible More songs with colors in the title More songs with biblical references The Monkees did a different song of the same title. Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. Ad. Tommy James and the Shondells is an American rock band formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? More images. Vale was a co-writer for many of the Shondells hits, but the Tommy Jones team has largely erased the members of the Raconteurs from the bands history. What are the duties of a sanitary prefect in a school? He completed his engineering studies and started his own company called Stellar Precision Components in Jeannette, which services the nuclear and aerospace industries. Thank God, the stars have recently aligned in a way to bring us back together.Although The Shondells did get together with Tommy James in 2011 briefly to help write and record a Christmas album, the group will be touring without TJ who continues to perform with his own group of musicians.Mike, Ed and Ron, along with fellow Shondell, Peter Lucia, who has since passed away, were often guests on TV's most popular shows of the day like "The Ed Sullivan Show"(twice), "American Bandstand" (3 times), "The Dating Game", "Joey Bishop" and many more. A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs, Writer/s: Eddie Morley Gray, Mike Vale, Tommy James, More songs from Tommy James & the Shondells, More songs the author denied was about drugs, More songs about spirituality or religion, Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be), Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition. We had our own connotations of what the word Mafia meant and all of a sudden it became real. Get Out Now,only reached the forty eighth position on the Billboard Hot 100. Tommy James, Ed Gray, Mike Vale: Tommy James and The Shondells: May 1969: Covered by : Draggin' the Line: Tommy James, Bob King [CA1] Tommy James: December 1970: For single release, the Shondells shortened the title cut to their 1969 album. According to members Mike Vale and Ron Rosman, the band used bar gigs as their way of paying for schooling at St. Vincent College. Former Amazon exec wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., starting in New Kensington, Polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk's archives 'come home' to the University of Pittsburgh, Sto-Rox School District seeks public input on financial recovery plans, Its May 1 your last chance to register to vote in the Pennsylvania primary, Home gardeners prepare: the invasive spotted lanternflies are returning. It was so much fun and was received so well that we kept on going until now.. We close out our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list with a song that is probably one of the most played songs in the history of classic rock. The classic Tommy James And The Shondells song Hanky Panky, was the bands first number one hit. Free shipping for many products! So, we were able to contribute greatly to our success going forward. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. We open our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list with a great album track from their Crimson and Clover. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. During the process of recording a second album, which was never released, Vale said he and the others learned that Tommy James had decided to go back out on the road as a solo act with another band backing him up. When released as a single in June 1969, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" became one of the biggest hits for the group, peaking at number two on the Billboard pop singles chart for three weeks behind Zager and Evans's single "In the Year 2525". Crimson and Clover: A Tribute to Tommy James and the Shondells. Label: Roulette - SR 42040, Roulette - RSD-554: Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Stereo, UNIPAK. Tommy James & the Shondells weren't considered very hip in their heyday, but they remain one of the best-remembered acts of the era. When Mack finally tracked down Tommy James in Niles, Michigan where the song was recorded, James told him The Shondells were no more. In early 1966, a rock n' roll song called "Hanky Panky" went to the top of the charts in Pittsburgh after a Steel City dance promoter and DJ named Bob Mack gave it a spin. As the band embraced the sounds of psychedelia, they were invited to perform at Woodstock, but declined. Our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list takes a look at the bands 1960s period when they were a mainstay on the music charts and one of the most loved bands in the world. 45 years have past since Mike Vale, Ron Rosman and Eddie Gray, original members of the group have shared a concert stage. Those werent the stations we paid much attention to being the rhythm and blues act that we were, said Mack. Ad. The song "Sweet Cherry Wine," was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number seven. In 1969, the band released the album Cellophane Symphony. Were at an age now where the last thing we want to do is be running around the country for our own enjoyment and run into something thats going to take us away from the families that were trying to be more involved with.. But it seemed to go together, it's my favorite of all my songs and one of our most requested. In our book it scores 10s on every level from lyrics to melody to musicianship to production. 