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.
Sleepy Time Gal
Billy Vaughn Lyrics
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We'd babaret until the break of day
I'll bet we've danced many a mile
I'll like to see a movie once more
They don't keep people staying up until four
Wouldn't it be a pleasant novelty to tumble in early once more?
Sleepy time gal, you've danced the ev'ning away
Before each silvery star fades out of sight
Please give me one little kiss
Then let us whisper 'goodnight'
It's getting' lat and dear your pillow's waitin'
Sleepy time gal, when all your dancin' is through
Sleepy time gal I'll find a cottage for you
You'll learn to cook and to sew
What's more you'll love it I know
When you're a stay-at-home , play-at-home
Eight o'clock sleepy time gal.
Wouldn't it be a pleasant sight to see a kitchenette only for you?
Wouldn't it be a pleasant sight to see a table set only for two?
I'd get a big victrola and then
We'll start in dancing ev'ry new dance again
Then it will be a pleasant novelty to tumble in just about ten.
Sleepy time gal, you're turning night into day
Sleepy time gal, you've danced the ev'ning away
Before each silvery star fades out of sight
Please give me one little kiss
Then let us whisper 'goodnight'
It's getting' lat and dear your pillow's waitin'
Sleepy time gal, when all your dancin' is through
Sleepy time gal I'll find a cottage for you
You'll learn to cook and to sew
What's more you'll love it I know
When you're a stay-at-home , play-at-home
Eight o'clock sleepy time gal.
The lyrics to Billy Vaughn's song Sleepytime Gal depict a longing for a change of pace in the singer's life. He suggests to his dance partner that they stay at home once in a while and enjoy some quiet time together. He reminisces about their past dancing adventures and expresses a desire to see a movie or two without staying up until four in the morning. The singer also discusses the idea of living a simpler life, learning to cook and sew, and spending quiet nights at home.
The song's lyrics convey a sense of wistfulness and a longing for a slower pace of life. The singer seems to be tired of the constant partying and dancing and craves some quality time at home with his partner. The lyrics reveal a desire to create a homey environment and live a simpler life where the focus is on each other and not on the constant partying and dancing.
Line by Line Meaning
Wouldn't it be a change for you and me to stay at home once ina while?
Isn't it time we took a break from all the social events and stayed home?
We'd babaret until the break of day
We'd enjoy ourselves by dancing until the early morning hours.
I'll bet we've danced many a mile
We've definitely covered a lot of dancing ground in our time.
I'll like to see a movie once more
I really want to see a movie again.
They don't keep people staying up until four
Movies don't keep people up late like dancing does.
Wouldn't it be a pleasant novelty to tumble in early once more?
Wouldn't it be nice to go to bed early for a change?
Sleepy time gal, you're turning night into day
You stay out so late that it feels like night turns into day with you around.
Sleepy time gal, you've danced the ev'ning away
You've danced all evening long and now it's late.
Before each silvery star fades out of sight
Let's not waste any time and enjoy the night while we can.
Please give me one little kiss
Let's share a kiss before we part for the night.
Then let us whisper 'goodnight'
Let's say goodnight quietly so we don't wake anyone else up.
It's getting' lat and dear your pillow's waitin'
It's getting late and your pillow is calling your name.
Sleepy time gal, when all your dancin' is through
Once you're finished dancing, it's time to get some sleep.
Sleepy time gal I'll find a cottage for you
I'll help you find a home where you can settle down.
You'll learn to cook and to sew
You'll pick up some domestic skills like cooking and sewing.
What's more you'll love it I know
I'm sure you'll enjoy being a homemaker.
When you're a stay-at-home , play-at-home
When you're at home, you can enjoy yourself without all the late-night dancing.
Eight o'clock sleepy time gal.
We'll make it a point to go to bed early from now on.
Wouldn't it be a pleasant sight to see a kitchenette only for you?
Wouldn't it be nice to have your own kitchenette to cook in?
Wouldn't it be a pleasant sight to see a table set only for two?
Wouldn't it be romantic to have a table set for just the two of us?
I'd get a big victrola and then
I'll buy a big record player so we can listen to music at home.
We'll start in dancing ev'ry new dance again
We'll have fun dancing to all kinds of music at home, just like we used to.
Then it will be a pleasant novelty to tumble in just about ten.
Going to bed early will be a fun new experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANGE LORENZO, JOSEPH ALDEN, RAYMOND B EGAN, RICHARD A. WHITING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind