DEL SHANNON

Del Shannon was born Charles Westover in 1934. Besides some of the songs listed below, he wrote "I Go To Pieces" for the singing duo Peter and Gordon; he also wrote and produced songs for Brian Hyland. He committed suicide in 1990.

At His Best

Total time - 23:32 (the shortest music CD I've ever seen)

1. Runaway (2:20) - This fast song features a piano, as do most other songs on this album. This and the next song also features horns. The narrator wonders why his girlfriend left him; their relationship seemed strong until she left. As he walks in the rain and cries, he wonders where she has run to.

2. Hats Off To Larry (2:01) - The intro is slow, but the rest of the song is fast. From the middle instrumental on, I at first thought that was a flute but learned later it was a synthesizer. In the intro, the narrator talks ABOUT his girlfriend; in the rest of the song, he talks TO her. Anyway, she left him for a man named Larry, who then left her. The narrator cried when she left him; now that Larry's left her, it's her turn to cry.

3. Hey Little Girl (2:30) - This song is slightly faster than the previous two. Additional instruments include violins. As the narrator walks along the streets of his town, he sees a girl he knows. She is crying, and he can tell why--her heart has been broken by a previous boyfriend who treated her cruelly. He offers to fix her heart by giving her true love.

4. Little Town Flirt (2:48) - This and the next song are slightly faster than moderate. Also, women sing behind Del in both songs; in this one, the women sing in the left speaker. The narrator apparently has been hurt by the girl, as he warns other men to beware of her. She flirts with every man in town, so any man who expects to start a relationship with her must have a strong heart.

5. Two Kinds Of Teardrops (2:29) - This time, the female backup vocals can be heard in the right speaker. According to the narrator, there are lonely teardrops and happy teardrops. The girl's previous boyfriend made her cry the former; the narrator resolves to make her cry the latter.

6. Stranger In Town (2:31) - Here's another fast song with a slow intro. A tambourine is featured here. The narrator and his girlfriend have been running for a long time from a private detective. The girl's parents, believing that the younger couple have "done wrong," sent the detective after the younger couple. Toward the end of the song, the narrator and his girlfriend seem to have lost the detective, at least temporarily.

7. Keep Searchin' (2:09) - The tempo is moderately fast. Additional instruments and sound effects include an organ and clapping of hands. The narrator and his girlfriend are searching for a place to hide from people who treat her cruelly and try to keep the couple apart. He believes they will find a hiding place by following the sun.

8. So Long Baby (2:00) - This very fast song features horns and a tambourine. The narrator's former girlfriend has been laughing and telling everyone in town how she made a fool of him. Now that he has a new lover of his own, he no longer cares; he tells her to go far away.

9. Handy Man (2:10) - This version is slightly faster than the original version by two-hit wonder Jimmy Jones. A synthesizer plays lead during the middle instrumental.

10. Do You Wanna Dance (2:12) - This fast song was written and originally sung by Bobby Freeman, a one-hit wonder. In this version, high organ notes play lead during the instrumental. Besides this version, I have one by the Beach Boys.

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