My Boyfriend's Back (song)

"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 Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer (a.k.a. FGG Productions who later formed the group the Strangeloves).[1] The track, employing the services of drummer Gary Chester,[2] was originally intended as a demo for the Shirelles, but ended up being released as recorded.[3] The single spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and reached No. 2 on the R&B Billboard.

"My Boyfriend's Back"
Side-A label of the U.S. 7-inch vinyl single
Single by the Angels
from the album My Boyfriend's Back
B-side	"(Love Me) Now"
Released	July 1963
Recorded	1963
Genre	Pop
Length	2:14 (45 version) 2:42 (album cut)
Label	Smash
Songwriter(s)	Bob Feldman Jerry Goldstein Richard Gottehrer
Producer(s)	Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer
The Angels singles chronology
"Everybody Loves a Lover" (1962) "My Boyfriend's Back" (1963) "Cotton Fields" (1963)

The song is a word of warning to a would-be suitor who, after being rebuffed by the female narrator of the song, spread nasty rumors accusing her of romantic indiscretions. Now, the narrator declares, her boyfriend is back in town and ready to settle the score, and she warns the rejected admirer to watch his back.

Other musicians on the record include Herbie Lovelle on drums, Billy Butler, Bobby Comstock, and Al Gorgoni on guitar, and Bob Bushnell overdubbing on an electric and an upright bass. This song also features a young Ronnie Dio on the horns.[4] Feldman, Goldstein & Gottehrer also wrote and produced some of Dio's early work with the band Ronnie Dio & The Prophets.

The song begins with a spoken recitation from the lead singer that goes: "He went away, and you hung around, and bothered me every night. And when I wouldn't go out with you, you said things that weren't very nice".

The album version, which has appeared on a few compilations in stereo, features the line: "Hey. I can see him comin'/ Now you better start a runnin'", before the instrumental repeat of the bridge section, a repeat of one stanza from the refrain ("My boyfriend's back/He's gonna save my reputation"), and finally, the coda section, just before the song fades.

The inspiration for the song came from co-writer Bob Feldman, who overheard a conversation between a high school girl and the boy she was rebuffing.[5]

Billboard named the song No. 24 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[6]

Notable cover versions

"My Boyfriend's Back" has been the subject of several notable cover versions.

Rival girl groups the Chiffons and Martha and the Vandellas recorded covers shortly after the Angels' original release. In 1983, Melissa Manchester released a faithful cover version as a single that reached No. 33 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[7] The song was also covered by former American Idol contestant Paris Bennett on her 2007 album Princess P. Another lesser known take was recorded by Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies on their 2001 album Blow in the Wind.

Later in 1963, Bobby Comstock and the Counts issued an answer record titled "Your Boyfriend's Back" which peaked at No. 98 in the U.S.[8]

Bette Bright and the Illuminations released a cover in 1978 as their debut single.

Sarah Brightman released a version of the song on a single in 1981.

American child singer Nikka Costa released a cover in 1983 on her album Fairy Tales.

A cover by Australian band the Chantoozies featured in the film "The Crossing" (1990), with another Australian band Spazzys covering it on their 2004 album Aloha! Go Bananas.

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, backed by series stars Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies.

Parodies, features and references

A parody of the song was made in the 1980s for the Chunky candy bar and used in an animated commercial.[9]

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 the Bouffants.

The song was parodied by Bob Ricci on his first album Get a Life as "My Girlfriend's Back".

It is briefly referred to in the Dire Straits song "Romeo and Juliet".

The jingle promoting Hess Corporation's toy trucks during the Christmas season is set to the tune of "My Boyfriend's Back". ("The Hess truck's back, and it's better than ever...")

The title of Aerosmith's record "Permanent Vacation" was taken from a lyric in the song.

The song was played at the "Fallout 76" announcement when Bethesda producer Todd Howard was introduced to the crowd, the song was a cover of the original 1963.

Humorist Dave Barry often lists it as one of his favorite songs, in books such as Dave Barry Turns 40 and Dave Barry Does Japan. In the former, he says that if he were the US President, "My Boyfriend's Back" would replace "Hail to the Chief" as his ceremonial song.

A parody of the song lyrics was sung by characters of The Office (American TV series) in Season 8 – Episode 21 "Angry Andy":[10]

Andy: [singing] My girlfriend's back and there's gonna be trouble-

Andy & Erin: Hey la, hey la... Andy: ...my girlfriend's back!

Erin: [simultaneously] ...his girlfriend's back! [others cheer and applaud]

Charts

Chart (1963)	Peak position
New Zealand (Listener)[11]	1
UK Singles (OCC)[12]	50
US Billboard Hot 100[13]	1
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles[14]	2

References

1. Ankeny, Jason. "Song overview". AllMusic. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
2. "The Official Gary Chester Website – Discography". Angelfire.com. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
3. "Biography: The Angels". AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2009.
4. "Ronnie James Dio: The Early Years". loudersound. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
5. Archived August 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
6. "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
7. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 147.
8. "Billboard Hot 100 Chart History for Your Boyfriend's Back by Bobby Comstock & The Counts". Song-database.com. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
9. "Chunky candy bar commercial (YouTube)".
10. "OfficeQuotes.net – The Comprehensive Source for The Office Quotes!".
11. Flavour of New Zealand, 19 September 1963
12. "Angels: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
13. "The Angels Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
14. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – My Boyfriend's Back The Angels Chart History, Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2018.