Tommy James and the Shondells

The Shondells had long since broken up, and did not wish to reform in order to travel to Pittsburgh. James flew there solo, and hired a local band named The Raconteurs to become the replacement Shondells. The group needed a follow-up and selected a song called Say I Am (What I Am). Although not as successful as Hanky Panky, it reached #21 on the charts later in the same year.

Roulette assigned songwriters Richie Cordell and Bo Gentry the task of writing songs for Tommy James & The Shondells. From 1967 to 1969, the group turned out hit after hit on the Roulette label, including six more that made it to the top ten: I Think We're Alone Now, Mirage, Mony Mony, Crimson and Clover (the group's second and final U.S. #1 hit), Sweet Cherry Wine, and Crystal Blue Persuasion.