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.
Love Is Here to Stay
Chris Montez Lyrics
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Not for a year but ever and a day
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies and in time may go
But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
But our love is here to stay
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay
The lyrics to Chris Montez's song Love Is Here to Stay convey the idea that the love between two people is strong and unyielding, lasting forever. The opening lines state "It's very clear, our love is here to stay - not for a year but ever and a day." The singer is confident and assured that their love is going to last long beyond temporary blips and changes of everyday life. The second verse highlights the transience of many things in life, such as technology and cultural trends, implying that none of these things can affect the endurance of true love. The chorus then repeats the idea that, even as earthly structures such as the Rockies and Gibraltar may fall apart, their love will always exist.
Montez's lyrics convey a timeless theme of the strength and longevity of true love. The song has a classic sound, with its catchy melody and upbeat rhythm. The use of imagery in the lyrics adds depth to the idea of the unyielding nature of love. The comparison of love to mountains and a rock-like structure such as Gibraltar emphasizes its steadfast nature. The use of the phrase "passing fancies" to describe fleeting cultural trends implies a lack of substance to these things when compared to the solidity of love. Overall, the song's lyrics convey a hopeful and optimistic message about the power of love.
Line by Line Meaning
It's very clear, our love is here to stay
Our commitment is solid and unwavering.
Not for a year but ever and a day
Our love is not just a temporary feeling but a permanent devotion.
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
The entertainment and technology of our time are fleeting and impermanent.
May just be passing fancies and in time may go
These things come and go, but our love remains constant.
But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay
Despite the uncertainty of life, our love will never fade.
Together we're going a long, long way
We are committed to a lifetime of love and growth together.
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
Natural landmarks may eventually erode and disappear.
They're only made of clay
These structures are ultimately fragile and impermanent.
But our love is here to stay
Our love is the one thing that will never falter or fade away.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind