It was the latter brief diversion that got the boy labeled the Singing Milkman at the outset of his career. At 16, his mother entered him in a local talent contest and he won by singing "Love Letters in the Sand." He got to a final round, where he specifically avoided doing the standard Elvis Presley imitations that his competitors presented. This led to an appearance at a variety show on the island, where he was seen by London agent Bunny Lewis, whose wife was performing on the same bill. She, in turn, was impressed with the boy's poise and professionalism. Lewis arranged for singing lessons for the 16-year-old and began grooming him for a career on the stage in London. Lewis gave him the name Craig Douglas after seeing it outside a house in Scotland.
His breakthrough came on The Six-Five Special, then the only real showcase for rock & roll on British television. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that Cliff Richard and Joe Brown appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: A few days later, he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The Six-Five Special led Douglas to a recording contract and a string of successes. Much of Douglas' career was spent at EMI, for which he had a number one hit with his version of "Only Sixteen," but also charted very high with "A Teenager in Love," "The Heart of a Teenage Girl," "Pretty Blue Eyes," and "When My Little Girl Is Smiling." Douglas wasn't really a rock & roll singer, his diction being too good and his delivery too straight-ahead for that designation.
His early records call up images of Ricky Nelson but, like a lot of young British singers of his era, he quickly aimed for a more mature audience. His singing was very emotive but also very clean. He was obviously more comfortable with dignified pop music, such as "Time," than with the more rocking numbers like "Ring-A-Ding" that he was occasionally called upon to record, with its slurred lyrics, honking saxes, and loud electric guitars (although Douglas acquitted himself well in that setting). He made the usual moves, appearing on film soundtracks (Two and Two Make Six) and in movies (It's Trad, Dad; A Painted Smile), as well as numerous television shows. Douglas' appearance alongside his EMI stablemate Helen Shapiro in It's Trad, Dad (which was Richard Lester's first feature and a dry run for A Hard Day's Night) showed off his strengths and weaknesses. He was charismatic simply based on his good looks, but was rather a stiff on camera as an actor, especially next to the vivacious Shapiro (who was also about five years younger than the then 21-year-old Douglas).
Rock & roll was just another musical genre to Douglas, which is not to say he was wrong, it's just that antique numbers like "It All Depends on You" or "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" done straight will never resonate the same way "Dream Lover" or "Rainbows" will to listeners born after 1945. Douglas' time on the English charts ended in 1962 and his major recording career came to a halt a year later with the advent of the Liverpool sound, but he continues to perform regularly in clubs, on cruises, and in cabarets, as well as international tours. Indeed, well into the 1990s, he had an annual month-long booking in Hong Kong. He's a fondly remembered and talented exponent of England's early flirtation with rock & roll. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Our Favourite Melodies
Craig Douglas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just when I'm through with being bliue
I pass the record store
And coming through the door
I hear those golden melodi-i-i-ies
They're playing "Hit the road Jack"
They're saying "you'll come back"
They're saying "Take good care of my ba-a-a-by"
I turn around and walk on home
What can you do when you're alone
Turn on the radio
And baby wouldn't you know
I hear our favourite melodi-i-i-ies
They're playing "Goodbye cruel world"
They're saying "Hey little girl"
They're saying "Run to him my baby, run to him"
It makes no difference what I do
He songs they play remind me of you
Can't seem to get away
You haunt me night and day
Each time they play our melodi-i-i-ies
They're saying "I love you"
They're saying "Hey girl it's true"
Please say you love me to my ba-a-by
Say you do
Stop saying "Hit the road Jack"
Stop saying "You'll come back"
Stop playing " Goodbye cruel world"
Stop saying "Hey little girl"
Stop saying "I love You"
Stop saying "Hey girl it's true"
The lyrics of Craig Douglas's song "Our Favourite Melodies" talks about the aftermath of a breakup and how difficult it can be to move on. The singer in the song describes how they think they have gotten over their past relationship, but as they pass by a record store, they hear "golden melodies" that remind them of their ex. These melodies include "Hit the road Jack," "Take good care of my baby," and "Goodbye cruel world," which all convey messages of separation, loss, and heartache. The singer then turns on the radio at home, hoping for a distraction, but instead hears more of their favorite melodies, such as "Hey little girl" and "Run to him my baby."
