Emile Ford was born in Castries, Saint Lucia, in the West Indies. He was the son of Barbadian politician, Frederick Edward Miller, and Madge Murray, a singer and musical theatre director whose father had founded and conducted the St. Lucia Philharmonic Band. His mother married again, taking the name of Sweetnam; some sources erroneously give Emile Ford's birth name as Sweetnam or Sweetman.
He was educated at St Mary’s College, Castries. He moved to London with his mother and family in the mid-1950s, partly motivated by his desire to explore improved sound reproduction technology, and studied at the Paddington Technical College in London.[4] It was during this time that he taught himself to play a number of musical instruments, including guitar, piano, violin, bass guitar and drums. Using an abbreviated form of his name, as Emile Ford, he first entered show business at the age of 20, and made his first public performance at the Buttery, Kensington. His first appearance with a backing group was at the Athenaeum Ballroom in Muswell Hill. His TV appearances in 1958 included outings on The Music Shop, the Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson Show, Oh, Boy!, and Six-Five Special.
He teamed up in January 1959 with his half-brother, bassist George Sweetnam-Ford (born 1 January 1941), electric guitarist Ken Street (born 1943) and drummer John Cuffley to form Emile Ford & the Checkmates. The band appeared on the TV programme Sunday Serenade, which ran for six weeks. They won the Soho Fair talent contest in July 1959, but turned down a recording contract with EMI because the company would not allow Ford to produce their records, and instead agreed to a deal with Pye Records. Their first self-produced recording, "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?", a song originally recorded by Ada Jones and Billy Murray in 1917, went to number one in the UK Singles Chart at the end of 1959 and stayed there for six weeks. Ford was the first black British artist to sell one million copies of a single.
In January 1960, Ford signed a two-year employment management contract with Leslie Grade. He had several more hits in the UK, and also scored a number one EP in 1960. The readers of the British music magazine New Musical Express voted Emile Ford and the Checkmates as the "Best New Act" in 1960. Ford's debut album was made up of covers. He made several albums, but his last studio recordings were in 1963. His half-brothers George and Dave Sweetnam-Ford were later members of the Ferris Wheel.
As a sound engineer, Ford was responsible for creating a backing track system for stage shows, first used in 1960, which provided a basis for what became known as karaoke. In 1969, he set up a recording studio in Barbados with the help of his father, before moving to Sweden.[6] While there, he further developed a new open-air playback system for stage shows, patented as the Liveoteque Sound Frequency Feedback Injection System.
Counting Teardrops, an anthology including all of Ford's recordings with Pye Records, was released in 2001.
Emile Ford died in London on 11 April 2016.
What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For
Emile Ford & The Checkmates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If they don't mean what they say
They make me glad, they make me sad
They make me want a lot of things that I never had
You're fooling around with me now
Well you lead me on and then you run away
Well that's all right, I'll get you alone some night
So what do you wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
What do you wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
They make me glad, they make me sad
They make me want a lot of things that I never had
You're fooling around with me now
Well you lead me on and then you run away
Well that's all right, I'll get you alone some night
And baby you'll find, you're messing with dynamite
So what do you wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
If they don't mean what they say (doo wop be dooby dooby)
Doo wop be dooby dooby
Doo wop be dooby dooby doo
Doo wop be dooby dooby
Doo wop be dooby dooby
Doo wop be dooby dooby doo, yeah!
The song "Send for Me" by Emile Ford and the Checkmates is about a woman who is playing games with the singer's heart by making eyes at him even though she may not actually have feelings for him. The lyrics question her intentions in making these flirtatious gestures towards him, as they seem to be leading him on and causing him both joy and pain. Despite her manipulative behavior, the singer seems to be drawn to her and is determined to win her over.
The lyrics have a classic doo-wop sound, with catchy, repetitive phrases and upbeat rhythm. The use of doo-wop "doo wop be dooby dooby" background vocals adds to the playful nature of the song, contrasting with the underlying frustration expressed in the verses. The singer warns this woman that she is playing with "dynamite," potentially setting up for a tense and explosive encounter should they meet alone. Overall, "Send for Me" is a fun but cautionary tale about the dangers of toying with someone's affection.
Line by Line Meaning
What do you wanna make those eyes at me for
Why are you giving me such alluring looks
If they don't mean what they say
If your eyes are not expressing your true intentions
They make me glad, they make me sad
Your eyes are capable of arousing different emotions within me
They make me want a lot of things that I never had
Your eyes make me crave for things I've never had before
You're fooling around with me now
You are playing games with me currently
Well you lead me on and then you run away
You tease me and then disappear or back away suddenly
Well that's all right, I'll get you alone some night
It's fine, I'll have my chance some night when we are alone
And baby you'll find, you're messing with dynamite
I assure you, you're toying with danger
So what do you wanna make those eyes at me for
Why do you want to give me such looks
If they don't mean what they say (doo wop be dooby dooby)
If your eyes are just putting up a show
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD E JOHNSON, JAMES V. MONACO, JOSEPH MC CARTHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheOldrecordclub
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@margaretricketts5487
Love this song and the singer. Remember going to see him at Clacton one year in the early days. I've managed to get his autograph and a kiss off of him on the staircase of the back door of the theatre. Lovely memories. I was just looking this up because I wanted to show a picture of him to my friends as we have just been listening to this on my playlist.
@johnflanagan7653
A classic throughout the ages. No doubt about that.
@adrianshelton591
I'd forgotten just how good the songs were in my youth. Great to hear it again
@ediekennedy7699
I love Emile Ford I saw him in Belfast in 1960 it was a fantastic show loved it.I play his songs regularly brings back so many beautiful memories for me when I listen to them awesome👌💖
@davekochanski8756
This was number 1 in England on the day I was born! 19th December 1959 , makes me 64 this year ! 😭😭
@tinzabeenz
LOVE this song. We just had it played at my Dads funeral.
@patriciawarren7556
we played slow boat to China at Mums
@itsTheo_0
🕊♾🕊
@anagarvan1491
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