This is a tale of young love, parental disapproval and death by motorbike. Mary Weiss, the lead vocalist of the Shangri-Las, said in Telegraph magazine, April 14, 2007, “I don’t think I would be able to put feeling into the song unless I had really thought about the lyrics. I put a lot of my own pain into that song. I don’t think teenage years are all that rosy for a lot of people-they certainly weren’t for me. They are the most confusing time of people’s lives and there is a tremendous dark side to the record, which I think teenagers related to. The studio was a great place to let the pain out.”
She went on to comment: “I thought it was amusing when they (British radio and TV stations) banned Leader because of the mod and rocker stuff. When I got off the plane in my leather jacket everyone knew which side I was on.”
(source)
“Leader of the Pack” by The Shangri-Las
Mm–“Is she really going out with him?
“Well, there she is, Let’s ask her”
“Betty, is that Jimmy’s ring you’re wearing?”
“Mm-hm”
“Gee, it must be great riding with him”
“Is he picking you up after school today?”
“Mm-mm”
“By the way, where did you meet him?”
“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
My folks were always putting him down
They said he came from the wrong side of town
They told me he was bad but I knew he was sad
That’s why I fell for the leader of the pack
One day my dad said find someone new
I had to tell my Jimmy we’re through
He stood there and asked me why, but all I could do was cry
I’m sorry I hurt you, the leader of the pack
Do do
He sort of smiled and kissed me good bye
The tears were beginning to show
As he drove away on that rainy night,
I begged him to go slow, whether he heard,
I’ll never know Look out! Look out! Look out!
I felt so helpless, what could I do
Remembering all the things we’d been through?
In school they all stop and stare
I can’t hide the tears, but I don’t care
I’ll never forget him, the leader of the pack
Ooh, the leader of the pack now he’s gone
the leader of the pack now he’s gone
the leader of the pack now he’s gone