Tracy by The Cuff Links

Album: Tracy (1969)

Charted: 4 9

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

The Cuff Links were not an actual group - the record was performed entirely by Ron Dante, who provided the lead vocal of the Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" (another fictional group). His vocals were recorded 15 times over to make it sound like a big group was singing. Dante says that all the vocal tracks were done in about two hours.
At one point, Dante had two records in the US Top 10 (both by fictional groups), but was precluded by contract from disclosing that it was he who sang "Sugar Sugar" and "Tracy."
This was written by the songwriting team of Lee Pockriss and Paul Vance, who wrote the #1 novelty hit "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." The whole Cuff Links project was their brainchild. They also wrote the follow-up singles (also containing girls' names) "When Julie Comes Around" (#41) and "Run Sally Run" (#76), as well as "Leader Of The Laundromat," a parody of "Leader of the Pack" credited to The Detergents, which was another Ron Dante-fronted act.
This was featured in the 1998 "Theme of Life" episode of the TV show Ally McBeal as the theme music for Dr. Tracy Clark, who was played by Tracey Ullman. Dr. Clark is Ally's therapist, and recommends that she adopt a theme song of her own - Ally picks "Tell Him" by The Exciters.
Paul Vance liked to use girls' names as a starting point for song ideas, and he was the one who came up with "Tracy" for the title. Lee Pockriss did the orchestration on the track, and the pair convinced Ron Dante to sing it. According to Pockriss, they shopped the song to 17 different record companies before Decca finally took it. Their label head, Jack Weidenman, came up with "The Cuff Links" as the name for the group.

Comments: 11

Blake Wesley from CanadaTracey? How does she get that? It says, "Tracy" clearly on the album cover! You can't be clearer than that!
Hookbill from Cascades, VaThey spell Tracy wrong. It is supposed to be Tracey. That's what my wife says.
Smitty from Earth"Ohhh, Tracy, Tracy...you are my candy girl."
Bob from Coldspring TexasWhat ever happened to the girl on the front cover of the Cuff Links album? Did she know a top song about her reached #9 on the charts?
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenMy sister loved this song when it came out but wondered why the voice sounded so much like the lead of "The Archies." When she grew up, she wasn't surprised to find out it was the same guy.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 7, 1969, "Tracy" by the Cuff Links entered the Hot Top 100 chart at position #89; and on October 19th, 1969 it peaked at #9 {for 2 weeks} and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #1 {for 1 week} on November 2nd, 1969 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart...
The week "Tracy" peaked at #9 on the Top 100, "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies was at #3...
The Cuff Links had two other Top 100 records and both songs were also about a girl; "When Julie Comes Around" {peaked at #41 in 1970} and "Run Sally Run" {reached #76 in 1970}...
Ron Dante, born Carmine Granito, celebrated his 69th birthday sixteen days ago on August 22nd {2014}.
Mark from St. Paul, MnPure bubble gum but none the less, it puts a smile on my face and gets me going every time I hear it! Brings back great memories of the fall of my senior year in high school, 1969-70! I play it in my car on the way to work in the fall of the year to revoke the great memories from the Autumn of 1969!
Kristin from Bessemer, AlIt should be known that Ron Dante multitracked his voice to get that "group" sound- it's a bubblegum masterpiece!
Chris from Geelong, AustraliaI love this song, and it is beautifully song and played. It stinks that Ron wasn't able to use his own name, and make a real career - and in-tune singer was rare in the sixties, and his voice has great colour and character.
Dave from Pomeroy, OhRon Dante also produced Barry Manilow
Fred from Summit, NeAfter Ron Dante left the "group" in 1970, he was replaced by a then unknown Rupert Holmes. Unlike the Dante version LP, where there is no group shown on the jacket, the Holmes issue shows Rupert in seven various disguises. On his LP, he recorded a song called "Jennifer Tompkins", which was soon afterwards recorded by the Street People, ...who just happened to feature Rupert Holmes!

see more comments

More Songfacts:

HelloAdele

Adele's "Hello" was the first song to sell over a million downloads in a week.

Time In A BottleJim Croce

Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash on September 30, 1973. A few weeks later, his song "Time In A Bottle" hit #1.

Ants MarchingDave Matthews Band

The definitive Dave Matthews Band song, "Ants Marching" is a look at monotony, something they avoid by improvising at concerts and mixing up their setlists.

China GroveThe Doobie Brothers

There really is a China Grove (in Texas), but Tom Johnston didn't know about it when he wrote the Doobie Brothers song.

I Love ItIcona Pop

Icona Pop consider "I Love It" a kiss-off to their boyfriends. "We just wanted to get the song out and get the pigs to hear it," group member Jawo said.

(Don't Fear) The ReaperBlue Öyster Cult

Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult wrote "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" after he was diagnosed with a heart condition and started thinking about his own mortality.