Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?

Subject: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Glen Reid
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 10:05 AM

Back in the 50,s I remember hearing a pop song of the time, by a group called The Four Lads. I think....

The lyric went like this. You ,you , you, I,m in love with you, you, you. You can make my dream come true......and so on

With all the retro music out there and the Oldie- goldie radio, I have never heard this song again. Any body know? Thanks, Glen

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 10:32 AM

Certainly remember the song, but the one that really sticks in my mind was Sh'boom. Now who sang that? Anyone know? There hasn't really been an upsurge of four guy vocal groups over the last few years. A few acapella groups (like the Nylons etc.) have done the nostalgia thing, but perhaps the next "old style" to come back will be the "guy" groups. I recall The Four Aces, The Four Preps (26 Miles), and the Ames Brothers.

FOLK TRIVIA: Can anyone name the Ames Brothers song that Pete Seeger recorded? (big prizes for the winner!!)

Cheers

Rick

Subject: Lyr Add: YOU YOU YOU
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 10:39 AM

I think the hit version was by the Ames Brothers (Click here for their sound clip).

YOU YOU YOU
The Ames Brothers

- written by Robert Mellin and Lotar Olias
- adapted from a German tune
- lyrics as recorded in 1953 by The Ames Brothers with Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra

You, you, you
I'm in love with you, you, you
I could be so true, true, true
To someone like you, you, you

Do, do, do
What you oughta do, do, do
Take me in your arms, please do
Let me cling to you, you, you

We were meant for each other
Sure as heavens above
We were meant for each other
To have, to hold and to love

You, you, you
There's no one like you, you, you
You could make my dreams come true
If you say you love me too

------ instrumental break ------

We were meant for each other
Sure as heavens above
We were meant for each other
To have, to hold and to love

You, you, you
There's no one like you, you, you
You could make my dreams come true
If you'd say you love me too

(From: HERE)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 11:00 AM

In answer to your questions, yes, yes, I dunno and you're right.

I was a major Four Lads fan back in the fifties, but they didn't record You, You, You (Masato will probably correct me on this one.) The Four Lads were a group with a strong black gospel style that got homogenized by Mitch Miller. I still have my record of them doing The Mockingbird, and old black gospel quartet song that they do almost exactly like I've heard it done by early black gospel groups. They also did an ep (remember those) of gospel with Frankie Lane that had al lthe rawness and energy of black gospel. I have that recording, too. They did a great version of Didn't It Rain, with Lane on the lead. The Four Lads were also the back-up vocal group on Cry and Little White Cloud that Cried by Johnny Ray. It was on the Okeh label, the "race" label of Columbia. When The Four Lads moved to the mother label, Columbia, they got smoother out to sound more like the Four Aces.

A couple of years ago, I found a used album of gospel music by the Four Lads and was very excited to get it. When I put it on the turntable, my heart sunk. By the time they recorded it, they sounded like your local barbershop quartet.

Rick: ShBoom "Life Is But A Dream" was originally recorded by the Chords... a black rhythm and Blues group. The Crew Cuts covered it (no wonder you liked it... the group was from Canada.) Those were the days when Pat Boone, The Crew Cuts, the Diamonds (also from Canada) the MaGuire Sisters, Kay Star and Pat Boone "covered" rhythm and Blues songs by young black rhythm and blues groups. ShBoom was the one song by the Crew Cuts that I really liked. I bought several other records of theres, and still have them, but they don't sound right to me anymore. Kinda like listening to The Chad Mitchell Trio do a chain gang song.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 12:29 PM

All I can say is that I don't know the Four Lads' "You, You, You." I can't find it at the following sites.

Four Lads: Brief Biography & Discography

Four Lads CDs (fron CD Universe)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 12:30 PM

OHMIGAWD, I just remembered!

About five years ago I did a show with THE DIAMONDS! Now these guys have been singin' "Little Darlin'" for over forty years! They looked like they were all in their sixties, and havin' a ball. I noticed a rather strange apparatus backstage, and then realized it was an OXYGEN TANK! Sure enough, every ten minutes or so, one of the Diamonds would come backstage, have a couple of whiffs, and run back out there again!

I used to think that only folkies could sing professionally into their dotage and maintain some dignity, but Heather just reminded me how old Mick, Keith, Sir Paul, and Ringo are.

Thanks for mentioning the Chords Jerry. Yup, a lot of music got "covered" by 'safer' (and whiter) singers in the fifties. I think in England, Cliff Richard covered quite a few R and B tunes.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: jimmyt
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 12:50 PM

Suprisingly there is quite a resurgence of "original groups" with one or more members of the originals (We opened for the Platters 3 weeks ago I think only one member had even been with the last days of the original group) but the audience enjoyed the music, probably because of the memories of the original songs, etc. If you wan to hear some terrific new groups covering old do-wop, try The Essentials, and even better, Acoustix, a converted barbershop group that does fabulous four freshmen arrangenents that are so absolutely the same as the original charts, but with new studio techniques so clear it is amazing. Another fabulous new group that does a lot of acapella is THe Blenders. Check them out on an Acapella site!

