"Short Shorts" is a song written and performed by Tom Austin, Bill Crandell, Bill Dalton, Russ Viers, and
Bob Gaudio
Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...
, members of
The Royal Teens
The Royal Teens were an American rock and roll band that formed in New Jersey in 1956 and originally consisted of Bob Gaudio on piano, Tom Austin on drums, Billy Dalton on guitar, and Billy Crandall on saxophone. The group is best known for its ...
. It reached #2 on the U.S. R&B chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958. The group originally released the track on the small New York label Power Records in 1957.
In an interview with
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
, Dalton explained how the song came to be written: "We were practicing one night at my house, and one guy started putting some notes together. Another guy picked it up and added some more. Before we knew it we had a tune. During the next three weeks we added and changed and polished until we had it the way we wanted it. Later, the four of us were riding down the street in
Bergenfield
Bergenfield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 28,321, an increase of 1,557 from the 2010 censuscount of 26,764,''Billboard's'' Year-End top 50 singles of 1958.
Other charting versions
*
The Salsoul Orchestra
The Salsoul Orchestra was the backing band of session musicians for many acts on the New York City label Salsoul Records and, under its own name, recorded several hit singles and albums between 1975 and 1982.
History
The orchestra was formed i ...
released it as a single which reached #106 on the U.S. pop chart in 1977.
Tommy Sands
Thomas Adrian Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor. Working in show business as a child, Sands became an overnight sensation and instant teen idol when he appeared on ''Kraft Television Theater'' in January 19 ...
, as part of a medley with "(I'm) All Shook Up", " Splish Splash", and " Hound Dog" on his 1960 live album, ''
Sands at the Sands
''Sands at the Sands'' is a 1960 live album by American singer Tommy Sands recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Reception
The initial ''Billboard'' magazine review from May 30, 1960 commented that " andsshowcases his hits and pro ...
''.
*
Freddie and the Dreamers
Freddie and the Dreamers were an English beat band that had a number of hit records between 1963 and 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying.
...
, on their 1965 album, ''Frantic Freddie''.
*From the 1970s to the 90s, the song was adapted into the campaign slogan "We wear short shorts, ''Nair'' for short shorts" in commercials for ''
Nair
The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histor ...
'' hair removal products.
*''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
'' featured the song four times, in the episodes "
Homer the Heretic
"Homer the Heretic" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 8, 1992. In the episode, Homer decides to forgo going ...
" (1992), "
El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer
"El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)", () also known as "The Mysterious Voyage of Our Homer", is the ninth episode of the The Simpsons (season 8), eighth season of the American animated television series ''The Sim ...
(The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)" (1997), "
She of Little Faith
"She of Little Faith" is the sixth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on December 16, 2001. In the episode, Bart Simpson and his fat ...
Family Guy
''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffin family, Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter Griff ...
'' episode "Stu & Stewie's Excellent Adventure", a sixty-something Joe Swanson living in the year 2035 sang, "Who wears short shorts? ''I'' wear short shorts!!" while flaunting the legs transplanted from his now-deceased wife Bonnie.