1 in the country, and he plays Hanky Panky., I made a U-turn in the middle of a four-lane highway and went back home and called all the guys in The Raconteurs and told them, This is a window of opportunity, and we should jump through it. . The song was released as the third single from the album. The following year, "Hanky Panky" received national distribution and topped the Billboard Hot 100. Eddie Gray played guitar for me then, and he came up with that little riff. In the mid-1980s, Tommy James began touring in oldies packages with other acts from the 1960s sometimes billed as Tommy James & the Shondells, although he is the group's only original member. Sites: thecrystalblueband.com, stellarprecision.com In Groups: That quite frankly (ticked) us off to the extent that we decided it was over between us and thats what broke up the group, said Vale. We didnt know who he was, said Vale, who was the bass player and vocalist for The Raconteurs. 4.5K views 4 years ago After the release of "Hanky Panky", Tommy James had to find a new group to be called The Shondells. While James had a briefly successful solo career in the early '70s, Hog Heaven floundered and split. Gray spent time at his self-built recording studio in Pennsylvania. Small $175.00 When released as a single in June 1969, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" became one of the biggest hits for the group, peaking at number two on the Billboard pop singles chart for three weeks behind Zager and Evans 's single "In the Year 2525". In Greensburg, PA at the Thunderbird Lounge he found The Raconteurs.. When he told his parents he was moving to New York to work with a rock n roll band, they were not pleased. "Tomorrow People" by Ziggy Marley is the first song by a Marley to crack the US Top 40; the highest Bob got was #51 with "Roots, Rock, Reggae. Crimson & Clover (album) - Wikipedia TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS - Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Tommy James tells all: The glorious highs and little-known dark - nj Tommy James And The Shondells song Get Out Now, was the lead off single from their legendary Mony Mony album. Do Eric benet and Lisa bonet have a child together? The bands Crimson and Clover album spawned five singles including the number one title track Crimson and Clover.. So, on occasion, we spent some time out of town. At first, Tommy James and "his" Shondells played straightforward rock and roll, but they soon became associated with the budding bubblegum music genre. They had two number one singles in the U.S. "Hanky Panky" (1966) and "Crimson and Clover" (1968) but also released five other top ten hits, including "I Think We're Alone Now", " Mony Mony ," and "Crystal Blue Persuasion". James' version of "Hanky Panky" sold respectably in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, but Snap Records, the label under which "Hanky Panky" was originally released, had no national distribution. 282 Tommy James And The Shondells Premium High Res Photos Browse 282 tommy james and the shondells photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Do you have pictures of Gracie Thompson from the movie Gracie's choice. The song marked the Shondells' breakthrough in the UK, where it hit #1. ", The band Simple Minds took their name from the line "He's so simple minded he can't drive his module" in David Bowie's "The Jean Genie.". They disbanded in 1970. (So, for instance, this set is lacking a trio of well-known songs: "Love's Closin' in on Me," "One Two Three and I Fell," and "Sugar on Sunday.") Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. The title was inspired by a flashing sign for Mutual Of New York visible from James's apartment balcony in New York. In 1967, Tommy James and the Shondells released two more albums entitled I Think Were Alone Now and Getting Together. (Photo by Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Embed PURCHASE A LICENSE Standard editorial rights Custom rights How can I use this image? Find seedlings and local growing tips at one of Penn State Extension's many plant sales, Steelers trade up, draft Georgia tackle Broderick Jones. Gettin Together was the only single released from the album. What are the qualities of an accurate map? Lead Guitar - Eddie Gray; Organ - Ronnie Rosman; Photography - Ron Meyers; Vocals - Tommy James; Tracklist is printed incorrectly on back cover. The impact of the late 1960s psychedelic and progressive rock movements seemed to inspire the modest . They had two no. The American rock and roll band "Tommy James and the Shondells" was formed in 1959. Eddie Gray | Credits | AllMusic 95.7 FM WELT 4/29/23, 3:00 AM - spinitron.com [1], According to James's manager, James was actually inspired by his readings of the Book of Ezekiel, which (he remembered as) speaking of a blue Shekhinah light that represented the presence of the Almighty God, and of the Book of Isaiah and Book of Revelation, which tell of a future age of brotherhood of mankind, living in peace and harmony. More images. Tito