The girl-group boom of the early 1960s produced plenty of unforgettable hits, and the Angels’ “My Boyfriend’s Back” was one of the biggest. Released in 1963, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks.
By the early ’60s, doo-wop’s harmonies and call-and-response vocals had found a new home in girl-group pop. The Ronettes, the Blossoms, the Supremes and the Shirelles all helped shape the era, with the Angels bringing a cheekier attitude to the mix.
That personality came through especially well on “My Boyfriend’s Back,” which turned a story about a persistent admirer into a catchy pop song. The upbeat arrangement makes the lyrics feel almost teasing, even though the singer is clearly telling someone to watch out.
The Angels’ lineup at the time featured Peggy Santiglia and sisters Barbara Allbut and Phyllis Allbut, all of whom were from New Jersey. Santiglia had been performing with another group when she met the Allbut sisters through the local music scene. The three eventually joined forces and formed the Angels in 1961.
“My Boyfriend’s Back” wasn’t initially intended to be an Angels song. Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer wrote it as a demo for the Shirelles, but the Angels ultimately recorded their own version.
The Brooklyn songwriting and production trio had plenty of experience with catchy pop songs. Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer later wrote “Sorrow,” while the three also performed as the Strangeloves, who scored a 1965 hit with “I Want Candy.”
The Angels’ version feels more like a conversation than a typical pop song. It starts with handclaps and Santiglia delivering a spoken telephone exchange that sets up the whole story.
“He went away, and you hung around,” she sings, making her frustration with the unwanted attention pretty clear. The cheerful vocals and bouncy rhythm make the song feel fun, even when the lyrics get a little tougher.
The song was reportedly inspired by a real incident involving a young girl who ran into a Brooklyn soda fountain and told off a boy who had been bothering her. The relatable situation made the song easy to connect with, while the upbeat sound kept it fun.
“My Boyfriend’s Back” remained the Angels’ biggest hit by far. They followed it with several charting singles, but none came close to its No. 1 run.
The years that followed brought some changes to the group itself. Santiglia briefly left in 1965, and a dispute over the Angels’ name eventually led the trio to perform temporarily as the Halos. Still, the Angels continued performing as their lineup changed over the years.
The group toured internationally and even shared stages with artists such as R&B legend Al Green. They were eventually inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005.
The Angels released Love, The Angels in 2008, nearly five decades after “My Boyfriend’s Back” first became a hit, and continued touring until 2017.
Related: 1977 Rock Song, Sung by the ‘Queen of Country Rock,’ Is Still a Powerful Hit 49 Years Later
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