My Boyfriend's Back (song)
Encyclopedia
"My Boyfriend's Back" was a hit song in 1963 for The Angels, an American girl group
. It was written by the songwriting team of Feldman, Goldstein
and Gottehrer
(a.k.a. FGG Productions who later formed the group The Strangeloves
). The recording was originally intended as a demo
for The Shirelles
, but ended up being released as recorded. The result was a single that spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, and number two on the R&B Billboard.
The song is a word of warning to a would-be suitor who, after the narrator of the song rebuffed his advances, went on to spread nasty rumours accusing the narrator of romantic indiscretions. Now, the narrator declares, her boyfriend is back in town and ready to settle the score, and she tells the rebuffed would-be suitor to watch his back.
The inspiration for the song was when co-writer Bob Feldman overheard a conversation between a high school girl and the boy she was rebuffing.
Rival girl groups The Chiffons
and Martha and the Vandellas
recorded covers shortly after The Angels' original release. Nearly twenty years later, Melissa Manchester
released a faithful cover version as a single in 1983 that reached number 33 on the Adult Contemporary chart. More than twenty years after that, the song was also covered by former American Idol
contestant Paris Bennett
on her 2007 album "Princess P."
The song has also been covered in punk rock
-influenced recordings by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
, Bracket
, and Australian female punk trio The Spazzys; in post-punk revival
- The Raveonettes
.
UK Powerpop originators The Pleasers featured the song as a highspot of their live stage shows as 'My Girlfriends Back' and recorded it for their Thamesbeat Album in 1978.
Bette Bright
and the Illuminations released a cover version in 1978 as their single debut.
The rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
's track "Guess Who's Back" borrows heavily from the structure and lyrics of "My Boyfriend's Back".
Fictional music group The Chipettes
covered the song for "Hooping It Up," a 1986 episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks
.
The song is featured in the 2006 Tony award
winning musical, Jersey Boys
. It was also featured on the U.S. television show "American Dreams
," where it was sung by Christian
Pop
singer Stacie Orrico
playing the lead singer of the Angels. Orrico was backed by series stars Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor) and Vanessa Lengies
(Roxanne Bojarski).
A version of the tune has been used in a commercial jingle
for the Hess
toy truck, sung as "The Hess Truck's Back".
A cover by Australian band The Chantoozies featured in the film "The Crossing
" (1990).
The song was parodied
by Bob Ricci on his debut album Get a Life as "My Girlfriend's Back".
Sarah Brightman
released a cover version of the song on a single in 1981.
In 1981, the band Dire Straits
made a reference to the song in their hit Romeo and Juliet, from the album Making Movies
.
The song figured prominently in the 1989 made for television film My Boyfriend's Back, which featured Jill Eikenberry
, Sandy Duncan
and Judith Light
as former members of a fictitious girl group named The Bouffants. In the story, "My Boyfriend's Back" was their only hit song.
The song title was referenced for the 1993 film My Boyfriend's Back
, directed by Bob Balaban
.
The Disney Channel did a DTV
music video of the song set to clips from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
.
The Raveonettes' cover of the song was used in The Vampire Diaries
Episode 11 "Unpleasentville"
Comedian Frank Caliendo
often sings a cover of the song, with the lyrics changed to be about Brett Favre
, when doing his John Madden
impersonation. (My Brett Favre's back and your defense is in trouble/Hey now, hey now, my Brett Favre's Back!) A viral video was later posted on YouTube
, with Caliendo's lyrics put over the original song.
In her 2006/2007 Under the Surface Tour, Marit Larsen
covered the song.
In the TV show Will and Grace, episode 2.16 "Hey La, Hey La, My Ex-Boyfriend's Back", Jack and Will sing a brief version of the song before quickly going into dialogue.
In the Show The Good Guys
, episode 3 "The Broken Door Theory" the cover of the song by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
was used during a shooting scene.
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
. It was written by the songwriting team of Feldman, Goldstein
Jerry Goldstein (record producer, musician)
Jerry Goldstein is an American producer, singer songwriter and musician. He was one of the members of The Strangeloves, the co-writer of "My Boyfriend's Back" , the producer and dubiously credited songwriter of War, and the former manager of Sly and the Family Stone...
and Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
(a.k.a. FGG Productions who later formed the group The Strangeloves
The Strangeloves
The Strangeloves were the creation of an American songwriting/production team in the 1960s who were from New York, but pretended to be from Australia. Their biggest hits were "I Want Candy," "Cara-Lin" and "Night Time"....
