Initially formed in 1955 as "The Juvenairs", their song, "Do the Bop," came to the attention of charismatic celebrity Dick Clark, who suggested that they rename it "At the Hop". The song was not initially a success. Yet, after being played on Clark's Bandstand, it was picked up by ABC-Paramount Records, and it then stayed at the top of the U.S. charts for seven weeks. It went on to sell over two million copies worldwide. The song was followed by the similar sounding "Rock 'n' Roll Is Here To Stay", which also made it into the Top 20 and has been later included in various collaboration albums just like "At the Hop".
In 1960, Danny and the Juniors were signed to Dick Clark's Swan Records label, and they released one more record, "Twistin' USA". It made it into the Top 40 and became their final hit single. They went on to release several more singles, but the group sadly were not able to repeat their earlier successes.
Dave White left the group in the early 60s to concentrate on writing and production. White was very successful in this venture, composing a number of hits, including "You Don't Own Me" for Leslie Gore (also famously covered in new wave style by Klaus Nomi) as well as "1-2-3" and "Like A Baby" for Len Barry. In the late 60s, the Juniors also appeared on Guyden Records, Mercury Records, and Capitol Records, where they re-recorded "Rock 'n' Roll Is Here To Stay" in 1968.
In 1976, "At the Hop" was re-issued, and it made its way into the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart.
Danny Rapp was found dead in a hotel in Arizona on April 5, 1983, of an apparent suicide.
Members
Danny Rapp (born Daniel Earl Rapp, May 9, 1941, Philadelphia – died April 5, 1983) — lead vocalist
Joe Terry (born Joseph Terranova, January 30, 1941, Philadelphia – died April 15, 2019) — lead/baritone vocalist
Dave White (born Dave White Tricker, September 1, 1939, Philadelphia - died March 17, 2019, Las Vegas) — 1st tenor vocalist
Frank Maffei (born December 15, 1939, Philadelphia) — baritone/2nd tenor vocalist
Bobby Maffei — 1st tenor vocalist
Awards and recognition
Danny & the Juniors were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003, and the group was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame on November 22, 2013.
Over the Rainbow
Danny & The Juniors Lyrics
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There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
The popular song "Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, which was originally sung by Judy Garland for the movie "The Wizard of Oz," is a classic example of a song that is filled with hope and optimism. Danny & The Juniors's version of the song is a timeless rendition that has continued to capture the hearts of millions around the world.
The first stanza of the song, "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby," paints a picture of a far-off, dreamlike place that may or may not exist. This place is far above the clouds, and it is one that the singer has only heard of in a lullaby. The second line of the song, "Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true," emphasizes the hopefulness of the tune. The singer believes that over the rainbow, there is a place where they can make their dreams a reality.
The bridge of the song, "Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me," repeats the idea of the singer searching for a better place where their problems will disappear. The song concludes with the same idea expressed earlier, "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can't I?" The song is all about searching for a place where the singer can achieve their dreams and live a happy life.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There is a place that exists beyond the visible horizon, high up in the sky
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
This place is only known to me through a song I heard in my childhood
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
In this place, the sky is always blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream, Really do come true.
In this place, if you have the courage to dream, those dreams will become a reality
Someday I'll wish upon a star
I have hope that one day I will be able to make a wish possible by looking at the star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
My wish is to be in a place where troubles do not exist
Where troubles melt like lemon drops, High above the chimney tops, That's where you'll find me.
In this place, worries disappear like how lemon drops dissolve, and that's where I'll be found
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
In this place, even the birds are different as they can fly over the rainbow
Birds fly over the rainbow
Birds can go beyond the visible horizon and fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
I wonder why I cannot have the same freedom as the birds and visit that magical place
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
The bluebirds are not only free but also happy as they can go beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
I still can't help but wonder why I can't have the same joy and happiness as the bluebirds
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind