‘Hang On Sloopy’ (originally ‘My Girl Sloopy’) is a 1964 song written by Wes Farrell and Bert Berns. Rhythm and blues vocal group the Vibrations were the first to record the tune in 1964. A version by the rock group the McCoys was the most successful, when it reached number one in the singles chart.
There are many rumors about the origin of the name "Sloopy." One popular explanation is that it came from Dorothy Sloop, who was a jazz singer from Steubenville, Ohio. Sloop, who died in 1998 at age 85, performed in the New Orleans area using the name "Sloopy." The song is wildly popular in Ohio, especially at Ohio State University, where it is the signature song of their marching band. In 1985, ‘Hang On Sloopy’ was named the official rock song of the state of Ohio. According to the resolution, John Tagenhorst, then an arranger for the Ohio State University marching band, created the now-famous arrangement of "Sloopy," which was first performed at the Ohio State vs. Illinois football game on October 9, 1965.
The McCoys began as the Rick Z Combo (named after lead guitarist Rick Zehringer, who later became Rick Derringer) in Union City, Indiana. They developed a following playing at Forest Park Plaza in Dayton, Ohio. They later became Rick and The Raiders, a group led by guitarist and lead singer Derringer. In 1965, Rick and The Raiders played a Dayton, Ohio concert as the backup band for The Strangeloves, who were a group of producers who wrote the song ‘I Want Candy’ and made up a group for it. In a strange and brilliant marketing move, The Strangeloves claimed they were from Australia and said they were shepherds who got rich by crossbreeding sheep. The Strangeloves - Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer - arranged a recording session with Rick and The Raiders, who changed their name to The McCoys (after a Ventures song), and had them record a version of ‘My Girl Sloopy’ as ‘Hang On Sloopy.’
Originally written and recorded with three verses, the retitled ‘Hang On Sloopy’ was edited down to two verses for the single and resulting Hang On Sloopy album. Record World said that "Teens will hang on to this new Bang slice, since the rhythmic song about a hard luck girl is riveting."
According to a Puget Sound Media documentary about the musical mystery, the Sloopy Girl is Lisa Leonard Dalton, who was crowned Miss Gazzarri Dancer of 1974 at Gazzarri's, a famous Hollywood nightclub. The exposure got her the "Sloopy" gig, and she was given instructions to show up to the shoot in a tank top, short shorts and, most importantly, no bra. She was also given a newsboy cap to hide her blonde locks until the moment Derringer sang the lyrics, "Sloopy, let your hair down, girl." Lisa improvised her sexy dance and went home with around $200 for her day's work. She didn't actually see the video until Christmas 2013, when her brother-in-law found the video clip on YouTube.
Label – Bang
Songwriters – Wes Farrell, Bert Berns
Producers – Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer
SONG LYRICS
[Chorus]Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
[Verse 1]
Sloopy lives in a very bad part of town (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
And everybody, yeah, tries to put my Sloopy down (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Sloopy, I don't care what your daddy do (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause you know, Sloopy, girl, I'm in love with you (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
And so I say now
[Chorus]
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
[Verse 2]
Sloopy wears a red dress, yeah, as old as the hills (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
But when Sloopy wears that red dress, yeah, you know, it gives me the chills, oh, oh (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Sloopy, when I see you walkin', walkin' down the street (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
I say, "Don't worry, Sloopy, girl, you belong to me" (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
And so I say now
[Chorus]
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (Yeah), yeah (yeah)
Give it to 'em (Yeah), right now
[Guitar Breakdown]
[Verse 3]
Sloopy, let your hair down, girl
Let it hang down on me (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Sloopy, let your hair down, girl
Let it hang down on me, yeah, yeah (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
[Bridge]
Come on, Sloopy (Come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (Come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (Come on, come on)
Well, come on, Sloopy (Come on, come on)
Well, it feels so good (Come on, come on)
You know, it feels so good (Come on, come on)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, Sloopy (Come on, come on)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, yeah (Come on, come on)
Ohhh
[Outro]
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (Yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah) ah
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on
Yeah (Yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah)
Hang on, Sloopy
Sloopy, hang on