The Beach Boys - Never Learn Not to Love (1968)

In late spring 1968, Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys was driving through Malibu when he noticed two female hitchhikers. He picked them up and dropped them off at their destination. Later, Wilson noticed the same two girls hitchhiking again. This time he took them to his home on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. He told the girls about The Beach Boys recent involvement with the Maharishi and they, in turn, told him about their own guru, a guy named Charlie. Dennis then went to a recording session; when he returned later that night, he was met in his driveway by “Charlie,” who happened to actually be Charles Manson. Wilson then walked into his home and found about a dozen people occupying the premises, most of whom were young women, but all of whom were members of Manson’s cult, the Manson Family.

Unaware of what evil Manson was capable of, Dennis was initially fascinated by Manson and his followers, referring to Manson as "the Wizard" in a Rave magazine article. Wilson and Manson briefly became friends and, over the next few months, members of the Manson Family (mostly women who were treated as servants) were housed at Wilson's household, costing Wilson a small fortune to maintain.

In late 1968, Wilson told Record Mirror magazine that when he met Manson, he found that he had great musical ideas and that they were now writing together. Dennis also introduced Manson to a few friends in the music business, including The Byrds' producer Terry Melcher, whose home at 10050 Cielo Drive would later be rented by director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate, where less than a year later, Manson family members would murder Tate and several others.

In September 1968, Dennis Wilson reworked (and The Beach Boys recorded) a Manson song, heard below, which was originally titled "Cease to Exist" that you can read more about and listen to here. The song was credited solely to Dennis Wilson. Angered by this, Manson threatened Wilson to murder him and his children. According to one of The Beach Boys collaborators, Van Dyke Parks, Wilson supposedly responded by grabbing Manson by the head, throwing him to the ground, and pummeling him. Wilson then attempted to cut ties with Manson by moving out of his own home, but allowing Manson and his followers to remain.

In August 1969, Manson Family members committed the Tate-LaBianca murders. That November, Manson was apprehended and later convicted for numerous counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Some attribute Dennis Wilson's subsequent spiral of self-destructive behavior to the guilt he felt for ever having introduced Manson to the Hollywood music scene.



The Beach Boys - Never Learn Not to Love (1968)

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Lyrics:

Cease to resist
Come and say you love me
Give up your world
Come on and be with me
I'm your kind, I'm your kind and I see

Come on, come on
I love you, pretty girl
My life is yours
And you can have my world
I'm your kind, I'm your kind and I see

Never had a lesson I ever learned
I know I could never learn not to love you
Come in, now closer
Come in closer, closer, closer

Submission is a gift, give it to your lover
Love and understandin’ is for one another
I'm your kind, I'm your kind and I see

Never had a lesson I ever learned
I know I could never learn not to love you
Come in now closer
Come in closer
Come in closer

Rosie and the Originals - Angel Baby (1960)

Born in Oregon in 1945 to a Mexican mother and American father, Rosalie “Rosie” Hamlin spent her youth living in Alaska and California before finally settling with her family in National City, California.

In 1958, at the age of thirteen, Rosie lied about her age and joined her first band as its lead singer. At the age of fourteen, she wrote her first song, based on her first boyfriend, heard below; and at the age of fifteen, Rosie and a group of her friends drove one hundred miles to the closest recording studio so that they could record her song.

After shopping their record around for a while, the group received an offer for a contract from Highland Records under the stipulation that David Ponci, the oldest member of the group, would receive the writing credits. By the time the song was receiving airplay, the members of the group still had not received their copies of the contract. Unfortunately for Hamlin, when she finally did receive the contract, she quickly learned that she would be unable to collect royalties from the song since she wasn’t listed as the songwriter. This, quite immediately, lead to the break-up of the group. And although Hamlin won the copyright to her music in 1961, decades of legal battles followed.

Despite credit originally being given to David Ponci, the song below was written entirely by Rosie Hamlin. It was released in November 1960 and featured the vocal talents of Rosie Hamlin when she was only fifteen years old. By January 1961, the song reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later covered by John Lennon in 1973 (though not released until 1986), where Lennon referred to it as one of his "all-time favorite songs." In the song's intro, he also adds, "Send my love to Rosie, wherever she may be..."



Rosie and the Originals - Angel Baby (1960)

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Lyrics:

It's just like heaven being here with you
You're like an angel, too good to be true
But after all, I love you, I do
Angel baby, my angel baby

When you are near me, my heart skips a beat
I can hardly stand on my own two feet
Because I love you, I love you, I do
Angel baby, my angel baby

I love you, I do
No one could love you like I do

Please, never leave me blue and alone
If you ever go, I'm sure you'll come back home
Because I love you, I love you, I do
Angel baby, my angel baby

I love you, I do
No one could love you like I do

The Beach Boys - Kiss Me, Baby (1965)

By late 1964, Brian Wilson was getting a bit bored with the “sun, cars, and surfing” themes which made up the majority of his group’s songs. Inspired by pop contemporaries like The Beatles and Bob Dylan who were exploring more sophisticated and mature themes of their own, Wilson decided to write something that wasn’t entirely based on “fun in the sun.”

What resulted was the poignant song below, highlighting Wilson’s range as a lyricist, as well as his rapidly developing talents in multi-layering and creating Phil Spector-like sounds. This was an early glimpse into the style and mood which would go on to dominated Pet Sounds roughly one year later.

Released in April 1965, the song’s instrumental backing was recorded in December 1964; and its vocals were recorded the following month in January 1965. Primarily composed and written by Brian Wilson, the song also had some contributions from Mike Love, who wrote the repeated backing vocals (“Kiss a little bit / Fight a little bit…”). The song was released as the B-Side to the group’s “Help Me, Rhonda.”



