Gerry Marsden (1942-2021) formed Gerry & The Pacemakers in the late 1950s with his brother, Fred Marsden (died 2006), Les Chadwick (1943-2019) and Arthur Mack. They rivalled The Beatles early in their career, playing in the same areas of Hamburg, Germany, and Liverpool, England, and being from Liverpool, managed by Brian Epstein, and recorded by George Martin. Mack was replaced on piano by Les Maguire ()born 1941) around 1961. They are known to have rehearsed at Camell Laird shipping yard at Birkenhead.
They began recording in early 1963 with "How Do You Do It?", a Mitch Murray written song that both Adam Faith and The Beatles had turned down (in the latter case because they wanted to record their own material, specifically "Please Please Me"). The song became a number one hit, until being replaced at the top by The Beatles' third single, "From Me to You".
Gerry & the Pacemakers next two singles, Murray's "I Like It" and Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone", both also reached number one in the UK Singles Chart. Never before had the first three singles by a performer all reached the top spot (the feat would not be duplicated until Frankie Goes to Hollywood did it in the 1980s).
Despite this early success, Gerry & the Pacemakers never had another number one single in the U.S. Gerry Marsden began writing most of their own songs, including "It's All Right", "I'm the One", and "Ferry Cross the Mersey", as well as their first and biggest U.S. hit, "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying". All of these represented the band's light, poppy, enjoyable sound. They also starred in a moderately successful early 1965 film called Ferry Cross the Mersey, for which Marsden wrote much of the soundtrack.
By later in 1965, though, their popularity was rapidly declining on both sides of the Atlantic. They lacked the innovation of the Beatles and did not have the rawer musical and visual edge of some of the other British Invasion groups, and they soon seemed un-hip. They disbanded in October 1966 with much of their latter recorded material never released in the UK.
Gerry Marsden became a popular cabaret and children's TV entertainer. He reformed the band in 1972 with prominent Liverpool musicians Jose McLaughlin, Billy Kinsley and Pete Clarke. In April 1973, this second version of the group became the only Merseybeat band to ever record for the John Peel Show on BBC Radio. The tracks from that show have now been included on the album Gerry & the Pacemakers Live at the BBC, released on Parlophone Records in October 2018. Subsequently, Marsden occasionally toured with various line-ups of the band on the oldies circuit. Gerry Marsden announced his retirement on 29 November 2018.
The band is probably best remembered for their version of "You'll Never Walk Alone," which has become the anthem for Liverpool Football Club in England. Liverpool's fans sing the song before every match at Anfield, their home stadium.
I'll be there
Gerry & The Pacemakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through all eternity
Have faith, believe in me
Give me your hand
Love is a symphony
Of perfect harmony
When lovers such as we
Walk hand in hand
Be not afraid, for I am with you all the while
Lift your head up high & look towards the sky
(x2):
Walk hand in hand with me
This is our destiny
No greater love could be
Give me your hand, walk with me
The lyrics to Gerry & The Pacemakers's song "I'll Be There" convey a powerful message of love, hope, and perseverance through difficult times. The opening line "Walk hand in hand with me / Through all eternity" represents an unbreakable bond between two people, who promise to stay together through thick and thin. The lines "Have faith, believe in me / Give me your hand" reinforce the indispensability of trust and support for a successful and lasting relationship.
The second stanza deals with the idea of love as a symphony, a perfect harmony that is achieved when two people with similar feelings and objectives join hands. The lines "Be not afraid, for I am with you all the while / Lift your head up high & look towards the sky" present a reassurance that no matter what difficulties come, the lovers will be there for each other to navigate through them.
In essence, the lyrics to "I'll Be There" are a pledge of commitment, a vow of love, and a proclamation of the power of togetherness. The soothing melody and the strong message of hope make this song a timeless classic that resonates with audiences across generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Walk hand in hand with me
Let's stick together and support each other through thick and thin
Through all eternity
Our bond will last forever, no matter what happens
Have faith, believe in me
Trust me and have confidence in our relationship
Give me your hand
Let me hold your hand and guide you through life
Love is a symphony
Our love is a beautiful and harmonious thing
Of perfect harmony
Our love is complete and balanced
When lovers such as we
As two people in love, we have a special connection
Walk hand in hand
Let's continue to support each other, no matter what
Be not afraid, for I am with you all the while
Don't fear anything, because I will always be here by your side
Lift your head up high & look towards the sky
Remain positive and optimistic, even when life gets tough
Walk hand in hand with me
Our journey in life is meant to be taken together
This is our destiny
Our fates are intertwined and we are meant to be together
No greater love could be
Our love is one of the most powerful and meaningful things in the world
Give me your hand, walk with me
Let's continue to hold hands and walk through life together
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BOBBY DARIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carolgonzalez1758
Felt so emotional hearing this tune today. (12/02/2022) Went back to being a teenager and tears came flooding down and I could not stop the tears! Gerry and the Pacemakers! What a great group! Life would be hell without music. Thank you God for musicians, singers and most of all songwriters! 😪😪😪😪
@Bobby_Chariot
Perfectly put … and exactly how I feel 👌🏻😎
@victoralfonso255
Love thi spng
@ianthylayne1483
Those were the days when music was so very sweet. They make you think that you were in heaven
@hategreed1
Never, by no one, was a song more beautifully sung. And thank you, Bobby Darin, for composing this gem.
@ElvisTranscriber2
Oh c'mon this is one of Elvis best songs. Elvis sung it better and the arrangement is also better
@msbrownbeast
I'm a fan of Elvis, but Gerry Marsden's version is way superior.
@williebowen1043
@ElvisTranscriber2 Gerry & the Pacemakers version of I ll be There is 1,000 times than that backwoods bum
@shytuber100
@@msbrownbeastyes, I agree!
@marianaval4404
This song is my favorite when I was a teenager, keep playing it in jukebox in front of our store,it was 10 cents per play.❤❤❤