Album: released as a single (1963)
Charted: 10

Songfacts®:

  • Running a brisk 1:57, this doo-wop song is emblematic of the genre, complete with "dooby-doo"s and a super-innocent lyric about a girl this guy is crazy for. It was a #10 hit in the US in the summer of 1963; a year later The Beatles invaded and doo-wop suddenly sounded dated.
  • Randy & The Rainbows were from Queens, New York, a doo-wop hotspot. In this lineup, they were comprised of two sets of brothers: Randy and Frank Safuto, and Mike and Sal Zero, plus Ken Arcipowski. "Denise" was their first single.
  • The song was written by Neil Levenson, who wasn't a member of the group. According to his 2008 obituary in Billboard, Levenson wrote the song for Denise Lefrak, his childhood friend.

    Levenson also wrote the next Randy & The Rainbows single, "Why Do Kids Grow Up," which stalled at #97 - it was their last chart appearance. Levenson also shows up on the credits for "When It's All Over" by Jay & The Americans and "I Wanna Swim With Him" by The Daisies.
  • Songwriter Neil Levenson brought Randy & The Rainbows in contact with the Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight"). The Tokens producers worked on the track, and it became the last doo-wop hit for the Laurie label.
  • Blondie revived this song in 1977, changing the title to "Denis" but keeping the pronunciation as "Denise," thus making it about a French guy so their frontwoman Debbie Harry could sing it. This was early in Blondie's career, and the song was their breakthrough in Europe. They didn't have a hit in their home country of America until a year later with "Heart Of Glass."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.

Christopher Cross

Christopher CrossSongwriter Interviews

The man who created Yacht Rock with "Sailing" wrote one of his biggest hits while on acid.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.