The Beach Boys - Kiss Me, Baby (1965)

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Lyrics:

Please don’t let me argue anymore
I won’t make you worry like before
Can’t remember what we fought about
Late, late last night we said it was over
But I remember when we thought it out
We both had a broken heart

(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Love to hold you
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Woah, baby)
Love to hold you

As I drove away I felt a tear
It hit me I was losing someone dear
Told my folks I would be alright
Tossed and I turned, my head was so heavy
Then I wondered as it got light
Were you still awake like me?

(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Love to hold you
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Woah, baby)
Love to hold you tight

(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Love to hold you
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Love to hold you
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
(Woah, baby)
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Love to hold you
(Kiss a little bit, fight a little bit)
Kiss me, baby…

The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You (1959)

This doo-wop group was originally formed in 1950 by cousins Jacob “Jake” Carey and Ezekiel “Zeke” Carey. The two had moved from Baltimore, Maryland to the south side of Chicago, Illinois and joined their church’s choir, where they met other original members. As with most doo-wop groups of the time, members of the group left, other members joined, and the lineup switched around quite a few times. The group started out under the name “The Swallowsand,” until they discovered a group in Baltimore using the name “The Swallows” had started to take off. This led them to start calling themselves “The El Flamingos,” followed by “The 5 Flamingos,” and then finally, just “The Flamingos.”

Originally performed in the 1934 movie Dames by Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler, this song was written by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Al Dubin. It had been featured in numerous films by different performers; and, at its peak, hit number two for Ben Selvin in 1934.

But it was The Flamingos who really put the song into popular culture when they recorded and released their version in 1959. Though The Flamingos’ version only reached number eleven on the national charts, it reached number one in countless local markets, and became a hit in multiple countries surrounding the globe. Since its debut, the version heard below has been used in dozens of movies, television shows, and has been sampled by numerous artists.



The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You (1959)

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Lyrics:

My love must be a kind of blind love
I can't see anyone but you

Are the stars out tonight?
I don't know if it’s cloudy or bright

I only have eyes for you, dear

The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky

I only have eyes for you

I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue

You are here
And so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
And I only have eyes for you

Four Jacks and a Jill - Master Jack (1967)

This South African band first performed together in 1964 under the name The Nevadas. Later, when they were going by the name The Zombies (no, not those Zombies), they added a new lead singer, Glenys Lynne and changed their name to the one above, which is now most remembered. Besides Glenys, rounding out the band was Clive Harding on bass; Till Hanamann on guitar, trumpet, and organ; Bruce Bark on guitar, harmonica, and saxophone; and Tony Hughes on drums. The group performed together for eighteen years, sometimes recorded in the Afrikaans language, and reunited for a tour in 2000.

The band received their biggest hit to date in South Africa when their song “Timothy” rose to number eighteen in 1967. Later that same year, the band released the song heard below and topped the charts of South Africa with the number one spot. When it was released in the United States the following year, the song managed to reach number eighteen, where it would become their highest charting song stateside.



Four Jacks and a Jill - Master Jack (1967)

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Lyrics:

It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack
You taught me all I know and I'll never look back
It's a very strange world and I thank you, Master Jack

You took a colored ribbon from out of the sky
And taught me how to use it as the years went by
To tie up all your problems and make them look neat
And then to sell them to the people in the street

It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack
You taught me all I know and I'll never look back
It's a very strange world and I thank you, Master Jack

I saw right through the way you started teaching me now
So someday soon you could get to use me somehow
I thank you very much and though you've been very kind
But I'd better move along before you change my mind

It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack
You know how I feel as if I'll never come back
It's a very strange world and I thank you, Master Jack

You taught me all the things the way you'd like them to be
But I'd like to see if other people agree
It's all very interesting the way you disguise
But I'd like to see the world through my own eyes

It's a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack
No hard feelings if I never come back
You're a very strange man and I thank you, Master Jack

You're a very strange man and I thank you, Master Jack
You're a very strange man, aren't you, Master Jack

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969)

According to singer/songwriter Judy Collins, she first met Stephen Stills at a party in 1967. She thought Stephen was “possibly the most attractive man” she had ever seen. And although the two became romantically linked for the next two years, it was clear to Stephen that breaking up was imminent when Judy had fallen in love with Stacy Keach, her co-star in a stage musical.

The deteriorating relationship led a devastated Stills to pen multiple songs about Collins, who was known for her piercing blue eyes; and the song heard below is a weaving of four of those pieces of work. The “Suite” in the title was a pun, half indicating that the song was a musical suite or, a collection of songs in the classical sense, and half referencing the meaning of its homophone, implying “sweet” Judy Blue Eyes.

Although the song didn’t convince Collins to remain with Stills, she admits that it did make her feel more regretful about her decision to leave him. And when the song climbed to number twenty-one in the United States, it certainly made it that much more difficult for her to avoid hearing it.



Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969)

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Lyrics:

It's getting to the point where I'm no fun anymore
(I am sorry)
Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out loud
(I am lonely)
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard

Remember what we've said and done and felt about each other
(Oh, babe, have mercy)
Don't let the past remind us of what we are not now
(I am not dreaming)
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard

Tearing yourself away from me now, you are free
And I am crying
This does not mean I don't love you; I do; that's forever
Yes, and for always
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard

Something inside is telling me that I've got your secret
(Are you still listening?)
Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart
(And I love you)
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard

(And you make it) hard
(And you make it) hard
(And you make it) hard

Friday evening
Sunday in the afternoon
What have you got to lose?

Tuesday morning
Please be gone, I'm tired of you
What have you got to lose?

Can I tell it like it is?
(Help me, I'm sufferin')
Listen to me, baby
It's my heart that's a’sufferin'; it's a’dyin'
(Help me I'm dyin')
And that's what I have to lose (lose)

I've got an answer
I'm going to fly away
What have I got to lose?

Will you come see me
Thursdays and Saturdays?
(Hey, hey, hey)
What have you got to lose?

Chestnut-brown canary
Ruby-throated sparrow
Sing a song; don't be long
Thrill me to the marrow

Voices of the angels
Ring around the moonlight
Asking me, said she’s so free
How can you catch the sparrow?

Lacy lilting lyric
Losing love, lamenting
Change my life, make it right
Be my lady

¡Que linda! Me acuerdo a CubaHow pretty! She reminds me of Cuba
La reina de la Mar CaribeThe queen of the Caribbean Sea
Quiero sólo visitarle allíI only want to visit her there
¡Y que triste que no puedo vaya!And how sad that I can't go
O Va! O Va!Oh, go! Oh, go!

Simon & Garfunkel - America (1968)

In 1964, Paul Simon was living in London, England with his then-girlfriend Kathy Chitty. His debut album with Art Garfunkel, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. had recently been finished recording and was now in the stage of being mixed and having the artwork created/picked out. Simon’s producer, Tom Wilson, informed him that he wanted Paul to come back to the United States to assist with the work. Not wanting to leave his girlfriend behind, Simon suggested he and Kathy go together, where they could spend five days touring the country before he got back to work. The resulting road trip became the inspiration for the song heard below.

It was in 1966 when Simon eventually wrote the song; and, according to a former disc jockey from Saginaw, Michigan, Bob Dyer, Simon wrote the song while he was in town- in Saginaw- to perform in a concert series.

The finished song was first released in 1968 on Simon & Garfunkel’s third album, titled Bookends. That version of the song begins with a segue from the previous track; so the version heard below- the single- was chosen for being featured here instead, as the intro is cleaner. The single version heard below and released in 1972 reached #92 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #25 in the UK. It features Hal Blaine and Larry Knechtel from The Wrecking Crew on drums and bass, respectively.



Simon & Garfunkel - America (1968)

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Lyrics:

Let us be lovers
We’ll marry our fortunes together
I’ve got some real estate here in my bag

So we bought a pack of cigarettes
And Mrs. Wagner’s Pies
And walked off to look for America

“Kathy,” I said, as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
“Michigan seems like a dream to me now”
It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw
I’ve come to look for America”

Laughing on the bus
Playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said, “Be careful, his bowtie is really a camera”

“Toss me a cigarette; I think there’s one in my raincoat”
“We smoked the last one an hour ago”

So I looked at the scenery
She read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field

“Kathy, I’m lost,” I said, though I knew she was sleeping
“I’m empty and aching and I don’t know why”

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They’ve all come to look for America

All come to look for America
All come to look for America

The Apollas - I'm Under the Influence of Love (1967)

In 1961, five young women brought their voices together and began calling themselves The Apollos. Over the next four years, the members in the group came and went as they released singles for the likes of Galaxy Records and Tiger Records, using group names like The Apollos, Leola & The Love Joys, and The Love Joys. None of their material during this time charted.

By 1965, the roster of the group had been solidified to include Leola Jiles, Ella Jamerson, and Billie Barnum. Leola Jiles and Ella Jamerson had come from Louisiana and Georgia, respectively, while Billie Barnum was the sister of pianist and child actor H. B. Barnum. The girls also made the final decision to use the name The Apollas.

The girls were signed to Loma Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records, which had been opened the previous year in 1964 to combat with the success of Motown. Loma tried to promote the girls, but the general public didn’t seem to notice because record sales were quite poor. Despite having wonderful talent and vocal power, the girls never managed to chart a single one of their many songs.

In 1968, The Apollas made their last recording for Loma and folded soon after. In the same year, Loma was absorbed into their parent company, Warner Bros. Records. All three members of the group continued their careers by becoming back-up singers for acts such as Van Dyke Parks, Lionel Richie, and others. As of the date of this post, all three members still reside in California.

The song below was released by The Apollas in 1967. It was written primarily by Barry White, with help from Paul Leo Politi. The song was produced by Dick Glasser of Loma Records and notably arranged by Gene Page, who had been responsible for arranging songs for countless big acts of the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.



The Apollas - I'm Under the Influence of Love (1967)

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Lyrics:

Walking on a cloud
Feeling high
It happens every time
Whenever I’m with my guy

I’m tripping on love
And it feels so good
I can’t help myself
And I wouldn’t if I could

‘cause he’s got that certain touch
That I’m a addicted to
Love’s really got a hold on me
And there ain’t nothing I can do

I’m under the influence of love
And I know there ain’t no doubt about it
I’m under the influence of love
And I know I just can’t live without it

I need another dose
Can’t get enough
I’ve just got to have
All of my baby’s love

And when I’m alone
Feeling sad and blue
He gives me a shot of love
And I’m as good as new

Helpless as I am
Ask me if I don’t care
His tenderness is what I miss
Whenever he’s not here

I’m under the influence of love
And I know there ain’t no doubt about it
(Yeah, yeah)
I’m under the influence of love
And I know I just can’t live without it

There ain’t no other guy
Who can bring out the love in me
So many guys have divine
He’s the only one I see

I’m under the influence of love
And I know there ain’t no doubt about it
(Yeah, yeah)
I’m under the influence of love
And I know I just can’t live without it
(Baby, yeah)

I’m under the influence of love
And I know there ain’t no doubt about it
I’m under the influence of love
And I know I just can’t live without it
(Yeah, yeah)

I’m under the influence of love
And I know there ain’t no doubt about it
(Yeah, yeah)
I’m under the influence of love…

The Fleetwoods - Come Softly to Me [Undubbed] (1958)

Gary Troxel and Gretchen Christopher were waiting to be picked up after school during their senior year of high school. The duo began to pass the time by singing and humming together. Gretchen thought the vocals they were toying around with would go great with some music she had written, so she convinced Troxel to join her in combining the two. The duo was pleased enough with the result that they asked Gretchen’s singing partner, Barbara Ellis, to join them in their newly formed vocal group. Originally calling themselves Two Girls and a Guy, the trio named their song “Come Softly” and recorded the vocals over a five month period (June – November 1958). Since the trio was singing a capella, they kept time by having Gary jingle his car keys. Once the vocals were perfected, the group’s co-producers flew the tapes to Los Angeles and had acoustic and bass guitars overdubbed. The song, renamed “Come Softly to Me” was officially released by the renamed group, The Fleetwoods, in February 1959. It stayed on the charts for sixteen weeks, with four weeks at number one.

