"Short Shorts" is a song written and performed by Tom Austin, Bill Crandell, Bill Dalton, and Bob Gaudio, members of The Royal Teens. It reached #2 on the U.S. R&B chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958.[1] The group originally released the track on the small New York label Power Records in 1957.
| "Short Shorts" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Royal Teens | ||||
| B-side | "Planet Rock" | |||
| Released | January 1958 | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll | |||
| Length | 2:12 | |||
| Label | ABC-Paramount | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Tom Austin, Bill Crandell, Bill Dalton, Bob Gaudio | |||
| The Royal Teens singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In an interview with Newsweek, Dalton explained how the song came to be written: "We were practicing one night at my house, and one guy started putting some notes together. Another guy picked it up and added some more. Before we knew it we had a tune. During the next three weeks we added and changed and polished until we had it the way we wanted it. Later, the four of us were riding down the street in Bergenfield ... It was a warm day and we saw this girl in shorts walking down the street. That gave us the idea for the lyrics."[2]
The record ranked #35 on Billboard's Year-End top 50 singles of 1958.[3]
Other charting versions
edit- The Salsoul Orchestra released it as a single which reached #106 on the U.S. pop chart in 1977.[4]
Other versions
edit- Tiny Bradshaw and His Orchestra, as a single in 1958, which did not chart.[5]
- Tommy Sands, as part of a medley with "(I'm) All Shook Up", "Splish Splash", and "Hound Dog" on his 1960 live album, Sands at the Sands.[6]
- Freddie and the Dreamers, on their 1965 album, Frantic Freddie.[7]
- From the 1970s to the 90s, the song[8] was adapted into the campaign slogan "We wear short shorts, Nair for short shorts" in commercials for Nair hair removal products.
- The Simpsons featured the song four times, in the episodes "Homer the Heretic" (1992), "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)" (1997), "She of Little Faith" (2001), and "Sweets and Sour Marge" (2002).
- The Jersey Boys 2005 Broadway cast, on their 2005 album, Jersey Boys (Original Broadway Cast Recording).[9]
- In the 2006 Family Guy episode "Stu & Stewie's Excellent Adventure",[10] a sixty-something Joe Swanson living in the year 2035 sang, "Who wears short shorts? I wear short shorts!!" while flaunting the legs transplanted from his now-deceased wife Bonnie.
References
edit- ^ "The Royal Teens, "Short Shorts" Chart Positions". Musicvf.com. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ "To the Tune of Millions," Newsweek, March 31, 1958
- ^ "Chart Toppers of 1958" Billboard December 15, 1958: p. 44
- ^ "The Salsoul Orchestra, "Short Shorts" Chart Position". Musicvf.com. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Tiny Bradshaw and His Orchestra, "Short Shorts" Single Release". 45cat.com. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Tommy Sands, Sands at the Sands". Discogs.com. 1960. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Freddie and the Dreamers, Frantic Freddie". Discogs.com. 1965. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ Venezio-Preston, Allison L. (July 23, 2020). "Who Wears #ThrowbackThursday Shorts?". Allisonveneziowrites.com. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ "Jersey Boys 2005 Broadway Cast, Jersey Boys (Original Broadway Cast Recording)". Discogs.com. November 2005. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ "Who wears short shorts,Joe wears short shorts!". YouTube. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
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