Maye was also a well known Major League Baseball player. He played eleven seasons in the majors as an outfielder for the Milwaukee Braves (1959–1965), Houston Astros (1965–1966), Cleveland Indians (1967–1969), Washington Senators (1969–1970), and Chicago White Sox (1970–1971).
Maye sang in a tenor and falsetto. Music journalist and critic Phil Milstein called his singing "deft" and "authoritative.". Maye recorded on over a dozen labels to include Modern, Tower, Specialty, ABC-Paramount, and Buddha, and opened a Hollywood Bowl show featuring Jerry Butler, Billy Stewart, and Barbara Mason. Maye told Milstein, “I am the best singing athlete that ever lived. I am not bragging. It's just a fact.”
Early baseball and music careers
Arthur Lee Maye’s dual career began at Los Angeles, California’s Jefferson High school. Here he sang with Jesse Belvin and future members of the Platters, the Penguins, and the Coasters. Maye starred in baseball for both Jefferson High and local semi-pro teams. Milwaukee Braves scout Johnny Moore not only saw his potential as a hitter with line drive power but clocked him in the 100-yard dash at under 10-seconds. Moore convinced the Braves to draft and sign him. Arthur Lee Maye later explained, “Baseball was my first love. I could always sing at fifty, but I couldn’t play baseball at fifty.” He began his professional baseball career in 1954 with a Milwaukee Braves Pioneer League farm team in Boise, Idaho. At this time he also started his professional recording career. He joined with Richard Berry and recorded “The Fine One” b/w “Please Baby Please” as the Five Hearts on the Flair label (The company put the “5” in quotes as only three sang on the record). They next released “Sweet Thing b/w “Rock Bottom” under the name “The Rams.” Maye also sang the “di-di-di’s” behind Richard Berry & The Pharaohs on the original “Louie Louie.”
Maye played for the Braves minor league teams in Boise, Eau Claire, Yakima, Evansville, Jacksonville, Wichita, Austin, and Louisville. He also formed the musical group The Crowns. The Crowns had back to back LA area hits on the Modern label with "Truly" and "Love Me Always." On the Specialty label in 1956, they sang their best known record, "Gloria." They also had an important 1956 record on the DIG label titled “This is the Night for Love.” Maye said of his cross country stops, “I'd watch all of them, any entertainer when I was in a town. You learn from each other. My stage presence wasn't polished, so I'd go to learn how to get my stage presence from the other top guys who did it for a living". In 1959 he batted .339 with 17 home runs for the Braves top Louisville farm team and broke into the Major Leagues.
Maye hit over ".300" in his first two seasons of Major League Baseball. A back injury and respiratory illness slowed his progress in 1961 and 1962. In 1964, Maye hit .304, scored 96 runs, drove in 74 runs, and led National League in doubles with 44; meanwhile, his solo album "Halfway Out of Love" sold over 500,000 copies. A 1965 ankle injury hurt his season and career. He was traded to the Houston Astros during the 1965 season. Playing his 1966 home games in the Astrodome, he hit .288 with 9 home runs. Huey Meax managed his music career during this time. Meaux got him studio time with JAMIE and regular bookings at popular Houston nightclubs. The Astros traded him to Cleveland before the 1967 season. In 1968, the year of the pitcher, Maye hit .281. Maye was traded to the Washington Senators during the 1969 season. He had personality issues with Manager Ted Williams but respected his knowledge and hit .290. He played his final year in 1971 with the White Sox, hitting .205. All of his MLB career was during baseball's second deadball era. Lee Maye said, “The greatest thrill is not getting to the major leagues. It’s staying there. I played 13 seasons when they had only 16 teams and I think that was a great accomplishment for me.”
Baseball and music conflict
Arthur Lee Maye’s baseball and music career often conflicted. He sang under the name Arthur Lee Maye but played baseball under Lee Maye. Another Lee May (Lee Andrew May) broke into Major League Baseball in 1965 and soon put up bigger home run and RBI numbers. Only one record credits his dual career. A 1959 release "Will You Be Mine" on CASH had Lee Maye of the Milwaukee Braves on the label. Playing baseball full-time created a time lag problem. Maye said, "When I was playing baseball all the requisite hours, I was a year behind in music, and I never got a chance to catch up with the music trend that I should have been with. I truly was behind the time, and I acknowledge that. Baseball and singing collided". He also knew that baseball prevented his going on tour to promote his songs. "When you're playing baseball and singing it's a very tough career for both of those, because you have to be at both places at the same time of the year, and you can't do that".