Later that very same year, the group released “Mr. Blue,” which also went to number one. This feat made the trio the very first group in the world to have multiple number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in a single year. They were also they first ever mixed-gender group to achieve more than one number one hit. All in all, the trio had eleven hit songs in their short career. Gary Troxel’s involvement with the group waned, as he had been obligated to join the U.S. Navy’s Naval Reserve in 1956. That, combined with the nation’s growing desire for British pop, saw the vocal group split up in 1963.

The song heard below is the finalized vocals of “Come Softly to Me” that were sent by the group to Los Angeles for overdubbing. The version heard here does not include the overdub of the Latin-influenced acoustic guitar playing (by Bonnie Guitar) nor the bass guitar. The only non-voice element heard is the jingling of Gary Troxel’s keys to help the singers keep time.



The Fleetwoods - Come Softly to Me [Undubbed] (1958)

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Lyrics:

Oh, I was busy kissing Gary.
Tee-hee.
Take three.

(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)
(Come softly, darling)

(Come softly, darling)
(Come to me, stay)
(You're my obsession)
(Forever and a day)

I want- want you to know
I love- I love you so
Please hold- hold me so tight
All through- all through the night

(Speak softly, darling)
(Hear what I say)
(I love you always)
(Always, always)

I've waited- waited so long
For your kisses and your love
Please come- come to me
From up- from up above

(Come softly, darling)
I want- want you to know
(Come softly, darling)
I love- I love you so
(Come softly, darling)
I need, need you so much
(Come softly, darling)
Wanna feel your warm, warm touch

Jay and the Americans - Come a Little Bit Closer (1964)

Born David Blatt November 2, 1938, the second man to be called “Jay” and sing lead for Jay and the Americans, had originally been in a doo-wop group called The Empires. In those early years, Blatt adopted the stage name “David Black” and used it when The Empires recorded their lone single, 1962’s “Time and a Place” / “Punch Your Nose.” In 1963, The Empires’ guitarist Marty Sanders was invited to join Jay and the Americans. At nearly the same time, Jay and the Americans’ original lead singer, Jay Traynor, decided to quit the band, having been disappointed with their recent failure to chart. The band’s new guitarist, Sanders, suggested David Black as a replacement. Black accepted the invitation, but had to be persuaded to adopt the name “Jay” to fit with the name of the band. David Blatt, who had chosen the stage name David Black, had now become Jay Black.

Together, Jay Black and his new band released over a dozen singles and a dozen albums in the coming decade. They charted numerous times throughout the 1960s and avoided splitting up until 1973. In ’73, Jay Black was the only member of the group wanting to continue the band, so when all other members went their separate ways, he recruited a rotating lineup of musicians to continue the “Jay and the Americans” name. Among the many temporary musicians to have backed Jay Black were Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the future co-founders of Steely Dan. The original members of the band (featuring Jay Black and not Jay Traynor) didn’t reunite again until the 1990s. These days, Jay Black performs under “Jay Black and the Alley Cats,” having sold the “Jay and the Americans” name to his former bandmates in order to pay off a severe debt to the IRS, brought on by a gambling addiction.

This song, released as a single in 1964, was the band’s highest charting single. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, number four on Cashbox, and number one on RPM’s singles chart. The song was written by iconic songwriting team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, becoming the writing duo’s first top-ten hit of many. If you enjoy the lyrics of this song, listen to Buddy Holly’s “Smokey Joe’s Café.” The stories in the lyrics are somewhat similar, leading one to wonder if Boyce and Hart were inspired by the Buddy Holly song.



Jay and the Americans - Come a Little Bit Closer (1964)

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Lyrics:

In a little café
Just the other side of the border
She was just sitting there giving me looks
That made my mouth water
So I started walking her way
She belonged to Bad Man Jose
And I knew, yes, I knew I should leave
When I heard her say, yeah

“Come a little bit closer”
“You’re my kind of man”
“So big and so strong”
“Come a little bit closer”
“I’m all alone”
“And the night is so long”

So we started to dance
In my arms, she felt so inviting
That I just couldn’t resist
Just one little kiss, so exciting
Then I heard the guitar player say
“Vamoose! Jose’s on his way”
Then I knew, yes, I knew I should run
But then I heard her say, yeah

“Come a little bit closer”
“You’re my kind of man”
“So big and so strong”
“Come a little bit closer”
“I’m all alone”
“And the night is so long”

Then the music stopped
When I looked, the café was empty
Then I heard Jose say
“Man, you know you’re in trouble plenty”
So I dropped my drink from my hand
And through the window I ran
And as I rode away
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah

“Come a little bit closer”
“You’re my kind of man”
“So big and so strong”
“Come a little bit closer”
“I’m all alone”
“And the night is so long”

The Ronettes - Be My Baby (1963)

