He was born in Glasgow, Kentucky, where his father was a barber who loved music and inspired Billy to teach himself to play the mandolin at age 3, while suffering a case of the measles. He went on to learn a number of other instruments.
In 1941, Vaughn joined the United States National Guard for what had been planned as a one-year assignment, but when World War II broke out, he was sent abroad till the war ended in 1945. He decided to make music a career when he was discharged from the army at the end of the war, and attended Western Kentucky State College, now known as Western Kentucky University, majoring in music composition. He had apparently learned barbering from his father, because he did some while studying at Western Kentucky to support himself financially, when he was not able to get jobs playing the piano at local night clubs and lounges. While he was a student there, three other students, Jimmy Sacca, Donald McGuire and Seymour Spiegelman, who had formed a vocal trio, The Hilltoppers, recruited Vaughn to play the piano with them. He soon added his voice to theirs, converting the trio to a quartet. As a member of the group, he also wrote their first hit song, Trying, which charted in 1952.
In 1954 he left the group to join Dot Records in Gallatin, Tennessee as music director. He subsequently formed his own orchestra, which had a big hit in that same year with Melody of Love. He went on to have many more hits over the next decade and a half, and based purely on chart successes, was the most successful orchestra leader of all time.
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Billy Vaughn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreaming when the skies are blue, When they're gray;
When the silvery moonlight gleams, Still I wander on in dreams,
In a land of love, it seems, Just with you.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.
Keep the love-light glowing in your eyes so true.
Longing for you all the while, More and more;
Longing for the sunny smile, I adore;
Birds are singing far and near, Roses blooming ev'rywhere
You, alone, my heart can cheer; You, just you.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.
Keep the love-light glowing in your eyes so true.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
The lyrics to Billy Vaughn's song "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" express the intense longing and love one has for their significant other. The song paints a picture of daydreams, where the singer is constantly thinking of their loved one, no matter the weather or time of day. The imagery is particularly vivid, with allusions to moonlight, a land of love, and sweet-sounding birdsong.
The chorus finds the singer professing their love directly to the object of their adoration. They want to be able to call them "Sweetheart" as an affectionate nickname and hear that same sentiment returned. They also plead that their loved one will keep their love-light glowing, indicating a hope that the relationship will continue to flourish. The final verse once again emphasizes the singer's longing for their lover and how they are the only one who can bring them true happiness.
Overall, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" is a classic love song that captures the essence of longing, adoration, and devotion to one's partner.
Line by Line Meaning
I am dreaming Dear of you, Day by day
The singer is deeply in love and thinks about their significant other constantly.
Dreaming when the skies are blue, When they're gray;
The love the singer has for their significant other is constant, regardless of external factors.
When the silvery moonlight gleams, Still I wander on in dreams,
Even the beauty of nature reminds the singer of their significant other and fuels their love.
In a land of love, it seems, Just with you.
The singer feels like they are in their own world of love with their significant other, and no one else.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
The singer expresses their strong feelings for their significant other and wants to use a term of endearment to show it.
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.
The singer wants reassurance of their significant other's love for them.
Keep the love-light glowing in your eyes so true.
The singer wants their significant other to continue showing their love and affection toward them.
Longing for you all the while, More and more;
The singer's love for their significant other continues to grow.
Longing for the sunny smile, I adore;
The singer is deeply in love with their significant other's smile.
Birds are singing far and near, Roses blooming ev'rywhere
Even the beauty of nature is nothing compared to the love the singer has for their significant other.
You, alone, my heart can cheer; You, just you.
The singer's heart is only happy when they are with their significant other.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
The singer once again expresses their love for their significant other by using a term of endearment.
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too.
The singer wants reassurance of their significant other's love for them.
Keep the love-light glowing in your eyes so true.
The singer wants their significant other to continue showing their love and affection toward them.
Let me call you "Sweetheart," I'm in love with you.
The singer repeats their strong feelings for their significant other and wants to use a term of endearment to show it.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Beth Slater Whitson, Harold Shaper, Leo Friedman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind