Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells Songs

Photo: Roulette Records [Public domain]

The origins of Tommy James and the Shondells go all the way back to the city of Niles, Michigan. It was then that a 12-year-old named Tommy James served as lead singer in a band called The Echoes. When Tommy James turned 15, his band released their first single, “Long Pony Tail.” The song was released in 1962. Eventually, Tommy James renamed the band Tommy James and the Shondells.

In 1966, Tommy James and the Shondells released their first official album, Hanky Panky. The album was a blazing success. It featured a number one single with the album’s title track “Hanky Panky.” It would be the first of the band’s two number one singles that they enjoyed throughout their entire career. The album Hanky Panky also spawned a second successful single, “Say I Am (What I Am).“The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Like so many bands in the 1960s such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks etc, etc, Tommy James and the Shondells released multiple albums yearly. In 1966, the band released Hanky Panky and It’s Only Love. In 1967, Tommy James and the Shondells released two more albums, I Think We’re Alone Now and Getting Together.

In 1968, Tommy James And The Shondells released the album Mony Mony, which contained their smash single “Mony Mony.” Three singles were released from the album. The band followed the Mony Mony album with the most successful record of their career. The band’s Crimson and Clover album spawned five singles, including the number-one title track “Crimson and Clover.”

Tommy James And The Shondells would never have the success again that they did with the Crimson and Clover album. The group released only two more albums after Crimson and Clover. In 1969, the band released the album Cellophane Symphony. That album was followed up in 1970 with their last album for Roulette Records.

Our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list looks at the band’s 1960s period when they were a mainstay on the music charts and one of the most loved bands in the world.

# 10 – Sugar On Sunday

We open our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list with a great album track from their Crimson and Clover album. The record was released in January 1969. “Sugar On Sunday” was never released as a single, but it’s one of the sweetest songs that Tommy James And The Shondells ever released. Sorry, we couldn’t resist. Seriously, we opened this Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list with this one to simply demonstrate that the band was not just a hit-making machine but a group that released fantastic albums that, at times, were overshadowed by their mega hits.

# 9 – It’s Only Love

The Tommy James And The Shondells song “It’s Only Love” was the only single released from the band’s second album, It’s Only Love. The song was released twice with two different B sides. It was a top 40 hit in the United States, peaking at number 31 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Music Charts.

# 8 – Sweet Cherry Wine

Continuing with our top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list we turn to their Cellophane Symphony album. The record was released in 1969. The song “Sweet Cherry Wine,” was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number seven. The impact of the late 1960s psychedelic and progressive rock movements seemed to inspire the modest musical shift that was apparent on the Cellophane Symphony album.

# 7 – Get Out Now

Tommy James And The Shondells song “Get Out Now,” was the lead off single from their legendary Mony Mony album. The song was nowhere as successful as the title track. “Get Out Now,” only reached the forty eighth position on the Billboard Hot 100.

# 6 – Getting Together

“Gettin’ Together” was released on the band’s album also entitled Gettin’ Together. The album and single were both released in 1967. “Gettin’ Together” was the only single released from the album. The opening riffs of this one sound a little like the intro to “Gimme Some Lovin” by the Spencer Davis Band.

# 5 – I Think We’re Alone Now

The next group of songs on this Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells Songs list features five of the band’s biggest hits. These songs were massive hits for the band that cemented the legacy of Tommy James And The Shondells in classic rock history. “I Think We’re Alone Now” was released on the album entitled I Think We’re Alone Now. The song reached the number four position on the Billboard Hot 100. It was one of three singles released from the I Think We’re Alone Now album.

# 4 – Hanky Panky

The classic Tommy James And The Shondells song “Hanky Panky” was the band’s first number-one hit. The song was originally released in 1964 and then re-released in 1966 and reached the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.

# 3 – Crystal Blue Persuasion

It would be tough to argue against “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” standing as one of the most wonderful 1960s songs ever released. In our book, it scores 10s on every level, from lyrics to melody to musicianship to production. The song was released on the Crimson and Clover album in 1968. The song was released as the third single from the album. It was incredibly successful from both an artistic and commercial point of view. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.”Crystal Blue Persuasion” was written by Eddie Gray, Tommy James, and Mike Vale.

# 2 – Crimson and Clover

“Crimson and Clover” was Tommy James And The Shondells’ second number-one single. Tommy James And The Shondells only had two number-ones throughout their recording career, the first being their very first single, “Hanky Panky.” The song was written by Tommy James and Peter Lucia. It was the second single released from the album. Joan Jett had a top-ten hit with a cover of “Crimson and Clover” in 1982. The song has been included in many television shows and motion pictures.

# 1 – Mony Mony

We close out our Top 10 Tommy James And The Shondells songs list with a song that is probably one of the most-played songs in the history of classic rock. Every garage band, bar band, party band, and on and on utilizes “Mony Mony” in their setlist. It’s that one go-to song when you need to get the party jumping. It’s as classic as “Shout” or “Louie Louie.” It may not have been Tommy James And The Shondells’ biggest hit, but it easily has become the most popular song they ever released. Billy Idol covered it in the 80s and had a big hit with it, also. It has become part of mainstream culture, passing from generation to generation. That’s number one in our book!