Queens, NY mid-teens girl group The Shangri-Las enjoy a US#1 hit. The song was written by Brill Building wonders Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. along with George “Shadow” Morton.
Lots of added sound effects (very new) (esp. motorcycles) spice up the impact. (Inspiring for the Vanilla Fudge 1966 hit ‘Summer in the City’ maybe?)
The BBC is ‘shocked I tell you’ and bans it from UK radio. " I met him at the candy store/He turned around and smiled at me/You get the picture?/(Yes, we see) That’s when I fell for the Leader of the Pack"
‘Answer songs’ were big in those days, and the next year the Detergents replied with parody song ‘Leader of the Laundromat’. Made the top-20!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMoen8uA-kg
(The 1985 version by ‘Twisted Sister’ ain’t too shabby, but doesn’t make the top-40.)
Yeah! I wish there were more novelty and parody and answer songs charting these days. (‘Weird Al’ seems to have run out of steam?)
People take themselves too seriously these days
It’s weird. They seem to be more interested in the show biz aspect of music. I’ve never paid attention to lyrics or who was in what band … just the music and great musicians.