Girl Group Chronicles: The Bunnies\Goodies

Everyone knows the Shangri-las' huge hit "Leader Of The Pack." By some accounts it is the most successful and popular oldie ever since it has been included on so many collections. But what if the Shangri-las had never recorded it? What if a little known group called the Bunnies who was from Long Island recorded that song? Would it still have been a hit?

No one seems to remember who exactly the Bunnies were, but in 1964, shortly after George "Shadow" Morton had produced the top five hit "Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)" for the Shangri-las, they were discovered and brought to Red Bird Records. Shadow heard them at a show, and wanted to record a new song called "Leader Of The Pack," on them. The owners of the label, however, had different plans. They said they wanted Shadow to stick to producing only one group, and they would prefer if that song was recorded by an artist who already had a hit. The Shangri-las fit both those categories, and so they ended up with a number one smash.

The Bunnies, by this time also called the Goodies, eventually had their chance to record to other Morton pieces. "Rebel Without A Cause," and "Sophisticated Boom Boom," were beautifully crafted songs which were right in the Shangs style. Although some of the best examples of the genre available, by this time, 1965, girl group records weren't getting a lot of notice.