Give Him a Great Big Kiss
| "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Dutch picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Shangri-Las | ||||
| from the album Leader of the Pack | ||||
| B-side | "Twist and Shout" | |||
| Released | December 1964 | |||
| Genre | Pop[1] | |||
| Length | 2:12 | |||
| Label | Red Bird | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Shadow Morton | |||
| Producer(s) | Shadow Morton | |||
| The Shangri-Las singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Give Him a Great Big Kiss" (sometimes entitled "Great Big Kiss") is a song written by Shadow Morton and performed by the Shangri-Las. It debuted at number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late December 1964,[2] and peaked at #18 for two weeks in late January/early February 1965.[3][4] It was featured on their 1965 album Leader of the Pack.[5]
The single was produced by Shadow Morton.[6]
Other versions
[edit]- New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders does a solo version of the song on his 1978 album So Alone.[7]
- A version by the New York Dolls also appears on their 1985 compilation album Night of the Living Dolls.[8] Also, on the band's 1973 self-titled album, lead singer David Johansen quotes the "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" line, "you'd best believe I'm in love L-U-V", in the opening of "Looking for a Kiss".[9] "Looking for a Kiss" tells the story of adolescent romantic desire hampered by peers who use drugs.[10]
- In 1980, the Spanish rock band Burning released a version titled "Es especial" with lyrics in Spanish.[11][12]
- A cover by Tracey Ullman was released in 1984 on her second studio album, You Caught Me Out.[13]
- It's My Party! released a version of the song on their 2000 album Can I Get to Know You Better?[14]
- Bette Midler covered the song in 2014 for her fourteenth studio album, It's the Girls! Her version recasts the original's love interest as a 98 year old man who needs to be taken back to the hospital after he got out to spend time with the singer.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
The most frenzied pop single ever released by the traditionally doomy-and-gloomy girl group...
- ^ "Hot 100" (PDF), Billboard Magazine, p. 26, December 26, 1964, retrieved December 8, 2021
- ^ "Hot 100" (PDF), Billboard, p. 34, January 30, 1965, retrieved December 8, 2021
- ^ "Hot 100" (PDF), Billboard, p. 32, February 6, 1965, retrieved December 8, 2021
- ^ "The Shangri-Las, Leader of the Pack". Discogs. 1965. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ "The Shangri-Las, "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" Single Release". Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Thunders, So Alone". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ New York Dolls (1985), "Night of the Living Dolls", Discogs, PolyGram Records, retrieved March 15, 2019
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (2011). Retromania: Pop Culture's Addiction to Its Own Past. Faber & Faber. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-86547-994-4.
- ^ Antonia, Nina (2006). Too Much Too Soon: The New York Dolls (3rd ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 46. ISBN 1-84449-984-7.
- ^ Rego, Carlos (April 2007). "Shangri-las: Llorar, reir y bailar". Ruta 66 (in Spanish). No. 237. p. 48.
- ^ BurningVEVO (2020-09-23). Burning - Es Especial. Retrieved 2024-09-01 – via YouTube.
- ^ Robbins, Ira. "Tracey Ullman". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
- ^ "It's My Party!, Can I Get to Know You Better?". AllMusic. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ Paul, John (December 2, 2014). "Bette Midler: It's the Girls!". PopMatters. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
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