The Shangri-Las
USA, 1963–1968
American girl group from Queens, formed in 1963. 'Leader of the Pack' and 'Remember (Walking in the Sand)' use spoken passages and sound effects in narrative songs about death and separation.
MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced The Shangri-Las and 3 artists The Shangri-Las influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced The Shangri-Las?
- The Chantels — The Shangri-Las built on the emotional girl-group template the Chantels founded — gospel-rooted teen drama sung straight from the heart.
- The Ronettes — The Ronettes' 1963 Spector-produced 'bad girl' glamour was the immediate girl-group archetype the Shangri-Las followed and darkened into teen melodrama.
- Phil Spector — Spector's teen mini-dramas were the production template behind the Shangri-Las — Shadow Morton built their 'blazing teen morality plays' in the Wall-of-Sound idiom Spector defined.
Which artists did The Shangri-Las influence?
- Blondie — Debbie Harry's 1960s girl-group love shaped Blondie directly — 'X Offender' opens with a Shangri-Las-style spoken intro.
- The Jesus and Mary Chain — The Reids named the Shangri-Las' teenage melodrama among the 60s girl-group pop beneath their noise.
- Amy Winehouse — Winehouse modelled the brass-heavy, 1960s girl-group sound of Back to Black (2006) on the Shangri-Las, whom she cited as a key influence.