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 12:57 PM

jimmyt: If you want to hear the Four Freshmen, go listen to the Four Freshmen. I heard them six or seven years ago and was very impressed. Russ Barbour (who played trombone in the original Four Freshmen) auditioned young singers and musicians(all the "new" Freshmen are fine instrumentalists as well as singers, and provide all of their own accompanyment. He travels with the group, works with them on their arrangements and makes sure that they keep that perfect harmony (which the Beach Boys emulated so successfully.) I talked to him about the group and he, and all the young guys are very dedicated to keeping the sound pure. They also do arrangements with that signature sound for newer songs. I was very impressed with how dedicated they are to keeping that sound alive.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Barry T
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 01:55 PM

Here's some nostalgia on The Four Lads.

There was one particular tune I was trying hard to remember... when the light shone (Duh)... Moments to Remember. I always recall the tenor with his signature high notes in that song. 1955! Scary!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: jimmyt
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 03:19 PM

Jerry, I agree tnat the Four Freshman are still a terrific group with a fabulous array of tight arrangements (I know the term arrangements will stimulate some wrath from someone out there, so sorry!) What I would say though is that if the "new group of Four Freshman" consists of the original trombone player who has the "arrangements" and has obviously has auditioned new talent, how different is this than the group Acoustix that I mentioned who in addition to their own songs, happen to cover the best 4F arrangments? Sort of reminds me of a thread I read recently about banjos when a responder asked how can you call it an original Mastertone when half of the parts are essentially remanufactured?

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 04:29 PM

jimmyt: You're right... I haven't heard (or heard of) Acoustix, but they could well be as good as, or better than the new Four Freshmen. I have no way to compare them. I do know how carefully Russ Barbour watches over the group I've heard, and they are fine jazz musicians. Are Acoustix Acoustics? After all, the Four Freshman came out of Stan Kenton and were very much immersed in jazz.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: jimmyt
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 05:19 PM

Yes, Jerry they are a predominately accapella group with some numbers they use jazz accompaniment. I will find you a site where you can hear a sample when I get a minute. Glen, sorry that I have managed to pull the thread to other than the 4 lads. One of my fond memories when I was in college in the mid 60's was a group called the 4 saints. These guys were versitile in singing and use of various instruments, sometimes switching in mid song from 4 part vocal harmony to 4 trumpets! Terrific in a small area of the midwest, but alas, never any significant national commercial appeal. anyone heard of them?

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 07:22 PM

OK, I'll try my question one more time (the prize money is now...a hundred dollars....or, or, a Million dollars!!)

What Ames Brothers' song did Pete Seeger record?

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Mudlark
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 07:56 PM

Rick...Man with a Banjo? You are my Sunshine?? Hawaiian War Chant???

My favs were Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me and No Moon at All...

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 08:00 PM

The Man With The Banjo. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 09:42 PM

"Melodie D' Amour" is both on The Very Best Of Ames Brothers and on Pete Seeger : Waist Deep In The Big Muddy.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Mudlark
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 10:38 PM

Sigh...Oh well, who needs a hundred (or maybe a million) dollars anyway, when I've got the Mudcat to entertain me? (But oh, dear, Melodie d'Amour was such a clutzy song!)

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 29 Aug 02 - 11:12 PM

Foul! Foul!!! Foul!!!! No fair letting Masato play!!!!!! Who could ever beat Masato? :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 09:44 AM

Hey, I thought Masato was a computer!

Yes, indeed, Melodie d'Amour.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: jimmyt
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 09:44 AM

To Jerry, Check out Primarily acapella website, then listen to what acoustix have to download, or in MP3. A lot of great acapella groups on the Primarily Acapella site that basically no-one has ever heard!

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 09:56 AM

The Older you get - the more you remember it the Way It Wasn't!

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: jimmyt
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 10:15 AM

GUEST, I really like a guy who seem sto know everything about everyone! You are truly a Rennaisance man! Perhaps you should try not to overanalyse everyone else!

Subject: RE: Help: Remember, TheFour Lads?
From: GUEST,Don
Date: 30 Aug 02 - 11:18 AM

Sort of kind of on this topic: Was it one of these groups (Four Freshmen, Four Lads, Chords, etc.) who performed the original "Let Hertz, put yooooooooooooouuuuuuuu in the driver's seat ... today!" commercial, or was it a nameless bunch of studio singers?