Composed of sisters Veronica and Estelle Bennett and their cousin, Nedra Talley, these three girls first began singing together at their grandmother’s house when they were just teenagers. Originally accompanied by the Bennett’s other cousins, Diane, Elaine, and the only male, Ira, the six relatives landed a gig at amateur night at the Apollo in the late ‘50s. When it came time to perform, Ira, who was supposed to be the lead singer, froze. Veronica, now going by her nickname Ronnie, rushed to the rescue and belted out the lead of Frankie Lymon’s “Why Do Fools Fall In Love.” After that night, Ira, Diane, and Elaine left the group. Ronnie, with her sister and cousin, continued on as Ronnie and the Relatives, signing to Colpix Records in 1961. When their first two singles failed to chart, the girls found themselves at the front door of a club, the Peppermint Lounge, trying to get in despite being underage. After receiving some tips from the girls’ mothers about how to look and act older, the doorman mistook the trio as dancers scheduled to perform on stage with Joey Dee and the Starliters. The girls were brought on stage, danced, and Ronnie was even handed the microphone to sing a song. Soon, Ronnie and the Relatives were making regular appearances at the Peppermint Lounge and renamed themselves The Ronettes.

Released in August 1963, this song was written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich. It was the first song to be released on Spector’s label, Philles Records, and reached number two in the US and four in the UK. The technique used to record the song was Phil Spector’s “wall of sound,” a technique that involved recording multiple instruments in unison for supreme clarity on AM radio and jukeboxes. Among the many musicians and vocalists heard on the track are Sonny and Cher, Darlene Love, and The Wrecking Crew. The song is said to have had a huge impact on The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson (who wrote "Don't Worry Baby" as a response-song), The Beatles, and nearly everyone else of the '60s pop era. It has been covered countless times by famous artists and is one of the most enduring songs of the 1960s.



The Ronettes - Be My Baby (1963)

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Lyrics:

The night we met
I knew I needed you so
And if I had the chance
I’d never let you go
So, won’t you say you love me?
I’ll make you so proud of me
We’ll make ‘em turn their heads
Every place we go

So won’t you, please
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my little baby?
(My one and only baby)
Say you’ll be my darling
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my baby now
(My one and only baby)

I’ll make you happy, baby
Just wait and see
For every kiss you give me
I’ll give you three
Oh, since the day I saw you
I have been waiting for you
You know I will adore you
‘til eternity

So won’t you please
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my little baby?
(My one and only baby)
Say you’ll be my darling
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my baby now
(My one and only baby)

So, come on, and please
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my little baby
(My one and only baby)
Say you’ll be my darling
(Be my- be my baby)
Be my baby now
(My one and only baby)

(Be my- be my baby)
Be my little baby
(My one and only baby)
(Be my- be my baby)
(My one and only baby)

(Be my- be my baby)
(My one and only baby)
(Be my…)

Johnny Mathis - What Will Mary Say (1963)

Born John Royce Mathis on September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, Texas, this American singer’s family moved to San Francisco, where Mathis was brought up singing and dancing from a young age. At the age of thirteen, he received professional singing lessons in exchange for doing chores around his instructor’s home. In high school, Mathis was a star athlete, performing as a high jumper, hurdler, and member of the basketball team. In 1954 he enrolled at the local San Francisco State University with the intention of becoming a physical education or English teacher. In 1955, Mathis was discovered by Helen Noga, a co-owner of the Black Hawk nightclub in San Francisco. Noga got Mathis a job singing at Ann Dee’s 440 Club, earning extra cash on the weekends. When she learned that famed jazz producer, George Avakian, was in town on vacation, she arranged for him to come listen to Mathis sing. Upon hearing the young Mathis, Avakian sent a telegram to Columbia Records stating, “Have found phenomenal 19-year-old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts.” Things weren’t that simple for Mathis, though. In 1956, Mathis was faced with a decision to make. At his University, he was asked to attend the Olympic trials for hurdling for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games being held in Melbourne, Australia. If he qualified, he would represent the US in for the 1956 Olympics. The trouble was, Mathis had a conflicting appointment in New York City around the same time as the trials. Consulting his father, Mathis eventually chose to pursue his singing career. His first album, Johnny Mathis, was published in late 1956 just mere months before he began his rise to international stardom.

Most popular just before rock began to dominate the 1960s, Johnny Mathis was known for his strong vocals. This adulterous song was Mathis’ first released single in 1963 and the second-highest charting release of his career. It reached number nine on the US pop charts and forty-nine in the UK. It was backed with the B-Side "Quiet Girl".



Johnny Mathis - What Will Mary Say (1963)

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Lyrics:

I must be going
(Don’t go)
My heart is showing
(Don’t go)
I better hurry away
If I don’t leave, I’ll be sorry
What will my Mary say?

Your lips are thrilling
My arms are willing
I know that I shouldn’t stay
If I don’t leave, I’ll be sorry
What will my Mary say?

What would I do if she should meet me
And find me kissing you?
She’s always trusted me completely
Her poor heart would break in two

I must be going
(Don’t go)
My heart is showing
(Don’t go)
I better hurry away
If I don’t leave, I’ll be sorry
What will my Mary say?

If I don’t leave I’ll be sorry
What will my Mary say?

(Don’t go)
(Don’t go)

Brian Hyland - Sealed with a Kiss (1962)

Born November 12, 1943, in Queens, New York, Brian Hyland’s first musical group, The Delfis, was started when it was fourteen. Although the band was never signed, Hyland managed to get signed as a solo artist for Kapp Records in the late ‘50s. He first came into the national spotlight by reaching number one on the charts with the 1960 novelty song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.” Hyland next signed with ABC Records and had continuing success as a teen idol with the song heard below and numerous other charting pop songs. By the time of the British Invasion, Hyland has begun incorporating a country sound into his songs. Continuing to head in this direction ultimately cost Hyland any continued success, as his popularity dissipated over the course of the ‘60s. He was able to reach the charts a handful more of times, but never charted higher than number twenty. His last charting songs, “Gypsy Woman” and “Lonely Teardrops,” both cover songs, were released in 1971 and produced by fellow early-‘60s star, Del Shannon.

This song, written by Peter Udell and Gary Geld, was first recorded in 1960 by The Four Voices, but never charted. It was recorded by Brian Hyland in 1962 and reached number three in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The song would later be covered, to varying degrees of success, by Gary Lewis and the Playboys (1968), Bobby Vinton (1972), and Jason Donovan (1989), among many others.



Brian Hyland - Sealed with a Kiss (1962)

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Lyrics:

Though we got to say goodbye for the summer
Darling, I promise you this
I’ll send you all my love every day in a letter
Sealed with a kiss

Yes, it’s gonna be a cold, lonely summer
But I’ll fill the emptiness
I’ll send you all my dreams every day in a letter
Sealed with a kiss

I’ll see you in the sunlight
I’ll hear your voice everywhere
I’ll run to tenderly hold you
But darling, you won’t be there

I don’t want to say goodbye for the summer
Knowing the love we’ll miss
Oh, let us make a pledge to meet in September
And seal it with a kiss

Yes, it’s gonna be a cold, lonely summer
But I’ll fill the emptiness
I’ll send you all my love every day in a letter
Sealed with a kiss
Sealed with a kiss
Sealed with a kiss

The New Christy Minstrels - Today (1964)

Formed in 1961 by Kansas native Randy Sparks, this American folk band was at the forefront of the folk revival movement taking place in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Sparks had initially been a solo performer in the 1950s before forming The Randy Sparks Trio with is wife Jackie Miller in 1960. Wanting a larger group, Sparks merged his outfit with The Inn Group, The Fairmount Singers, and four solo artists to create a fourteen-member lineup. They named themselves after Christy’s Minstrels, a blackface group of performers founded by Edwin Pearce Christy in 1843. The Fairmount Singers splintered apart from the rest of the band before recording their first album, and thus began the ever-changing lineup of members that has now included nearly three hundred total members. Although some members never got the opportunity to record or perform with the band, there were notable names to have been part of the group in varying degrees: Jim McGuinn and Gene Clarke (of The Byrds), Barry McGuire, Jerry Yester (of The Lovin’ Spoonful), Kenny Rogers and Mike Settle (of The First Edition), Larry Ramos (of The Association), and many others.

The band is notable for having never conformed to the “activist” folk music of the 1960s. Randy Sparks believed that folk music should bring about pleasant feelings and help people forget about their problems, not worry them. As the most popular folk music of the time was primarily politically driven, this band slowly lost their relevance as the sixties progressed.

This song was released on the band’s 1964 album, titled Today and Other Songs from ‘Advance to the Rear’. The album was initially intended to be a simple soundtrack to the 1964 film Advance to the Rear, but when the song heard below was released in the spring of 1964, it became so popular that they wanted to name their upcoming album after it. Not able to abandon their soundtrack association with the film, the album was given the aforementioned name. The film was notable for inspiring the television show F-Troop, and the album was notable for featuring this particular song, written and composed by The New Christy Minstrels’ (NCM’s) leader Randy Sparks.



The New Christy Minstrels - Today (1964)

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Lyrics:

Today, while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I'll taste your strawberries, I'll drink your sweet wine
A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘ere I forget all the joy that is mine today

I'll be a dandy and I'll be a rover
You'll know who I am by the song that I sing
I'll feast at your table, I'll sleep in your clover
Who cares what the ‘morrow shall bring?

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I'll taste your strawberries, I'll drink your sweet wine

I can't be contented with yesterday's glory
I can't live on promises winter to spring
(Winter to spring)
Today is my moment and now is my story
I'll laugh and I'll cry and I'll sing

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine
I'll taste your strawberries, I'll drink your sweet wine
A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘ere I forget all the joy that is mine today

The Dixie Cups - People Say (1964)

This singing trio was originally composed of the Hawkins sisters, Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee, as well as their cousin Joan Marie Johnson. Having sung together since elementary school, the trio was trying to make a name for themselves in their hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, performing as The Meltones. When they performed at a local talent show, they were discovered by Joe Jones, a singer who had recorded a few hits of his own. Impressed with the girls’ vocals, he brought them to New York and presented them to a pair of producers and songwriters, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Convinced that the act had star potential, a new label, Red Bird Records, was formed around the girls, attracting songwriters Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.

Barry and Greenwich brought with them a song they had written with Phil Spector, titled “Chapel of Love.” Having been recorded but not released by The Ronettes and The Crystals, the girls of this trio recorded the song in early 1964 and released it to nationwide success. They were almost known as Little Miss and the Muffets, but they chose a group name that was more associated with their Southern roots. The song reached the number one spot in the charts, knocking off The Beatles’ “Love Me Do,” and thus becoming the first American act to reach number one amongst the British Invasion. “Chapel of Love” remained in the top spot for three weeks.

Determined to continue the success of “Chapel of Love,” the girls continued to release songs in 1964 and 1965, including the hit song heard below, “You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked At Me,” “Little Bell,” “Iko Iko,” and others. This particular track was backed with the B-Side “Girls Can Tell” and reached number twelve in 1964.