Puente, Joe Bataan, The Heptones, Morcheeba, Concrete Blonde, Jack Wagner, and John Wesley Harding are among those who have covered the song. Tommy James & The Shondells | Diskographie | Discogs On their first Sullivan appearance, James and the Shondells performed Mony Mony and Crimson and Clover on a split-level stage with Vale positioned on the highest platform. [4] In Canada, the song spent one week at number one. How much is a biblical shekel of silver worth in us dollars? Ed Gray, in addition to performing, owns and operates a recording studio in the Pittsburgh area in which he has recorded and produced a variety of successful acts.When asked why The Shondells chose to begin performing again now and, why without James, Vale said, "As I mentioned before, Tommy is off doing his own thing and we're happy for him. James needed to find a band quickly to be the new Shondells. Mike Vale - Facebook Meanwhile, in 1965, Pittsburgh dance promoter Bob Mack had unearthed the forgotten single "Hanky Panky", playing it at various dance parties, and radio stations there touted it as an "exclusive". [4], The band The Echoes formed in 1959 in Niles, Michigan, then evolved into Tom and the Tornadoes, with 12-year-old Tommy James (then known as Tommy Jackson) as lead singer. Look, this group has some very talented writers and performers who have always been key contributors to the groups success and are still quite capable of doing the same again. ", In 1967 the Shondells had a top-five smash with "I Think We're Alone Now," which teen pop queen Tiffany later turned into a hit in the '80s. The song is also referenced in the title of the season 30 finale Crystal Blue-Haired Persuasion, in which a segment of the song is played. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. The Crystal Blue Band, Vale and Rosmans current project, is a response to their erasure from the Shondells historical narrative. That album was followed up in 1970 with their last album for Roulette Records entitled Travelin. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells Ed Gray found success as lead guitarist for the hitmaking '60s pop group Tommy James and the Shondells. In 2012 "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was used in the eighth episode of Season 5 of Breaking Bad, "Gliding Over All", during a montage depicting the process involved to bring main character Walter White's methamphetamine operation and its signature blue crystal meth to an international level. Tommy rejects the "bubblegum" label for his music. Levy spurned Kasenetz and Katz, so they went elsewhere and became successful with such bands as the 1910 Fruitgum Company. When they realized the popularity and scope of Hanky Panky, they were all in. A gentle-tempoed groove, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was built around a prominent organ part with an understated arrangement, more akin to The Rascals' sound at the time than to James's contemporary efforts with psychedelic rock. Eminem's first hit was "My Name Is," which introduced his alter ego, Slim Shady. The Pittsburgh Steelers provided quarterback Kenny Pickett with some needed protection, trading up to acquire offensive tackle Broderick Jones of Georgia with the 14th pick in the NFL draft. CREATIVE. Its that one go to song when you need to get the party jumping. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. [3] They had two No. Thats a number one in our book! Label: Roulette - SR42040, Roulette - SR 42040: . It would be tough to argue against Crystal Blue Persuasion, standing as one of the most wonderful 1960s songs ever released. Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. Two years later, Rhino Records issued the Shondells' Anthology. Ad. "I was in a Greensburg, PA club one night, and I walked up to a group that was playing that I thought was pretty good and asked them if they wanted to be the Shondells. In 2015, Vale and the other former Shondells reunited and formed the Crystal Blue Band after his grandchildren and great-grandchildren asked about the gold records displayed on the basement walls of his house in Deep Creek Lake, Md. Read Full Biography Overview Biography Discography Songs Credits Awards Related All Songs (1-100 of 625) Highlights All Songs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next AllMusic Quiz The Tommy James And The Shondells song Its Only Love, was the only single released from the bands second album entitled Its Only Love. Tommy James and the Shondells - Wikipedia The LP, featuring liner notes by Democratic Presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey, yielded the top-10 "Sweet Cherry Wine" and the #2 smash "Crystal Blue Persuasion.". It was ne of three singles released from the I Think Were Alone Now album. 