Throughout the song, the singer is haunted by memories of their past relationship, and they struggle to break free from the emotional ties that still bind them to their ex. The repeated refrain of "Please say you love me to my baby, say you do" highlights the singer's longing for their ex to return and their yearning for reconciliation. However, with the final lines of the song, the singer implores whoever is playing these songs to stop, recognizing that these melodies are only causing them more pain and preventing them from moving on.
Overall, "Our Favourite Melodies" is a poignant meditation on the power of music to evoke memories and emotions, particularly in the wake of a relationship gone sour. The song captures the difficulty of letting go of a past love, as well as the universal experience of being unable to escape the reminders of what once was.
Line by Line Meaning
Just whe I think I'm over you
After believing that I have moved on from you
Just when I'm through with being bliue
Right after I feel like I'm done being sad
I pass the record store
I walk by the store that sells music
And coming through the door
As I walk at the entrance of the shop
I hear those golden melodi-i-i-ies
I listen to those unforgettable tunes
They're playing "Hit the road Jack"
The music playing is 'Hit the Road Jack'
They're saying "you'll come back"
The song's lyrics say that you will return
They're saying "Take good care of my ba-a-a-by"
The singer is requesting his lover to take care of his baby
I turn around and walk on home
I turn around and head back home
What can you do when you're alone
What options do I have when I'm alone?
Turn on the radio
I switch my radio on
And baby wouldn't you know
As luck would have it
I hear our favourite melodi-i-i-ies
I hear our favorite melodies
They're playing "Goodbye cruel world"
They are playing 'Goodbye Cruel World'
They're saying "Hey little girl"
They call for a young girl
They're saying "Run to him my baby, run to him"
The singer tells his lover to run back to him
It makes no difference what I do
Nothing that I try works
He songs they play remind me of you
The songs make me think of you
Can't seem to get away
I can't seem to escape
You haunt me night and day
I can't get rid of you from my mind
Each time they play our melodi-i-i-ies
Whenever our melodies play
They're saying "I love you"
They express 'I Love You'
They're saying "Hey girl it's true"
The song says 'Hey girl, it's true'
Please say you love me to my ba-a-by
Requesting his lover to confess her love for him
Say you do
Please answer with a confession of love
Stop saying "Hit the road Jack"
Stop singing 'Hit the Road Jack'
Stop saying "You'll come back"
Stop saying you will come back
Stop playing " Goodbye cruel world"
Stop playing 'Goodbye Cruel World'
Stop saying "Hey little girl"
Stop calling for little girls
Stop saying "I love You"
Stop saying 'I Love You'
Stop saying "Hey girl it's true"
Quit lying to me with that line
Writer(s): Wes Farrell, Eddie Snyder, Bob Elgin
Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@janiceowen4428
First record I ever bought...still sounds great in 2023 !š
@johnkitchen4699
Love this guyās music. Craig has always been a star for me. 70 this year and heās a regular on my Alexa and in the car.
@jimbamford7779
Now aged 71 and still can recall summer days walking over green fields and innocent carefree days singing along to records like this brilliant days. Great music we were spoilt kids tday missed a fabulous era.
@gunterstommel3297
me too
@davidcollins5763
@@gunterstommel3297 and jim me to still do our music was the best from the best time perioud
@old65rocker
Agree Jim. although on here Im 65 Im actually 79 the b side of this pretty good as well rainbows
@kittenthekittycat3987
Love this song so much xx My Mum bought me up on great Rock and Roll xx I would love to go back in time xxx ā¤ā¤ā¤
@gunterstommel3297
HeĀ“s one of the best singer from the U.K., Greetings from Germany!!
@thomaskallmyr
Nice to hear good Melody from England
@stevenford727
This is one of them tunes you just have to play on full volume.