Post-baseball career
Lee Maye tried for ten years after his playing career to find a job in organized baseball. He failed, as few non-playing baseball jobs existed for blacks at the time. His outspoken views on racism in baseball angered its owners. And Maye's artistic temperament sometimes clashed with teammates and coaches. Maye later worked with Amtrak until his retirement.
Music career revival
In the mid-1980s, Maye returned to the recording studio with Dave Antrel and his Antrel Records, recording “Moonlight” b/w “Happy and In Love.” "Moonlight" captured the later, early 1960s New York street corner sound. Arthur Lee Maye was very proud of "Moonlight." “Moonlight” made several compilation CDs, played a role in the novel '64 Intruder, and gets airplay on doo-wop radio programs. Maye had a European tour planned when he became stricken with liver cancer.
Glória
Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
More than a story, it'll set you free
Are you tired of the running?
Are you tired of the shame?
Baby born in a manger's gonna break every chain
Angels fill up the heavens with the sound of His name
Gloria
Gloria
Now the Peasant King changes everything
Angels we have heard on high
Pierce the silent midnight sky
From a throne to a manger
Trading glory for shame
From a King to a stranger
With a love to proclaim
Angels fill up the heavens with the sound of His name
Gloria
To the Promised One, to the only Son
Gloria
Now the Peasant King changes everything
Come adore on bended knee
Lay your burden at the feet
Of Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Oh, you came
Come adore on bended kneew
Lay your burden at His feet
Of Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Gloria
Gloria
Gloria
To the Promised One, to the only Son
Gloria
Now the Peasant King changes everything oh oh oh
The lyrics to Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns's song "Gloria" tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and the hope that it brings to those who are tired of running and feeling shame. The audience is invited to "Come to Bethlehem and see," to witness the birth of the baby who was born in a manger and who is going to "break every chain." It is said that the angels fill up the heavens with the sound of his name, and this can be interpreted as a sign of the overwhelming joy that Jesus' birth brings to the world.
The chorus repeats the word "Gloria," which is Latin for "glory," and is often used in Christian hymns as a form of praise. The lyrics say "Gloria to the Promised One, to the only Son," suggesting that Jesus is the Promised One of the Bible and the only Son of God. The final line, "Now the Peasant King changes everything," emphasizes the radical impact that Jesus' birth has on the world, as it brings hope and salvation to all who believe in him.
In summary, the lyrics to "Gloria" celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the hope and salvation that it brings to the world. The song encourages the audience to witness the birth and to praise the Promised One who is the only Son of God.
Line by Line Meaning
Come to Bethlehem and see
Invite you to witness the events that took place in Bethlehem
More than a story, it'll set you free
It is not just a story, it has the power to set you free
Are you tired of the running?
Are you tired of constantly running away?
Are you tired of the shame?
Are you tired of feeling shame?
Baby born in a manger's gonna break every chain
The baby born in a manger will break every chain that is holding you back
Angels fill up the heavens with the sound of His name
The angels are singing and glorifying Him in heaven
Gloria
Glory to God
To the Promised One, to the only Son
The glory is for the Promised One and the only Son of God
Now the Peasant King changes everything
The King born in a manger is about to change everything
Angels we have heard on high
We have heard angels singing in the sky
Pierce the silent midnight sky
The angels are breaking the silence of the midnight sky
From a throne to a manger
He came down from His heavenly throne to be born in a manger
Trading glory for shame
He gave up His glory in exchange for taking on our shame
From a King to a stranger
He went from being a King to becoming a stranger in a foreign land
With a love to proclaim
He came with a love to declare to the world
Come adore on bended knee
Come and worship Him with reverence and humility
Lay your burden at the feet
Lay your burdens down at His feet
Of Christ the Lord, the newborn King
Of Christ the Lord, who is the newborn King
Oh, you came
You came to save us and redeem us
Gloria
Glory to God
To the Promised One, to the only Son
The glory is for the Promised One and the only Son of God
Gloria
Glory to God
Now the Peasant King changes everything oh oh oh
The King born in a manger is about to change everything
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Traditional
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