). The recording was originally intended as a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
for The Shirelles
The Shirelles
The Shirelles were an African-American girl group that achieved popularity in the early 1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens , Doris Coley , Addie "Micki" Harris , and Beverly Lee...
, but ended up being released as recorded. The result was a single that spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and number two on the R&B Billboard.
The song is a word of warning to a would-be suitor who, after the narrator of the song rebuffed his advances, went on to spread nasty rumours accusing the narrator of romantic indiscretions. Now, the narrator declares, her boyfriend is back in town and ready to settle the score, and she tells the rebuffed would-be suitor to watch his back.
The inspiration for the song was when co-writer Bob Feldman overheard a conversation between a high school girl and the boy she was rebuffing.
Covers, parodies and references
"My Boyfriend's Back" has been the subject of several notable cover versions.Rival girl groups The Chiffons
The Chiffons
The Chiffons was an all girl group originating from the Bronx area of New York in 1960.-Biography:The Chiffons were one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s...
and Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967...
recorded covers shortly after The Angels' original release. Nearly twenty years later, Melissa Manchester
Melissa Manchester
Melissa Manchester is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Beginning in the 1970s, she has recorded generally in the adult contemporary genre. She has also appeared as an actress on television, in films, and on stage....
released a faithful cover version as a single in 1983 that reached number 33 on the Adult Contemporary chart. More than twenty years after that, the song was also covered by former American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestant Paris Bennett
Paris Bennett
Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...
on her 2007 album "Princess P."
The song has also been covered in punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
-influenced recordings by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
, Bracket
Bracket (band)
Bracket is an American punk rock band from Forestville, California, formed in 1992. The band has consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Marty Gregori, bassist Zack Charlos and drummer Ray Castro since its inception, with guitarist Angelo Celli replacing founding member Larry Tinney in 1999...
, and Australian female punk trio The Spazzys; in post-punk revival
Post-punk revival
The post-punk revival was a development in alternative rock of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in which bands took inspiration from the original sounds and aesthetics of garage rock of the 1960s and post-punk and New Wave of the late 1970s...
- The Raveonettes
The Raveonettes
The Raveonettes are a Danish indie rock duo, consisting of Sune Rose Wagner on guitar, instruments, and vocals, and Sharin Foo on bass, guitar and vocals...
.
UK Powerpop originators The Pleasers featured the song as a highspot of their live stage shows as 'My Girlfriends Back' and recorded it for their Thamesbeat Album in 1978.
Bette Bright
Bette Bright
Bette Bright is an English rock singer.-Career:In the late 1970s Bright was a singer for the art rock band Deaf School. After Deaf School disbanded, Bright went solo with her backing band, 'The Illuminations'. Band members were Henry Priestman , Rusty Egan and Glen Matlock...
and the Illuminations released a cover version in 1978 as their single debut.
The rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...
's track "Guess Who's Back" borrows heavily from the structure and lyrics of "My Boyfriend's Back".
Fictional music group The Chipettes
The Chipettes
The Chipettes are a fictional group of anthropomorphic chipmunk singers first appearing on the cartoon series Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1983. In this and related materials, the Chipettes served as female featured characters in their own right, starring in numerous episodes...
covered the song for "Hooping It Up," a 1986 episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks (TV series)
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated television series featuring The Chipmunks, produced by Bagdasarian Productions in association with Ruby-Spears Enterprises from 1983–87, and DIC Entertainment from 1988-90....
.
The song is featured in the 2006 Tony award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
winning musical, Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons...
. It was also featured on the U.S. television show "American Dreams
American Dreams
American Dreams is an American television comedy-drama program broadcast on the NBC television network, produced by Once A Frog and Dick Clark Productions in association with Universal Network Television and NBC Studios...
," where it was sung by Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer Stacie Orrico
Stacie Orrico
Stacie Joy Orrico is a Contemporary Christian and R&B singer-songwriter and occasional actress. In 1998, she signed to ForeFront Records when she was 12 years old, and recorded her first album Genuine , which sold 13,000 in the first week of release.After her first album she signed to a new record...
playing the lead singer of the Angels. Orrico was backed by series stars Brittany Snow (Meg Pryor) and Vanessa Lengies
Vanessa Lengies
Vanessa Lynne-Marie Lengies is a Canadian actress best known for starring in the drama American Dreams as Roxanne Bojarski...
