The Shangri-Las - Leader Of The Pack

Leader Of The Pack was the 1965 debut album by The Shangri-Las, originally released on Red Bird Records in 1965, containing the hit songs 'Give Him A Great Big Kiss,' 'Remember  (Walking In The Sand,' and, of course, the iconic title track.

The Shangri-Las were formed in high-school by two sets of sisters, Mary and Betty Weiss and identical twins Margie and Mary Ann Ganser. Having grown up in a rough neighbourhood of Queens, they were less demure than other girl-groups of the time, developing a "tough girl" image that, along with their pop-perfection and their ability to switch from nonchalance to impassioned performance, was an often overlooked influence on many punk and new wave bands (The Ramones, Blondie, The Go-Go's, New York Dolls to name a few) a decade later.

This album (one of only two studio records they would record, along with the follow up, 65!, released later the same year) contains a set of still-unrivalled songs, documenting not only the usual teen-drama and rock'n'roll, but also, alienation, loneliness, abandonment, and premature death, produced with breathtaking innovation by George "Shadow" Morton.

Tracklist:

1. Give Him A Great Big Kiss

2. Leader Of The Pack

3. Bull Dog

4. It's Easier To Cry

5. What Is Love

6. Remember (Walking In The Sand)

7. Twist And Shout

8. Maybe

9. So Much In Love

10. Shout

11. Good Night, My Love, Pleasant Dreams

12. You Can't Sit Down