Ames was born in Malden, Massachusetts to Russian Jewish immigrant parents. He was one of nine children, five boys and four girls. Ames grew up in a poor household, but was educated in Classical and Opera music, as well as in Literature, such as Shakespeare. Ames was very athletic as a child and teenager, but he always knew that music would one day become his future destiny, as well as for his brothers; Gene, Mac, Vic and Joe. Together, while still in high school, the brothers formed a quartet and often won competitions around the Boston area in Massachusetts. Three of the brothers later formed the Amory Brothers quartet and went to New York, where they were hired by bandleader Art Mooney. Abe Burrows, a playwright entertainer at the time who helped the brothers along the way, had suggested the brothers change their names to the Ames Brothers.
They were first signed on with Decca Records in 1948. However, because of the Musician Union's ban, their records from Decca were never released. Instead, they signed on with another label, Coral Records, a subsidiary of Decca. They had their first major hit in the 1950s with the double-sided "Ragg Mopp" and "Sentimental Me". Following this, the Brothers continued to have success throughout the 50s with many hits like "It Only Hurts For a Little While", "Man With The Banjo" and "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane". The brothers also made appearances regularly on variety shows, and even for a short period of time had their very own 15 minute variety show in 1955.
In 1960, The Ames Brothers disbanded, and Ed Ames, pursuing a career in acting, studied at the Herbert Berghoff School. His first starring role was in an Off-Broadway production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, going on to starring performances in The Fantasticks and Carnival!, which was on Broadway. He was also in the national touring company of Carnival.
Although Ames was Jewish, his dark complexion led to his being cast regularly as an American Indian. His greatest success as a stage actor came when he played Chief Bromden in the Broadway production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, opposite Kirk Douglas. Talent scouts at 20th Century Fox saw Ed in the production and invited him to play the Native American Mingo on the television show Daniel Boone.
While playing Mingo on television, Ames developed some skill in throwing a tomahawk. This led to one of the most memorable moments of his career, when he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 29, 1965. During the course of the show, Ames and Johnny Carson were discussing Ames' tomahawk throwing abilities. When Ames claimed that he could hit a target from across the room, Carson asked Ames if he could demonstrate this skill. Ames agreed, and a wood panel with a chalk outline of a cowboy was brought on to the stage. Ames proceeded to throw the tomahawk, which hit the "cowboy" in the tip of the crotch. This led to a very long burst of laughter from the audience and Carson's famous ad-libs; "I didn't even know you were Jewish!" and "Welcome to Frontier Bris."
During the 1960s, Ed returned to singing, this time however as a solo artist. He released his first single, "Try to Remember", in 1965. The song barely made the charts. However, a bigger success came in 1967 with "My Cup Runneth Over". The song was both a Pop hit and an Adult Contemporary hit. He had less success on the Pop charts soon after, and only had Adult Contemporary hits. The hits were "When the Snow Is On the Roses", "Time Time" and "Timeless Love". He did make the Pop Top Twenty one last time in his singing career with the song "Who Will Answer" in 1968.
Ames's distinctive baritone is a regular radio presence during Christmas season, too, thanks to his version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Written originally in response to the Cuban missile crisis, the song received its best-selling treatment from Bing Crosby in 1962, but Ames's version--recorded a few years later, during the peak of his solo recording career, is in frequent holiday rotation.
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Ed Ames Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't take my eyes off you
You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you
Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak
But if you feel like I feel
Please let me know that is real
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you
I need you baby
And if it's quite all right
I need you baby
And if its quite alright
I need you baby
To warm the lonely nights
I love you baby
Trust in me when I say its okay
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
And let me love you, baby
Let me love you
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you
You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much
At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off You
I need you baby
And if it's quite all right
I need you baby
To warm the lonely nights
I love you baby
Now trust in me when I say its okay
Oh pretty baby
Don't bring me down I pray
Oh pretty baby
Now that I've found you stay
And let me love you, baby
Let me love you
The song Can't Take My Eyes Off You sung by Ed Ames depicts a love that is too good to be true. The singer is in awe of the beauty and perfection of their significant other, who they cannot take their eyes off of. The singer calls the object of his affection to notice the passion they both are experiencing, and to confirm it is real. He pours his heart out, stating that he needs her and wants to be with her. The song is a testament to the power of love and the joy and elation it brings when you find someone who is just too good to be true.
The song communicates that the singer is completely captivated by the person he's with, and nothing else comes close in comparison. The sight of her leaves him breathless, and he can't find the words to speak. The lyrics express the joy of being with someone who takes your breath away and the immense gratitude that comes with that feeling.
The song's conclusion drives home the idea of the power of love by asking the person he desiring to trust in him so that they can be together.
Line by Line Meaning
You're just too good to be true
The person being addressed is exceptional and perfect beyond belief
I can't take my eyes off you
The singer is so captivated by the person being addressed that it's impossible to look away
You'd be like heaven to touch
The singer is imagining how wonderful it would feel to touch and embrace the person being addressed
I wanna hold you so much
The artist desires to physically hold and be close to the person being addressed
At long last love has arrived
The artist has found true love after a long search or wait
And I thank God I'm alive
The singer is grateful for the experience of finding love and feels it is a blessing to be alive to enjoy it
Pardon the way that I stare
The singer apologizes for staring at the person being addressed for an extended period of time
There's nothing else to compare
The person being addressed is unique and stands out above anyone else the artist has ever encountered
The sight of you leaves me weak
The artist is overwhelmed by the sight of the person being addressed and feels a physical response to their presence
There are no words left to speak
The artist is speechless and can't find the right words to express their feelings
But if you feel like I feel
The singer is hoping that the person being addressed feels the same way they do
Please let me know that is real
The artist wants confirmation from the person being addressed that their connection is genuine
I need you baby
The singer feels a strong emotional need for the person being addressed
And if it's quite all right
The singer is asking for permission to express their love and affection
To warm the lonely nights
The singer wants the person being addressed to be a source of comfort during times of loneliness
Trust in me when I say its okay
The artist is assuring the person being addressed that their love is genuine and they can be trusted
Oh pretty baby
The artist is using a term of endearment to refer to the person being addressed
Don't bring me down I pray
The singer is hoping that the person being addressed won't hurt or disappoint them
Now that I've found you stay
The singer has finally found someone special and wants them to remain in their life
And let me love you, baby
The artist wants to express their love to the person being addressed in a physical and emotional way
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Broma 16
Written by: Bob Crewe, Robert Gaudio
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind