This Is My Bag is the seventh studio album by American rock and roll singer-songwriter Del Shannon, and his first for Liberty Records, Released in July 1966, it features the singles "The Big Hurt" and "For a Little While". "The Big Hurt" peaked at No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

This Is My Bag
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 1966
GenreRock and roll
Length29:05
LabelLiberty
ProducerSnuff Garrett
Del Shannon chronology
1,661 Seconds with Del Shannon
(1965)
This Is My Bag
(1966)
Total Commitment
(1966)
Singles from This Is My Bag
  1. "The Big Hurt"
    Released: March 4, 1966
  2. "For a Little While"
    Released: May 13, 1966

The album was released on compact disc for the first time by Beat Goes On on March 19, 1996, as tracks 1 through 12 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 13 through 24 consisting of Shannon's 1996 album, Total Commitment[1] Edsel Records included the album in the 2023 Stranger in Town: A Del Shannon Compendium box set.[2]

Background

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Liberty wanted to get an album out on him, Snuff Garrett would produce again.[3] Snuff had a different idea in mind. This time, Snuff used Nick DeCaro as arranger versus Leon Russell,[4] it just seems odd that Shannon's easy-going "Hey Little Star" was in stark contrast to his growly plug side,[4] As Bourgoise explanined it, "Del was never really encouraged to write. Liberty's solution was to have Del go in and cover all of these songs that were, at the time, climbing the charts.[5] He basically fell into whatever Liberty wanted him to do. [5]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
New Record Mirror     [7]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [8]
Billboard     [9]

Bruce Eder of AllMusic said that "as a single, "The Big Hurt" (which utilized his all-but-trademarked melodion sound) even charted in the U.S. Top 100, and he even managed to work a trio of very satisfying originals in amid the covers of songs such as "Kicks," "Lightning Strikes," and "When You Walk in the Room."[10]

Record Mirror notes "He can find better material certainly he has written far better".[7]

Track listing

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Side one

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Big Hurt"Wayne Shanklin2:10
2."Kicks"Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil2:20
3."For a Little While" 2:26
4."Lightnin' Strikes"Lou Christie, Twyla Herbert2:05
5."When You Walk in the Room"Jackie DeShannon2:11
6."The Cheater"John Krenski2:35

Side two

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Oh, Pretty Woman"Roy Orbison, Bill Dees2:38
2."Everybody Loves a Clown"Snuff Garrett, Gary Lewis, Leon Russell2:21
3."Never Thought I Could" 2:23
4."It's Too Late"Bobby Goldsboro2:19
5."Hey! Little Star" 2:34
6."Action"Tommy Boyce, Steve Venet1:53

Charts

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Singles

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Year Title US Hot 100[11]
1966 "The Big Hurt" 94

References

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  1. ^ "This Is My Bag/Total Commitment". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  2. ^ "Stranger in Town: A Del Shannon Compendium". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  3. ^ RUNAWAY - The Del Shannon Story. 2023. ISBN 9798369401477.
  4. ^ a b RUNAWAY - The Del Shannon Story. 2023. ISBN 9798369401477.
  5. ^ a b RUNAWAY - The Del Shannon Story. 2023. ISBN 9798369401477.
  6. ^ ""This is My Bag" - Album Rating". Allmusic. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  7. ^ a b Jopling, Norman; Jones, Peter (November 5, 1966). "Peter Jones new albums reviewed by Norman Joplinh: This Week's Stupendous LP cast for your entertainment (The CHARTT-TOPPING) Jim Reeves,4 Tops (& Other Attractions Including) Herman's Mermits Beach Boys, The Four Pennis, Searchers, Del Shannon, and a superb new Cher" (PDF). New Record Mirror. No. 295. p. 16. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  8. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1250. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Pop Spotlight & Special Merit Picks: This Is My Bag". Billboard. Vol. 78, no. 29. July 16, 1966. p. 48.
  10. ^ Eder, Bruce. ""This Is My Bag" - Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  11. ^ "Del Shannon chart history". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2023.