Billy J. Kramer (born William Howard Ashton, 19 August 1943, in Bootle, Liverpool, England) was a British Invasion / Merseybeat singer. He is known today primarily as the singer of various Lennon-McCartney compositions that The Beatles did not use.
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.
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 the 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 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 became a Top Ten hit.
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.
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 today. Drummer Pete Hilton joined the band in 1996 replacing Tony Bookbinder and after Mike maxfield sufferred a stroke in 2004 guitarist Alan Clare along. In January 2008 Eddie was asked to replace Rod Allen, the Fortunes frontman who had sadly died in Dec 2007. Another new face now fronts The Dakotas - Paul Rafferty.
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.
I Love to Love You
Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's just what I want to do
Cos any old time in your prime is the time
To begin
How sweet to be sweet to you
How sweet to repeat to you
That any old time in your prime is the time
And when is your prime
I claim it's any old time
Any time in your life is the prime of your life
When you should have the time of your life
I'd love to make love to you
Please say that you want me too
While we're in our prime why waste time
Wasting time is a sin
I'd love to make love to you
Now is the time to begin
I'd love to make love to you
Please say that you want me too
While we're in our prime why waste time
Wasting time is a sin
I want to make love to you
Now is the time to begin
The song "I Love to Love You" by Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas is a love song that expresses the overwhelming feelings of love and affection that the singer has for their partner. The lyrics liken the intensity of the love they feel to the beauty of nature, with the moon being brighter than the morning sun and the birds singing sweeter. The reference to the bees buzzing also hints at the idea of being intoxicated by love, much like the buzz of a bee.
The lyrics also talk about how this love is not ordinary, and that it makes the singer feel like they are dancing like a dandelion and floating like a butterfly. The love of their partner knocks them off their feet and takes them on a trip to another galaxy, which shows just how powerful and transformative the experience of being in love can be. The chorus repeats the idea of being knocked off their feet and how the love they feel never seems to be enough.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of a love that is all-consuming and overwhelming, taking the singer on a journey that they never want to end. It's a celebration of the beauty and intensity of love.
Line by Line Meaning
The moon is brighter than the morning sun
Your love shines brighter than any other thing in my life, including the sun and the moon.
The birds sing sweeter and the bees they buzz
Everything in life that was once ordinary and mundane now seems brighter and more beautiful because of your love.
A silly little song and we're humming along
Even a simple song can bring us together and put us in a happy mood because of our love.
Dancing like a dandelion, swaying in a breeze
Our love makes us feel free and carefree like dandelions swaying in the wind.
Floating like a butterfly, falling like an autumn leave
Our love is both light and gentle, like a butterfly, but also poignant, like the beauty of an autumn leaf falling to the ground.
It's no ordinary thing between you and me
Our love is something special and unique, unlike any other love.
That's what I love about your love
The many wonderful aspects of your love are what make me fall deeper in love with you.
Knocks me off my feet
Your love takes me by surprise, the intensity of it makes me feel weak and powerless.
Takes me on a trip to another galaxy
Our love is so strong that it transports me to another world, one that is filled with happiness and bliss.
Smacks me with a smile longer than a country mile
Your love fills me with joy, and the happiness I feel stretches further than I can even imagine, like a smile that goes on for miles.
Gets my heart a runnin' like a river running wild
My heart beats so fast and intensely because of your love, like a river that runs wild and free.
I can never get enough
No matter how much love you give me, it always seems like it's not enough because I can never have enough of our love.
You lean over my shoulder and it's over and done
Even a simple gesture like you leaning over my shoulder puts me at ease, and any problem or stress fades away because of your love.
Ain't nothing like a feeling of finding that one
Finding the one person you're meant to be with is an indescribable feeling, and having found that with you is the best feeling in the world.
It's the piece of the puzzle
Our love completes me, and it's the final piece of the puzzle that makes my life whole.
Ain't no doubt about it
There's no doubt in my mind that our love is real and everlasting.
It's a good kind of trouble
Our love is the perfect kind of trouble, the kind that doesn't cause any harm but instead adds a spark to life.
It puts the hun in my honey
Our love puts the sweetness and tenderness into our relationship like honey, and makes me feel a deeper emotional connection.
Oh it puts the fun in my funny
Our love also adds a lightheartedness and joy to my life, and makes everything more fun and exciting.
It's right on the money
Our love is perfect, and it fits us both perfectly like a size that is right on the money.
And all of the above
Our love has all of these amazing qualities and more, making it truly special and unique.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Robert Emmerich, Ruth Poll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tiger Rogers
Great song by Billy J! Astounding stereo mix Brian! Big Thumbs up, Tiger.
flatop47
Cheers Tiger...I Never Done The Stereo On This...Its How I Got It...
flatop47
Its The Same In Every Photo Iv'e Got..??? I Just Thought He Had A Funny Eye
Tiger Rogers
By the way, what is wrong with Mike Maxfield's eye? He looks the same in every photo! Tiger.
Sylvi Jeffery
Love it, . Does Billy still get together with the band?
Christine Anne
always a thumbs up for billy j. in stereo brian. the emi years compilation this is from is one of the best, but they still missed a few that are in stereo, but used mono!
flatop47
Cheers J/B...I Got In Trouble With A "Billy J Kreamer" Track Once...If He Is With The Dakotas Your Normally O.K.. But On He's Own Can Be Trouble!....So Beware lol
alchada
awesome !!!! ......... takes me back !!!!!!!!!
alchada
you're welcome ........ you've a great channel !!!
flatop47
Thanks For Looking