Early career
The performing name Kramer was chosen at random from a telephone directory. It was John Lennon's suggestion that the "J" be added to the name to further distinguish him by adding a 'tougher edge'. Billy soon came to the attention of Brian Epstein, ever on the look-out for new talent to add to his expanding roster of local artists. Kramer turned professional but his then backing band, The Coasters, were less keen, so Epstein sought out the services of a Manchester based band, The Dakotas, a well-respected combo then backing Pete MacLaine.
Even then, The Dakotas would not join Kramer without a recording deal of their own. Once in place, the deal was set and both acts signed to Parlophone under George Martin. Collectively, they were named Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas to keep their own identities within the act. Once the Beatles broke through, the way was paved for a tide of "Merseybeat" and Kramer was offered the chance to cover a song first released by the Beatles on their own debut album, Please Please Me. The track had been allegedly turned down by Shane Fenton (later Alvin Stardust) who was looking for a career reviving hit.
Success
With record producer George Martin, the song "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" was a number two UK Singles Chart hit in 1963, and was backed by another tune otherwise unreleased by The Beatles, "I'll Be on My Way". After this impressive breakthrough another Lennon/McCartney pairing "Bad to Me" c/w "I Call Your Name" reached number one. "I'll Keep You Satisfied" ended the year with a respectable number four placing.
Billy was given a series of songs specially written for him by John Lennon and Paul McCartney which launched him into stardom and a proper place in the history of Rock and Roll. I'll Keep You Satisfied, From A Window, I Call Your Name and Bad to Me all became international million sellers for Billy, and won him appearances on the TV shows Shindig!, Hullabaloo and The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Dakotas , meanwhile, enjoyed Top 20 success in 1963 on their own with Mike Maxfield's composition "The Cruel Sea", an instrumental retitled "The Cruel Surf" in the U.S., which was subsequently covered by The Ventures. This was followed by a George Martin creation, "Magic Carpet", evoking a dreamy atmosphere with a subtle echo laden piano, playing the melody alongside Maxfield's guitar. But it missed out altogether and it was a year before their next release. All four tracks appeared on a highly-collectable EP later that year.
The three big hits penned by Lennon and McCartney meant that Kramer was always seemingly in the Beatles' shadow, unless he did tried something different. Despite being advised against it, he insisted on recording the Stateside chart hit "Little Children" - the lyrics were allegedly about getting his girlfriend's brothers and sisters out of the way so they could make love. It became his second chart topper and biggest hit. It was Kramer's only major hit outside of the UK. In the U.S., this was followed up with "Bad to Me" which reached number nine. Despite this success Kramer went backwards with his second and last UK single of 1964; another Lennon/McCartney cast-off "From A Window", which only just became a Top Ten hit.
After the peak
The year 1965 saw the end for the Merseybeat boom, and the next Kramer single was "It's Gotta Last Forever", which harked back to a ballad approach. In a year where mod-related music from the likes of The Who prevailed, the single missed completely. Kramer's cover of "Trains and Boats and Planes" saw off Anita Harris' cover version only to find itself in direct competition with its composer, Burt Bacharach's effort, which won the day. Kramer's effort still reached a respectable number 12, but was the group's swansong, as all future cuts missed the chart.
The Dakotas ranks were then strengthened by the inclusion of Mick Green, the ex-guitarist with the London band the Pirates who backed Johnny Kidd. This line-up cut a few tracks which were at odds with the balladeer's usual fare. These included a take on "When You Walk in the Room" and "Sneakin' Around". The Dakotas final outing whilst with Kramer was the blues driven "Oyeh!" - but this also flopped.
The final showing
After releasing "We're Doing Fine", it too missed the charts leaving singer and group to part company. Kramer had a brief solo career which took him eventually to live in America.
The Dakotas re-formed in the late 1980s and recruited vocalist Eddie Mooney and session musician Toni Baker. They still tour and record. Other latter-day members are drummer Pete Hilton and guitarist Alan Clare.
In 2005, Kramer recorded the song "Cow Planet" for Sandra Boynton's children's album, Dog Train. A long-time fan of Kramer's, Boynton had sought him out for her project: in 1964, at age 11, she had bought Little Children as the first album she ever owned.
