Born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez in Los Angeles, California, Montez was brought up in Hawthorne, California. His early musical influences included the latino music played and performed by residents of his neighborhood, as well as Ritchie Valens. After the release of the highly successful "Let's Dance" on Monogram Records, Montez spent several years touring with artists such as Sam Cooke, The Platters, and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, as well as The Beatles, then relatively unknown outside of Liverpool.
Early in 1963, Montez would score another hit with "Some Kinda Fun". Reaching #43 on the charts, the song utilized the same catchy keyboard instrumentation as did "Let's Dance"; fittingly, both were million sellers, and were awarded gold discs. 1963 also saw the release of Montez's only album on Monogram, Let's Dance and Have Some Kinda' Fun!!!. Shortly before Monogram folded, Montez was paired up with Kathy Young, releasing two singles as the duo Chris & Kathy, most notably surf rock classic "Shoot That Curl". While at Monogram, Montez wrote, or co-wrote, several of his own songs, such as "Chiquita Mia", "Let's Do the Limbo" and "No No No".
Two years later, Montez was practically a non-entity in the music business; however, Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records, cordially invited Montez to resume his recording career at A&M. When Montez attempted to replicate his earlier rock 'n' roll success, however, Alpert personally suggested that Montez try a different approach: a middle of the road, soft ballad sound. While not particularly interested in changing his style of music, Montez decided to trust Alpert's instincts.
"Call Me", a cover version of a Petula Clark song, was the first single from his 1966 album, The More I See You / Call Me, earning Montez his biggest hit in years, eventually reaching #22. The song has since become an easy listening standard. The album's title cut, Montez's second single, was a source of confusion for certain radio disc jockeys who were unfamiliar with Montez' past as a rocker; when back-announcing the song, they would often refer to Montez as being female, likely owing to Montez's falsetto singing style. This confusion would be cleared up by the time the album, bearing Montez's pictures on the front and back sleeve, was released.
Montez would record three more albums for A&M: Time After Time (1966), Foolin' Around (1967), and Watch What Happens (1968). Although quite stylistically similar to his first hit album on A&M, they failed to mirror its success, although Time After Time's title cut and "Because of You" both managed to crack the Hot 100. In 1968, Montez departed from A&M on a three-year sabbatical. In 1972, Montez released a big hit single in Brazil, "Loco por ti". By this time, he had returned to his rock roots, albeit with more noticeable pop influence than before.
Two years later, now with CBS Records, Montez released The Best of Chris Montez, a compilation consisting of both old and new material, the newer bearing little to no resemblance to his past hits. While at CBS, he released one more album: Raza: Ay no digas, which fared well in international markets but failed to make an impact in the US. In 1983, Montez released his final album, Cartas de Amor, all of its songs being sung in Spanish. Although his recording career appears to be behind him, Montez is still an active musician, performing to mostly foreign audiences.
In 2008, Frozen Pictures announced plans to make a documentary on Montez's life and career, El viaje musical de Ezekiel Montanez: The Chris Montez Story. The film, focusing on Montez's multi-faceted musical career and considerable influence, has been previewed at several film festivals, but has not seen domestic release.
Because Of You
Chris Montez Lyrics
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There's a song in my heart
Because of you
My romance had it's start
Because of you, the sun will sun
The moon and stars will say you're mine
Forever and never to part
I only live for your love and your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
Because of you, my life is now worthwhile
And I can smile, oh, just because of you
I only live for your love and your kiss
It's paradise to be near you like this
Because of you, my life is now worthwhile
And I can smile, oh, just because of you
Hey now, I can smile
Mmm, just because of you
The song "Because of You" by Chris Montez is about how the person he is singing about being the reason for his happiness and joy. The lyrics depict how his love has brought love into his life, how the sun will come up every day, the stars and moon shining brightly because of her presence in his life, and how her love has started the romance in his life. The lyrics also talk about how just the presence of this person makes life worth living, and how being near her brings paradise to his life. The lyrics talk about how she is the person he needs and how her love brings a smile to his face. The song has a simple melody with a rhythmic beat, which makes it easy to listen to and appreciate.
Overall, the song tells a story about the power of love, how it can change a person's life, bring meaning to it and make it worth living. The lyrics are particularly insightful, as they capture the essence of the human need for love, companionship, and happiness. The song is a classic love ballad with simple yet powerful lyrics that connect with listeners on an emotional level.
Line by Line Meaning
Because of you
I am grateful for the positive influence you have had in my life
There's a song in my heart
I feel happy and content because of you
My romance had it's start
My love life began because of you
Because of you, the sun will sun
You bring light and positivity into my life
The moon and stars will say you're mine
The universe recognizes our connection and love
Forever and never to part
Our love will last a lifetime and beyond
I only live for your love and your kiss
My existence is defined by my affection for you
It's paradise to be near you like this
Being around you brings me immense happiness and joy
Because of you, my life is now worthwhile
You have given my life purpose and meaning
And I can smile, oh, just because of you
You make me happy and give me reason to smile
Hey now, I can smile
I am now able to express happiness and contentment
Mmm, just because of you
This feeling of joy and love is all due to you
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.