The Dixie Cups - People Say (1964)

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Lyrics:

Don’t you ever leave me sad and blue
Don’t you ever tell me we are through
Don’t you ever hurt me; if you do
Everything they’re saying will be true

People say it’s just a summer romance
People say our love won’t last for long
They’re so sure we will part
But I know deep in my heart
That they are wrong
(I don’t care what the people say)
So wrong
(I don’t really care what the-)

People say it’s just the way the stars shine
And it really isn’t love at all
But each time that we kiss
I just know we’ll be like this
Summer, winter, and fall

(I don’t care what the people say)
(I don’t really care what the people say)

Well, don’t you ever leave me sad and blue
Don’t you ever tell me we are through
Don’t you ever hurt me; if you do
Everything they’re saying will be true

And people say it’s just a summer romance
But I know our love is here to stay
Let’s go strolling by the sea
‘cause it doesn’t bother me
What the people say

(I don’t care what the people say)
What the people say
(I don’t really care about the people)

(I don’t care what the people say)
What the people say
(I don’t really care about the people)
Yeah, yeah, yeah

(I don’t care what the people say)
What the people say
(I don’t really care about the people)
Yeah, yeah, yeah

(I don’t care what the people say)
What the people say
(I don’t really)…

Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (1967)

As mentioned in our previous post featuring this artist, Scott McKenzie grew up in New York where he frequently collaborated with John Phillips. One of their later groups, The Journeymen, was a folk trio along with Dick Weissman that performed around the Greenwich Village area of New York during the folk revival and craze. After The Beatles became popular in 1964 and kicked off The British Invasion, The Journeymen broke up. McKenzie then became a solo artist, hoping to make it on his own, but not before he had turned down an invitation to join Phillip’s newest endeavor: The Mamas and The Papas. Phillips and his band moved out to California in 1964 and McKenzie followed two years later. Once in California, Phillips wrote McKenzie’s biggest hit song, heard below, and co-produced it for him.

Released on May 13th, 1967, this song has become one of the most recognizable and iconic songs from the 1960s. The song inspired thousands of youths to move to San Francisco in the late 1960s, effectively making San Francisco a “hippie haven” and mecca for drugs, free love, and various movements. The song was actually written with the intentions to promote the Monterey Pop Festival taking place June 16-18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in San Francisco, California. Although it only reached number four in the United States, the song went to number one in the UK, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and others. Since, the song has gone hand-in-hand with ‘60s themed movies and television shows, perhaps most notably heard in Forrest Gump in 1994.



Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (1967)

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Lyrics:

If you're going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you're going to San Francisco
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair

All across the nation
Such a strange vibration
People in motion
There's a whole generation
With a new explanation
People in motion
People in motion

For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

Ray Peterson - Corrina, Corrina (1960)

Ray Peterson was born in Denton, Texas 1939 and suffered from polio as a child. Managing to overcome his disease, he moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of nineteen to pursue a career in singing. After having only been there a year in 1959, Peterson released “The Wonder of You” which reached number twenty-five in the US and twenty-three in the UK. The song would later be covered by Elvis Presley. His biggest hit song came the following year, in 1960, when he released the “teenage tragedy” song titled “Tell Laura I Love Her.” Later that same year, Peterson created his own record label, Dunes Records with his manager Stan Shulman, where he hired record producer Phil Spector. He had a string of mild hits in 1961 and a couple of cooler ones in 1963 and 1964 before the British Invasion took off. After the waning of his popularity, Peterson moved to Nashville, Tennessee and became a Baptist Church minister, where he would occasionally take part in “oldies” tours that celebrated the music of the ‘50s and early ‘60s. He died from cancer in 2005 in Smyrna, Tennessee at the age of 65, leaving behind his widow and seven children.

Although this traditional song was first recorded in December 1928 by Bo Carter, the song has roots dating much farther back. Iterations of the song can be traced back to 1918 via sheet music written by Roger Graham. This particular version of the song, recorded by Peterson in 1960, was the first hit that Peterson released on his newly formed Dunes Record label. It was also his second-highest charting song, after “Tell Laura I Love Her,” reaching number nine in the US and number forty-one in the UK. Other artists to have performed the song include Big Joe Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley & His Comets, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell. The version by Bob Dylan was re-arranged to mix with Robert Johnson’s 1937 song “Stones in My Passaway” and released on his 1963 album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.



Ray Peterson - Corrina, Corrina (1960)

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Lyrics:

I love Corrina,
Tell the world I do
I love Corrina
Tell the world I do
I pray every night
She'll learn to love me, too

Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
I love you so

Oh, little darling
Where you been so long?
Oh, little darlin’
Where you been so long?
I ain’t had no loving
Since you been gone

Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
I love you so

I left Corrina
Way across the sea, oh me
I left Corrina
Way across the sea
If you see Corrina
Send her home to me

Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
I love you so

Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
Corrina, Corrina
I love you so

Oh, darling, don't you know
I love you so?
Darling, don't you know?

The Four Freshmen - Their Hearts Were Full of Spring (1961)

This singing quartet was formed by brothers Ross and Don Barbour at Butler University in early 1948. Originally known as Hal’s Harmonizers and briefly the Toppers, they first went on the road in September 1948 under their finalized name, read above, where they were discovered by band leader Stan Kenton in Dayton, Ohio. Later that same year, they were signed to Capitol Records and began recording songs. Their first hit came in 1952 in the form of “It’s a Blue World.” Multiple hits soon followed and the group’s popularity went national. Unbeknownst to the quartet at the time, a young Brian Wilson was studying the vocal arrangements of each of their records as early as the mid-‘50s and practicing them with his brothers and friends, what would eventually evolve into The Beach Boys. Although the popularity of this group faded with the bands of the British Invasion, they remained intact and performed with at least one original member all the way through 1992. Since, a new lineup of the band exists and consistently tours across the United States.

Now, more than fifty years after the formation of The Beach Boys, people hearing this quarter for the first time tend to think that they were either inspired by The Beach Boys or that they are in fact The Beach Boys. But it was in fact The Beach Boys who were inspired by this quartet and using them as a template to perfect their own vocal harmonies. This song, written by the same guy who wrote “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66”, Bobby Troup, originally appeared on the group’s 1961 album, The Fresh-Man Year, on Capitol Records. It would later be covered by The Beach Boys numerous times.



