In 1950, McPhatter joined Billy Ward & the Dominoes, and was present for the recording of "Sixty Minute Man", which was a huge hit in 1951, and was one of the earliest rock and roll records. After several more hits, McPhatter quit the group in 1953 because he made little money and gained virtually no fame, in spite of his voice being the lead on most of the group's songs. McPhatter then signed to Atlantic Records after forming a group, The Drifters. "Money Honey", "Such a Night", "Honey Love", "White Christmas" and "Whatcha Gonna Do" became huge hits.
In 1954, McPhatter was drafted but was assigned in the U.S., allowing him to continue recording. He soon left The Drifters and launched a solo career. His first solo hit occurred just after being discharged - "Love Has Joined Us Together" (with Ruth Brown). He released several R&B hits in the next few years, but only made one serious dent in the pop charts with the Brook Benton penned song "A Lovers Question", which made it to #6 in 1958. White groups usually covered his best compositions and achieved more widespread mainstream success. In spite of this, McPhatter became one of the most popular black musicians among white listeners. His 1956 recording of "Treasure of Love" saw him enjoy just one week in the UK singles chart. The lack of any subsequent entry gave him the unenviable tag there of being a one hit wonder
McPhatter soon signed to MGM Records, and released several more hits. "I Told Myself a Lie" and "Think Me a Kiss" (1960) became minor pop hits, as was "Ta Ta", his first single for Mercury Records. "I Never Knew" and "Lover Please" (1962) became even bigger pop hits, but his career started suffering due to his alcoholism. Other black artists were following McPhatter's blueprint into pop audiences, including Rudy Lewis, Johnny Moore, Sam Cooke and an all new line-up of The Drifters. McPhatter's unreliability kept him from maintaining his career in the face of this competition. As the 1960s wore on, McPhatter's career kept falling in spite of a few minor hits.
In the early 1970s, McPhatter spent some time living in England, where he still had a significant audience, but this was short-lived. Back again in America, Clyde McPhatter died of a heart attack in 1972, at the age of 39.
In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
My Island Of Dreams
Clyde McPhatter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to forget you but somehow it seems
My thoughts ever stray to our last sweet embraces
Over the sea on the Island of Dreams
High in the sky is the bird on the wing
Please carry me with you
Far far away from the mad rushing crowd
Again I would wander where memories infold me
There on the beautiful Island of Dreams
High in the sky is the bird on the wing
Please carry me with you
Far far away from the mad rushing crowd
Please carry me with you
Again I would wander where memories infold me
There on the beautiful Island of Dreams
Far far away on the Island of Dreams
The song "My Island of Dreams" by Clyde McPhatter is a melancholic ballad in which the singer describes his attempt to forget a lost love. He wanders through crowded and lively places, attempting to distract himself, but his mind always wanders back to their past embraces. He yearns to escape this reality, to be carried away by a bird, high in the sky, away from the world's chaos. He reminisces about the beautiful memories he shared with the person he lost, and how he longs to be with them again, even if it's just in his dreams.
The lyrics are rich with imagery and metaphors. The Island of Dreams represents a place of solace, where the singer can escape to forget and be free. The bird in the sky represents freedom and the desire for escape, while memories infold the singer, adding to the feelings of longing and heartache.
Overall, "My Island of Dreams" is a song that captures the pain of lost love and the yearning for escape, while also providing a glimpse into the human need for hope and fantasy.
Line by Line Meaning
I wandered the streets and the gay crowded places
I roamed around the busy streets and places where people gather and enjoy themselves
Trying to forget you but somehow it seems
I attempted to get rid of the memories of you, but it appears to be futile
My thoughts ever stray to our last sweet embraces
My mind regularly drifts towards our last affectionate embrace
Over the sea on the Island of Dreams
In my imagination, I'm over the sea dreaming in a pleasant place
High in the sky is the bird on the wing
Up in the sky, a bird is flying with its wings wide open
Please carry me with you
Kindly take me with you on your flight as well
Far far away from the mad rushing crowd
Far from the crazy and hurrying group of people
Again I would wander where memories infold me
Once more, I would walk around the place where nostalgic recollections are present
There on the beautiful Island of Dreams
That place is the stunning Island of Dreams, where I can imagine a serene surrounding
Far far away on the Island of Dreams
That place is situated far off, on the pleasant Island of Dreams
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@berthadaniels4050
I Just Love Every Song Clyde Mcphatter Ever Sang. Such a Beautiful Voice. 💟💟💟💟
@bluenote824jones7
A shame he wasn't a super super star . What a great voice
@bluenote824jones7
What a great artist and song
@bluenote824jones7
What a great artist
@grandma.p
I like your screen name.
@berthadaniels4050
Go Ahead, Mr Clyde Mcphatter. NICE, love this song. 💕💕💕
@bennyjazzful
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 75yo Aussie fan.
@Forgotten45er
Does anybody have If We can't Be Lovers, Why Can't We Be Friends by Clyde McPhatter? From the first kiss we shared to our last embrace, those memories I can't erase.