4 hit "I Think We're Alone Now" and the No. [13], The song is referenced in Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four Annual (Vol. 4:01: A3: Mony, Mony. The album was a blazing success. Also, it's a strict singles compilation, which means that many great songs are bypassed simply because they weren't judged worthy of a single -- and the Shondells pumped out some excellent B-sides. This montage was subsequently parodied as the opening scene in The Simpsons season 24, episode 17 "What Animated Women Want". Written-By - Ed Gray*, Mike Vale, Tommy James. The Raconteurs, not to be confused with the modern Jack White-affiliated band, were a bar band from Latrobe, PA. Its as classic as Shout, or Louie Louie. It may not have been Tommy James And The Shondells biggest hit, but it easily has become the most popular song they ever released. Eddie Gray of the original Shondells attends the "Me, The Mob & The $1 million Pennsylvania Lottery ticket sold at Allegheny County Giant Eagle, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to hold rare whiskey lottery, 3 juveniles charged after man assaulted, robbed in downtown Pittsburgh, 2 taken into custody after high-speed Pittsburgh police chase, Fire tears through Chilis Bar & Grill restaurant on McKnight Road, closing business indefinitely. "Crystal Blue Persuasion" has appeared in the films A Walk on the Moon (1999), The Secret Life of Girls (1999), Zodiac (2007), The Nanny Diaries (2007), and the TV show How to Make it in America (2010). The album and single were both released in 1967. album. In 2015, he and former Shondells members Ron Rosman and Eddie Gray, along with Mike Wilps, formed the Crystal Blue Band and released an album called Legacy. I Think Were Alone Now, was released on the album entitled I Think Were Alone Now. He soon disbanded the group, though Gray and the others kept touring and recorded one LP under the name Hog Heaven. The Crystal Blue Band draws its name from the 1968 hit Crystal Blue Persuasion, a song that Vale co-wrote. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.Crystal Blue Persuasion,was written by Eddie Gray, Tommy James, Mike Vale. It features the #1 hit "Crimson and Clover" [2] as well as the #2 hit "Crystal Blue Persuasion". The catchy tune was suddenly getting on Pittsburgh radio, and it was on its way to becoming the No. Discography Tommy James & the Shondells Follow Artist + 1960s hitmakers who infused bubblegum-style AM pop with rock & roll energy and clever songwriting. Tommy James & The Shondells hometown, lineup, biography - Last.fm And now, 56 years and a few incarnations later, the 82-year-old Vales Crystal Blue Band is bowing out with one final concert at Saturdays Banana Split Celebration on the Robindale Main Stage (320 Main Street) in Latrobe. It featured a number one single with the albums title track Hanky Panky. It would be the first of the bands two number one singles that they enjoyed throughout their entire career. During the 1980s, the group's songbook produced major hits for three other artists: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' version of "Crimson and Clover" (No. In 2012, "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was used in the eighth episode of the fifth season of Breaking Bad, "Gliding Over All", during a montage depicting the process involved to bring main character Walter White's methamphetamine operation and its signature blue crystal meth to an international level. [7] "I had no group, and I had to put one together really fast," recalled James. Crimson and Clover, was Tommy James And The Shondells second number one single. Tommy James & The Shondells - Crimson And Clover (LIVE) 4:41; Tommy James and The Shondells - Crimson and Clover. 1, All Time Greatest Hits: Live at the Bitter End, Greatest Hits of the '60s, Vol. They had a #3 smash with the rocking "Mony Mony," which James named after a sign bearing the financial institution Mutual of New York's initials. 40 Years: The Complete Singles Collection (1966-2006) - AllMusic Tommy James and the Shondells sang Crimson and Clover released (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) Embed PURCHASE A LICENSE Standard editorial rights Custom rights The new group, Hog Heaven, recorded an album but wasnt nearly as successful as the Shondells had been. Ed Gray found success as lead guitarist for the hitmaking '60s pop group Tommy James and the Shondells. We took a long ride, and it was very successful, said Vale. Tommy James And The Shondells - Travelin' - Discogs . View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1969 Vinyl release of "The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells" on Discogs. A4 credits Tommy James, Mike Vale & Bob King on cover vs. Tommy James-Mike Vale-Jeff Katz-Jerry Kasenetz-Ritchie Cordell on label A5 is titled Talkin' & Signifyin' on cover vs. Talkin' And Signifyin' on label B1 credits Eddie Grey on cover vs. Ed J. The song was nowhere as successful as the title track. wpxi.com The Shondells Mike Vale, Ron Rosman and Eddie Gray Former original members of Tommy James And The Shondells will be rockin' the Parade this year when they perform "Mony Mony" and more! The record was released in January of 1969. The tune went to No. Eddie Gray / Tommy James / Mike Vale. Tommy James & The Shondells "Crimson & Clover" on The Ed Sullivan Show on January 26, 1969. Seriously, we opened this Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list with this one to simply demonstrate that the band was not just a hit making machine but a group that released fantastic albums that at times were overshadowed by their mega hits. In 1967 Kessler and Pietropaoli were forced to leave after a dispute when planned monies were not remitted to them by Roulette, a label closely associated with organized crime, and whose head, Morris Levy, was the inspiration for the Herman "Hesh" Rabkin character on The Sopranos. Born Feb. 27, 1948, in Scottdale, Pa., Gray joined the Shondells in 1965, in Pittsburgh, where Michigan-based James had moved the band when a local DJ picked up his song "Hanky Panky." If they couldnt get at the family members they were trying to wipe out, they would go after the cash cow that the family was involved with and there was no question that we were the cash cow for Morris Levy and the Genovese family. Bubblegum is generally traced to the success of the 1968 Fruitgum Company hit "Simon Says". Tommy James and the Shondells - I Think We're Alone Now Sorry, we couldnt resist. MUSICIANS Guitars: Tommy James, Eddie Gray Moog Synthesizer, Electric / Acoustic Pianos, Hammond Organ, Harpsichords: Ron Rosman, Tommy James Bass Guitar: Mike Vale Drums & Percussion: Peter Lucia Over the 2 year period from 1968 through 1969 were the largest selling Singles act in the world!At the peak of their careers however, The Shondells went off in one direction and James another. They said yes, and off we went. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. In a 1970 side project, James wrote and produced the No. Eddie Gray, the guitarist of the band Tommy James and the Shondells, during a recording session for their track 'Crimson and Clover', 30th October 1968. Their first appearance as a band was on Clark Races television variety show. and the Mysterians), 50; Neal Schon (Journey, Santana, Bad English), 46; Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden), 43; Johnny Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd), 41; Paul Humphreys (OMD), 40; Mike Cross (Sponge), 35; Ewen Vernal (Deacon Blue), 35; Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas (TLC), 29; Roderick Demon "Pooh" Clark (Hi-Five), 27; and Bobby Wilson (Mista), 20. What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians. 7 hit single "Tighter, Tighter" for the group Alive N Kickin'. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells. Eddie Gray and Mike Vale, are back at it. It included melodic passages for an acoustic guitar, as well as a bass pattern, played between the bridge and the third verse of the song. Tommy James & The Shondells - The Best Of Tommy James & The Shondells Label: . [Chorus] I think we're alone now There doesn't seem to be anyone around I think we're alone now The beating of our hearts is the only sound [Outro] I think we're alone now There doesn't seem to be . The next group of songs on this Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list feature five of the bands biggest hits. The Latrobe-natives soon found themselves on a busy tour schedule with the band. By 1966, however, when they began their chart career, high-energy pop was for kids (the Monkees, Paul Revere & the Raiders) and two paths -- heavy studio experimentation or a soft pop sound -- were the ways to get heard by the young music-listening public. Many hit songs later, one year turned into six. You might be able to very soon. And were thinking What are we getting into? Tommy James and the Shondells is an American rock band formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. . Want to spend the night on the Gettysburg Battlefield? Former Shondell Mike Vale's Crystal Blue Band to hold final concert Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. A Greenwich Village nightclub appearance was filmed and released as Tommy James & the Shondells: Live! It happened as a result of Bo Gentry accidentally putting the tape of the song on backwards in the recording studio . Tommy James and the Shondells is an American pop and Rock n Roll group that was most active in the 60s. And, at times, they found themselves involved in situations never before then imagined like touring the country with then Vice President, Hubert Humphrey in support of his 1968 Presidential CampaignSince the group initially disbanded in 1970, Mike Vale has written and recorded 7 albums both as a solo artist and for others. In February 1964 the band recorded the Jeff BarryEllie Greenwich song "Hanky Panky" (originally a B-side by the Raindrops[6]). The words jumped out at me, and they're not together; they're spread out over three or four verses. Born Feb. 27, 1948, in Scottdale, Pa., Gray joined the Shondells in 1965, in. When I first explained to my parents that I was going to quit school and quit working my job and go on the road with a rock n roll band, the look on my dads face he was really upset.. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved. Eddie Gray, the guitarist of the band Tommy James and the Shondells The Shondells in 1968. Composer. Deep in the Roots. Paul Guggenheimer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. In an attempt to capitalize on the success of the song, James was talked into coming to Pittsburgh. At this time, the band included Tommy James (vocals and guitar), Larry Coverdale (lead guitar), Larry Wright (bass), Craig Villeneuve (keyboards) and Jim Payne (drums).

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