Week Eight: 1960s Girl Groups - The Shangri-Las - "The Dum Dum Ditty" - The Complete Collection

If you are not familiar with The Shangri-Las, all you need to know is that they were a wickedly cool girl group from the 1960s.  Ever since I was very young, if my dad was not listening to Classic Country, then he was listening to the Golden Oldies.  Since 98.7 KLUV has been around as a DFW Oldies station for as long as I can remember, that's the station we would frequently tune into, and you could often hear The Shangri-Las' hit, "Leader of the Pack", played on KLUV.

I don't know if it was my early exposure to Grease and Grease 2, but I have always been fascinated by that 50s/60s-era, drive-in/sock hop, T-Birds/Pink Ladies kind of environment.  So I immediately fell in love with "Leader of the Pack" upon my first time ever hearing it.

It wasn't until much later that I heard "The Dum Dum Ditty", but I love the cleverness of the lyrics.  I think it's also important to point out that many bands and solo artists have cited The Shangri-Las as a major influence, such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, Blondie, The Go-Gos, Morrissey, and Amy Winehouse, to name a few.

He doesn't talk much,
But when he does he sayin' somethin'.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
He lives in the slums,
'Cause his folks never had nothin'
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)

(He's a rebel without a cause.)
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)

I see him every day,
Hangin' 'round the neighborhood.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)
They say stay away, don't talk to him,
'Cause he is no good.
(Run-run ditty, run-run ditty.)

(He's a rebel without a cause.)
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)

(How did he ever get in so much trouble?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)
(Why do the papers always mention his name?)
(Sha-da da-da, sha da da-da da-da.)

(He's a rebel without a cause.)
(He doesn't do what everyone does.)
(And he makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
(Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)

Oh-ah, yes. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (Makes my heart go run-run ditty, boom-boom.)

Oh-ah, yes. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)Fade.Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (He makes my heart go run-run ditty.)
Oh-ah, ye-eh-eh-es. (Makes my heart go run-run ditty...)

Now, if you've made it this far, and you are as intrigued with 1960s girl groups as I am, there is a documentary in five parts on youtube.  I will offer you part one, and I trust that you can tackle the other four: