- Original Album Series · 1968
- Anthology · 1968
- The Complete Roulette Albums · 1966
- Crimson and Clover · 1968
- Crimson & Clover · 1968
- Anthology · 1967
- Anthology · 1971
- I Think We're Alone Now · 1967
- Crimson and Clover · 1969
- Crimson and Clover · 1968
- Crimson and Clover · 1968
- Travelin' · 1970
- Crimson and Clover · 1969
Essential Albums
- Tommy James & The Shondells were known as a singles artist; their albums were considered a secondary concern. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t record several substantial albums during their prime. There is no conceptual thrust here or any grand ambition, but the songs themselves are quite good. “Mony Mony” was the blockbuster hit, but other tracks such as the nicely orchestrated “Do Unto Me,” the Beach Boys-like vocal swoons of “(I’m) Taken” and the ambitious jolt of “Somebody Cares” make for a satisfying snapshot of mid-‘60s pop-rock. “Gingerbread Man,” with its groovy organ, proves the group was very aware of the psychedelic world, figuring out ways to acclimate without losing their commercial appeal. “Some Kind of Love” adds congas to the lively vocal interplay that gave the group much of their glory. While 1968 was a dark time for the nation and much of the music reflected this, Tommy James & The Shondells found rays of light to keep spirits up.
Albums
Compilations
About Tommy James & The Shondells
A band who smoothly transitioned from making dance-craze anthems to crafting psychedelic trips, Tommy James & The Shondells are responsible for some of the ’60s-rock era’s most lasting standards. The band formed in 1959 in Niles, Michigan, as Tom and the Tornadoes, with a preteen Tommy James (then using the last name Jackson) on vocals, debuting with the 1962 single “Long Pony Tail”. Two years later, James renamed his band The Shondells, and they covered the punchy dance tune “Hanky Panky”. Thanks to the efforts of a Pittsburgh DJ, “Hanky Panky” became a hit in 1966, and the band, with James now top billed, signed a record deal. Tommy James & The Shondells’ 1967 gem “I Think We’re Alone Now” straddled the line between rock rave-up and bubblegum, while 1968’s feisty “Mony Mony” furthered the group’s reputation as a frothy pop act. James, frustrated by that pigeonholing, veered into acid rock with Crimson & Clover, whose title track became one of the late ’60s’ defining psych-pop tracks. James left the band in 1970 after an onstage collapse; his bandmates rechristened themselves Hog Heaven but disbanded shortly after. Their legacy has since been kept alive via hit covers by the likes of Joan Jett, Billy Idol and Tiffany.
- ORIGIN
- Niles, MI, United States
- FORMED
- 1964
- GENRE
- Rock