(Roxanne Bojarski).
A version of the tune has been used in a commercial jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
for the Hess
Hess Corporation
The Hess Corporation is an integrated oil company based in New York City. The company explores, produces, transports, and refines crude oil and natural gas. Vertically completing the logistical chain, about 1,360 Hess branded filling stations market gasoline to consumers in 16 states along the...
toy truck, sung as "The Hess Truck's Back".
A cover by Australian band The Chantoozies featured in the film "The Crossing
The Crossing (1990 film)
The Crossing is a 1990 Australian drama film directed by George Ogilvie and starring Russell Crowe, Robert Mammone and Danielle Spencer, which was filmed in the towns of Junee and Condobolin in New South Wales.-Box office:...
" (1990).
The song was parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
by Bob Ricci on his debut album Get a Life as "My Girlfriend's Back".
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
released a cover version of the song on a single in 1981.
In 1981, the band Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
made a reference to the song in their hit Romeo and Juliet, from the album Making Movies
Making Movies
Making Movies is the third album by English rock band Dire Straits, released in 1980.- History :The title of the album comes from a line in the song "Skateaway" and the unreleased song "Making Movies". Rolling Stone ranked the album #52 in their survey of the "100 Best Albums of the 80s"...
.
The song figured prominently in the 1989 made for television film My Boyfriend's Back, which featured Jill Eikenberry
Jill Eikenberry
Jill Eikenberry is an American film, stage, and television actress. She is best known for her role as lawyer Ann Kelsey in L.A. Law...
, Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
and Judith Light
Judith Light
Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
as former members of a fictitious girl group named The Bouffants. In the story, "My Boyfriend's Back" was their only hit song.
The song title was referenced for the 1993 film My Boyfriend's Back
My Boyfriend's Back (film)
My Boyfriend's Back is a 1993 American romantic black comedy/fantasy/horror film directed by Bob Balaban which tells the story of Johnny Dingle, a teenage boy who returns from the dead as a zombie to meet Missy McCloud, the girl he's in love with, for a date...
, directed by Bob Balaban
Bob Balaban
Robert Elmer "Bob" Balaban is an American actor, author and director.-Personal life:Balaban was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Eleanor and Elmer Balaban, who owned several movie theatres and later was a pioneer in cable television...
.
The Disney Channel did a DTV
D-TV
D-TV was a series of music videos created by Walt Disney Productions in 1984 using popular music and video footage from Disney videos, mostly cartoons, created out of the trend of music videos on cable channel MTV, which inspired the name of this series...
music video of the song set to clips from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow segment of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is a 1949 animated feature produced by Walt Disney. The film was released to theaters on October 5, 1949 by RKO Radio Pictures and is the eleventh animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
.
The Raveonettes' cover of the song was used in The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L. J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth...
Episode 11 "Unpleasentville"
Comedian Frank Caliendo
Frank Caliendo
Frank Caliendo is an American comedian and impressionist, best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and as the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS...
often sings a cover of the song, with the lyrics changed to be about Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
, when doing his John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
impersonation. (My Brett Favre's back and your defense is in trouble/Hey now, hey now, my Brett Favre's Back!) A viral video was later posted on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, with Caliendo's lyrics put over the original song.
In her 2006/2007 Under the Surface Tour, Marit Larsen
Marit Larsen
Marit Elisabeth Larsen is a Norwegian singer and songwriter.She began playing violins at age of 5,and played it until the age of 8. She gained international fame during her teenage years as a member of the pop duo M2M with childhood friend Marion Raven. More recently she has pursued her own music...
covered the song.
In the TV show Will and Grace, episode 2.16 "Hey La, Hey La, My Ex-Boyfriend's Back", Jack and Will sing a brief version of the song before quickly going into dialogue.
In the Show The Good Guys
The Good Guys
The Good Guys is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from September 25, 1968 to January 23, 1970. 42 color episodes were filmed in all. As with The Governor & J.J. and Get Smart, it was produced by Talent Associates and CBS Productions...
, episode 3 "The Broken Door Theory" the cover of the song by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
was used during a shooting scene.