Tommy James and the Shondells is an American rock band formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. They had two No. 1 singles in the U.S. – "Hanky Panky" and "Crimson and Clover" – and also charted twelve other top 40 hits, including five in the Hot 100's top ten: "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage", "Mony Mony", "Sweet Cherry Wine" and "Crystal Blue Persuasion".
Tommy James, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely known as frontman of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, who were known for their hits including "Mony Mony" and "Crimson and Clover", and "I Think We're Alone Now."
Roulette Records was an American record company and label founded in 1957 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Kahl, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed director.
"Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr., it was intended as a change in direction of the group's sound and composition.
Crimson & Clover is the sixth album by Tommy James and the Shondells. It features the #1 hit "Crimson and Clover" as well as the #2 hit "Crystal Blue Persuasion". The album "Crimson & Clover", was released in December 1968 and reached a peak of #8 on the Billboard 200.
"I Think We're Alone Now" is a song written and composed by Ritchie Cordell that was first recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells. It was a major hit for the group, reaching number 4 on the US Hot 100 in April 1967. It finished at No. 12 on Billboard magazine's year-end singles chart for 1967.
"Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by American pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 in the U.S. Written by Bobby Bloom, Ritchie Cordell, Bo Gentry and Tommy James, the song has appeared in various film and television works such as the Oliver Stone drama Heaven & Earth. It was also covered by English singer-songwriter Billy Idol in 1981. Idol's version, which took in more of a rock sound, became an international top 40 hit and additionally revived public interest in the original garage rock single. In 1986 it was covered by Amazulu, who gave it a ska rendition.
"Draggin' the Line" is a hit song by American rock musician Tommy James, who went solo after the Shondells disbanded in 1970. It was first released as the B side of "Church Street Soul Revival" in 1970. The song was judged to have some hit potential so they went back in the studio and added horns to the master and re-released it as an A side single in 1971. It was included on his second album, Christian of the World in 1971 on the Roulette Records label. The song was James' biggest hit as a solo artist selling more than a million copies, and appears as the fifth track on James' 1991 retrospective album The Solo Years (1970-81) released by Rhino.
"Mirage" is a song by the American rock and roll group Tommy James and the Shondells, released as a single on 5 January 1967 on the Roulette Records label.
Hanky Panky is the debut album of Tommy James and the Shondells and was released in 1966. It reached #46 on the Billboard 200. The album had two singles that charted. "Hanky Panky" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Say I Am " reached #21.
"Gettin' Together" is a song written by Ritchie Cordell and recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells for their 1967 album, Gettin' Together. The song reached number 18 on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. The song also reached number 24 in Canada. The song was the group's fourth charting single of the year. "Gettin' Together" is based on the opening bass riff of "Gimme Some Lovin'", a single by the Spencer Davis Group released in 1966. However, the remainder of "Gettin' Together" continues in the pop-rock direction James began in his previous album, I Think We're Alone Now, under the tutelage and production of Ritchie Cordell and Bo Gentry. Jimmy Wisner arranged the music for the song. A cover version of the song was also done by Gene Pitney.
"It's Only Love" is a song written by Morris Levy, Ritchie Cordell, and Sal Trimachi and recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells for their 1966 album, It's Only Love. Levy, the owner of Roulette Records often insisted that he receive a writing credit on songs in order to receive royalty payments. The song reached No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. The song also reached No. 10 in Canada.
"She" is a song recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells and released as a single in November 1969; it was also included on the band's 1970 album, Travelin'. The song reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 24, 1970. The song also reached No. 15 in Canada. It was the 13th and final top 40 hit for the band, although James went on to have three more top 40 hits as a solo artist.
Travelin' is the eighth studio album by the pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells released in 1970.
"I Think We're Alone Now" is a 1967 song originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells and covered by Tiffany.
Ritchie Cordell was an American songwriter, singer and record producer. He wrote and produced several hits for Tommy James and The Shondells, including "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Mony Mony", and co-produced Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'n' Roll.
The Best of Tommy James and The Shondells is the second compilation album by Tommy James and the Shondells and was released in 1969. It reached No. 21 on the Billboard Top LPs chart.
Robert Allan Ackoff, known professionally as Bo Gentry, was an American pop singer, songwriter and record producer, most noted for his work with Tommy James and the Shondells in the 1960s.
Cellophane Symphony is the seventh studio album by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, released in October 1969 through Roulette Records. The album was re-issued on CD in 2014 by Rhino Records.
"Happy" is a progressive rock song by American group Hog Heaven from their self-titled debut studio album. It was written and produced by Mike Vale and Peter Lucia, and released by Roulette Records in 1971.
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