Do You Want To Know A Secret?
Billy J. Kramer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll never know how much I really care
Listen do you want to know a secret
Do you promise not to tell woh woh woh closer
Let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you oo
I've known the secret for a week or two
Listen do you want to know a secret
Do you promise not to tell woh woh woh closer
Let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear
I'm in love with you oo
The lyrics of Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas's song "Do You Want To Know A Secret" express a deep yearning and desire to reveal one's love for another. The first two lines "You'll never know how much I really love you/You'll never know how much I really care" showcases the depth of love and care that the singer feels for their beloved. The chorus "Listen do you want to know a secret/Do you promise not to tell woh woh woh closer/Let me whisper in your ear" signifies the confession of love that the singer wants to make to their partner in secret.
The subsequent lines "Say the words you long to hear/I'm in love with you oo" further emphasize the hidden love and the need to express it to the other person. The final lyrics "I've known the secret for a week or two/Nobody knows just we two" suggest that this love is a secret that is only shared between the two lovers.
Overall, the lyrics of "Do You Want To Know A Secret" are romantic and emotional, as they express a deep and hidden yearning for love and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll never know how much I really love you
I love you more than you'll ever know
You'll never know how much I really care
I care for you deeply and passionately, but you may never fully realize it
Listen do you want to know a secret
Do you want to hear something I've been keeping to myself?
Do you promise not to tell woh woh woh closer
I need you to keep my secret safe and not tell anyone else, please come closer to hear it
Let me whisper in your ear
I want to share my secret with you in the most intimate way
Say the words you long to hear
Tell me that you love me too
I'm in love with you oo
I am deeply and utterly in love with you
I've known the secret for a week or two
I've been holding onto my feelings for you for a while now
Nobody knows just we two
Our love and connection is something only we share and nobody else understands
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul Mccartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1963 {May 30th} "Do You Want To Know A Secret?" by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on the United Kingdom's Official Top 50 Singles* chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for those two weeks was "From Me To You" by The Beatles...
Between 1963 and 1965 the group had six records on the U.K. Singles chart, five made the Top 10 with two* reaching #1, "Bad To Me" for three weeks in August of 1963 and "Little Children" for two weeks in March of 1964...
Besides their two #1 records, their three other Top 10 records were the above "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "I'll Keep You Satisfied" {#4 in 1963}, and "From A Window" {#10 in 1964}...
Plus their only record that didn't make the Top 10 was "Trains and Boats and Planes", it peaked at #12 in June of 1965...
Leader Billy J. Kramer, born William Howard Ashton, will celebrate his 77th birthday in three months on August 19th, 2020...
* And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the U.K. Singles' Top 10 on May 30th, 1963:
At #3. "Scarlett O'Hara-" by Jet Harris & Tony Meehan
#4. "Lucky Lips" by Cliff Richard & The Shadows
#5. "Can't Get Used To Losing You" by Andy Williams
#6. "Two Kinds Of Teardrops" by Del Shannon
#7. "When Will You Say I Love You" by Billy Fury
#8. "In Dreams" by Roy Orbison
#9. "Young Lovers" by Paul and Paula
#10. "Deck Of Cards" by Wink Martindale
@guruuDev
Wow, what a talented band. They cover The Beatles and do it beautifully in their own way -- totally works!
@jgates6645
They actually released this before the Beatles did.
@oltedders
@@jgates6645
Lennon McCartney wrote their biggest hits.
@Rayruit
@@jgates6645No, the Beatles version was released on their debut album in March 1963.
Billy J version was released as a single in April 1963.
@yvonnewheeler6230
Amazing beautiful memories of my teenage years the sixties were the best simply the best .
Thank you for the wonderful music you have put together. 🤩
@golden.lights.twinkle2329
Great song. Great video. There was a time in the 1960s when this band was huge in the UK.
@southpawboxing4265
Timeless music. Just beautiful. Thanks for the upload.
@jimrackitts6859
You're welcome
@davidworsley9534
Love this song takes me back to 1963 the best decade for music!
@ravenhill_the_cryptic_of_1968
a perfect sound on this version, dating way back.. big thanks.