"My Boyfriend's Back" | ||||
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Single by the Angels | ||||
from the album My Boyfriend's Back | ||||
B-side | "(Love Me) Now" | |||
Released | July 1, 1963 | |||
Recorded | 1963 | |||
Studio | Associated Sound Studios, New York City [1] | |||
Genre | Pop [2] | |||
Length | 2:14 (45 version) 2:16 (album cut) | |||
Label | Smash | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer | |||
The Angels singles chronology | ||||
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"My Boyfriend's Back" is a hit song in 1963 for the Angels, an American girl group. It was written by the songwriting team of Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer (a.k.a. FGG Productions who later formed the group the Strangeloves) and released on July 1, 1963. [3] [4] The track was originally intended as a demo for the Shirelles, but ended up being released as recorded. [5] The single spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached No. 2 on the R&B Billboard.
The song is a word of warning to a would-be suitor who, after being rebuffed by the female narrator of the song, spread nasty rumors accusing her of romantic indiscretions. Now, the narrator declares, her boyfriend is back in town and ready to settle the score, and she warns the rejected admirer to watch himself.
Other musicians on the record include Herbie Lovelle on drums, Billy Butler, Bobby Comstock, and Al Gorgoni on guitar, and Bob Bushnell overdubbing on an electric and an upright bass. This song also features a young Ronnie Dio on the trumpet. [6] Feldman, Goldstein & Gottehrer also wrote and produced some of Dio's early work with the band Ronnie Dio & The Prophets.
The song begins with a spoken recitation from the lead singer that goes: "He went away, and you hung around, and bothered me every night. And when I wouldn't go out with you, you said things that weren't very nice".
The album version, which has appeared on a few compilations in stereo, features the line: "Hey. I can see him comin'/ Now you better start a runnin'", before the instrumental repeat of the bridge section, a repeat of one stanza from the refrain ("My boyfriend's back/He's gonna save my reputation"), and finally, the coda section, just before the song fades.
The inspiration for the song came from co-writer Bob Feldman, who overheard a conversation between a high school girl and the boy she was rebuffing. [7]
Cash Box described it as "a handclappin’ mashed-potatoes-styled delighter...that can bust wide open in no time flat" and praised the arrangement by Leroy Glover. [8]
Billboard named the song No. 24 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time. [9]
"My Boyfriend's Back" has been the subject of several notable cover versions.
Rival girl groups the Chiffons and Martha and the Vandellas recorded covers shortly after the Angels' original release. In 1983, Melissa Manchester released a faithful cover version as a single that reached No. 33 on the Adult Contemporary chart. [10]
Later in 1963, Bobby Comstock and the Counts issued an answer record titled "Your Boyfriend's Back" which peaked at No. 98 in the U.S. [11]
Humorist Dave Barry is fond of this song, and often references it in his books and columns. In one essay, he says that if he were the President of the United States, "My Boyfriend's Back" would replace "Hail to the Chief" as his arrival song. [12]
A parody of the song lyrics was sung by characters of The Office (US) in Season 8 – Episode 21 "Angry Andy". [13]
Episode 30 of the podcast Cum Town starts with co-host Stavros Halkias singing a parody version called "My Boyfriend's Black". [14]
Since 1988, advertising campaigns for Hess Corporation have used a jingle that parodies the song in the commercials during the Christmas season for its toys. (“The Hess Truck's back and it's better than ever...”) [15] [16]
Chart (1963) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada ( CHUM Chart ) [17] | 2 |
New Zealand ( Listener ) [18] | 1 |
UK Singles (OCC) [19] | 50 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [20] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles [21] | 2 |
The Angels were an American girl group best known for their 1963 No. 1 hit single "My Boyfriend's Back".
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Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive. In 1997, he co-founded The Orchard with longtime business partner Scott Cohen, an independent music distribution company. His career began as a Brill Building songwriter in the 1960s. His first number one record as a songwriter and producer was "My Boyfriend's Back" by the Angels, followed by other hits like "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys and "I Want Candy" by the Strangeloves, of which the latter Gottehrer was a member. In 1966, he formed Sire Records with Seymour Stein, which played a crucial role in the rise of new wave, and went on to launch the careers of Blondie, Madonna, Ramones and Talking Heads. His career continued as producer for the Go-Go's' 1981 debut album, Dr. Feelgood, Richard Hell, the Bongos and Moonpools & Caterpillars' first release with a major label, 1995's Lucky Dumpling. In 2013, the Orchard was described as "the biggest digital music distributor on the planet".
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My Boyfriend's Back is the second studio album released by the American pop girl group the Angels. It was issued on the Smash Records label in September 1963. The album was produced by Robert Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, and Richard Gottehrer. It features the Angels' biggest hit, "My Boyfriend's Back", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Composed by the team of Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, and Richard Gottehrer, "My Boyfriend's Back" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
Gerald Goldstein is an American producer, singer-songwriter, talent manager, music executive, musician and entrepreneur. He was one of the members of The Strangeloves, the co-writer of "My Boyfriend's Back" and "Come on Down to My Boat", the producer and songwriter of War, and the former manager of Sly Stone. Goldstein produced a single with teenage singer, Nancy Baron in 1963 for the Diamond Record label. Goldstein was part of a three-person production team which wrote and produced numerous records which are referred to as "FGG" – Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer. The numerous artists and their work in collaboration with FGG are listed in a Discography included in the references below.
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Just as important: ["My Boyfriend's Back" is] a hell of a pop song, crisp and propulsive, built on jittery guitar stabs and handclaps that hit at the exact right instant.