The Four Freshmen - Their Hearts Were Full of Spring (1961)

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Lyrics:

There's a story told of a very gentle boy
And the girl who wore his ring
Through the wintery snow
The world they knew was warm
For their hearts were full of spring

As the days grew old
And the nights passed into time
And the weeks and years took wing
Gentle boy, tender girl
Their love remained still young
For their hearts were full of spring

Then one day they died
And their graves were side by side
On a hill where robins sing
And they say violets
Grow there the whole year round
For their hearts were full of spring

Graham Nash - Be Yourself (1971)

A legendary singer-songwriter and instrumentalist, this man has been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once with his group The Hollies and the other with the super-group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Although his family comes from Salford, Lancashire and he was raised there as a child, Graham Nash was actually born in Blackpool, Lancashire on February 2nd, 1942, after his mother had been evacuated to that location during the Second World War. He co-founded the wildly successful pop group The Hollies while still in high school with his friend from school, Allan Clarke. In 1966, he met David Crosby (of The Byrds) and Stephen Stills (of Buffalo Springfield) during a tour of the United States with The Hollies. Two years later in 1968, Nash quit The Hollies and met up with Crosby and Stills in L.A. to form their new “super” group, while also beginning to partake in many political events around that time. A short-while later, CSN would involve the talents of Neil Young and, for those times, would be known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Two of Nash’s penned songs, “Our House” and “Teach Your Children” have become well known songs that still receive significant use in television and movies. In more recent years, Nash was seen performing alongside David Crosby at the Occupy Wall Street protest movement in New York, 2011.

This song, written by Graham Nash and Terry Reid, was the last track of the first side on Graham Nash’s first solo album, Songs for Beginners, released in 1971. It features Nash on guitar and lead vocals; Rita Coolidge on piano; Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels on bass; Johnny Barbata on drums; and the Everyone Loose There choir performing the chorus. Rita Coolidge is particularly noted for breaking up CSN, temporarily in 1970, after she left her relationship with Stephen Stills for one with Graham Nash. Fuzzy Samuels would go on to play with Stephen Stills in the group Manassas, whereas Johnny Barbata was the drummer for The Turtles during the height of their success and later drummed for Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and many other notable stars as a session musician.



Graham Nash - Be Yourself (1971)

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Lyrics:

How does it feel when life doesn't seem real
And you're floating about on your own?
Your life is uncertain, so you draw the curtain
Pretending there's nobody home

But don't theorize
Look in your eyes
They can't tell lies
Though you disguise what you see
The mirror is free

We once had a savior, but by our behavior
The one that was worth it is gone
The song birds are talking and the runners are walking
A prodigal son is coming home

And don't theorize
Look in his eyes
They won't tell lies
But if he defies what you see
He'll give you the key

(Be yourself, be yourself)
(Be yourself, be yourself)

We needed a tutor, so built a computer
And we programmed ourselves not to see
The truth and the lying, the dead and the dying
A silent majority

But don't theorize
Look in their eyes
Are they telling lies?
The ones that they learned on T.V.?
What a way to be free

(Be yourself, be yourself)
(Free yourself, free yourself)

Yes, you can
(Be yourself)
(See yourself)

Then you can
(Free yourself)
(Be yourself)

Why don’t you
(Be yourself)
(Be yourself)
(Be yourself)…

Merrilee Rush and The Turnabouts - Angel of the Morning (1968)

Born in 1944 and raised in Seattle, Washington, this American vocalist met her first husband, Neil Rush, when auditioning to be the singer of a local band, the Amazing Aztecs, in 1960. Neil was the band’s leader and saxophonist and the couple would soon branch off to create Merrilee Rush and The Turnabouts in 1965, touring the Pacific Northwest as a teen/pop act in dancehalls. In 1967, a member of the road crew for their band connected them with Paul Revere and the Raiders, another band he frequently worked for. This led to Merrilee and her band getting invited to be the opening act for Paul Revere and The Raiders during their 1967 tour of the southern United States. While touring through Tennessee, the Raiders had stopped in Memphis to record their upcoming album, Going to Memphis, and Rush was introduced to music producers Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill. Cogbill had been looking for months for an artist to record a song by Chip Taylor he had been keeping in his pocket and was thrilled to hear Merrilee Rush’s voice.

Written by Chip Taylor (writer of The Troggs’ “Wild Thing” and uncle to actress Angelia Jolie), this song was originally intended to be recorded by Connie Francis, who turned it down because of its risqué lyrics, referring to a torrid love affair gone wrong. Although it was recorded by Evie Sands, Danny Michaels, and Billie Davis in 1967, it wasn’t until music producer Tommy Cogbill discovered Merrilee Rush and had her record it that the song really took off. Although the song was credited to Merrilee Rush and The Turnabouts, Rush was actually backed by a house band, American Sound, who had been known for backing up Elvis Presley during his famous Memphis recordings. Released in February 1968, this song reached number seven in the US; number four in the Netherlands; and number one in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It has since been recorded numerous times by artists such as Juice Newton, P.P. Arnold, Olivia Newton-John, and many others. It was also successfully sampled by Shaggy, featuring Rayvon, for the 2001 hit-song “Angel.”



Merrilee Rush and The Turnabouts - Angel of the Morning (1968)

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Lyrics:

There’ll be no strings to bind your hands
Not if my love can’t bind your heart
And there’s no need to take a stand
For it was I who chose to start

I see no reason to take me home
I’m old enough to face the dawn

Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Then slowly turn away from me

Maybe the sun’s light will be dim
And it won’t matter anyhow
If morning’s echo says we’ve sinned
Well, it was what I wanted now

And if we’re victims of the night
I won’t be blinded by light

Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Then slowly turn away
I won’t beg you to stay with me
Through the tears
Of the day
Of the years
Baby, baby

Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me “Angel of the Morning-” “Angel”
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby…