The makeup of the group changed over the years, as some members were drafted during the war and new members were brought in to replace those who had retired or left to join other groups. William Langford joined the group when Griffin left in 1935 and Orlandus Wilson replaced Ford the same year. Clyde Riddick replaced Langford in 1938, Johnson left in 1948 to join "The Jubalaires" and Owens left the group later to become a preacher and solo artist. Riddick remained with the group until his retirement in 1995 and Wilson until his death in 1998.
The Gates had a broad repertoire of styles--from Owens' mournful, understated approach in songs such as Anyhow or Hush, Somebody's Calling My Name, to the group's highly syncopated arrangements in Shadrach, Meshach and Abendigo. Like The Mills Brothers of popular music, they would often include vocal special effects in their songs, imitating train sounds in songs such as Golden Gate Gospel Train. Langford often sang lead, using his ability to range from baritone to falsetto, while Johnson narrated in a hip syncopated style that became the hallmark for the group. Wilson's bass served as the anchor for the group and Owens harmonized with Langford and Johnson.
They achieved regional fame through their radio program in Columbia, South Carolina in the 1930s. They became nationally popular after John Hammond presented them as part of the 1938 extravaganza From Spirituals to Swing in Carnegie Hall, which led to a nationwide radio program, appearances at Cafe Society in 1940 and the opportunity to sing at Franklin Delano Roosevelt's inauguration in 1941, becoming the first black musical group to sing at Constitution Hall. They continued to be popular during World War Two, making several appearances in Hollywood films and singing secular music, including some unique popular front songs such as Stalin Wasn't Stalling that mixed humor with political commentary.
The quartet lost their preeminent position in gospel music after the war, when they faced competition from the newer hard gospel quartets. They continued in their old style, offering sharper political commentary in songs such as God's Gonna Cut 'Em Down, but losing much of their audience to quartets such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Soul Stirrers. The Golden Gates revived their career in 1955, however, when they toured Europe for the first time, where they became widely popular. The group moved to Paris in 1959 and has continued touring, primarily in Europe, since then. During his stint in the US Army, in Germany, Elvis Presley, who a huge admirer of their work since his early childhood, visited them backstage at "Le Lido", in Paris, and stayed to watch their entire show, staying also with them at the hotel "Prince de Galles".
The Golden Gate Quartet has been inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998
Saint Louis Blues
Golden Gate Quartet Lyrics
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I hate to see that evening sun go down,
'Cause my lovin' baby done left this town.
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
I'm gonna pack my trunk and make my getaway.
She pulls my man around by her apron strings.
And if it wasn't for powder and her store-bought hair,
Oh, that man of mine wouldn't go nowhere.
I got those St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be,
Oh, my man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie,
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his rocker and rye
I'll love my man until the day I die, Lord, Lord.
I got the St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be, Lord, Lord!
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
I got those St. Louis blues, I got the blues, I got the blues, I got the blues,
My man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, Lord, Lord!
The lyrics of Golden Gate Quartet's song Saint Louis Blues speak of heartbreak and resignation as the singer laments the departure of her lover, who has been seduced away by a woman from St. Louis. The singer expresses her sadness at the evening sun going down because it reminds her that her lover has left the town. She decides that if she feels the same way tomorrow, she will pack her trunk and leave as well. The woman who has taken her lover wears diamond rings and has purchased hair color, and the singer believes that without those things, her man would not have gone anywhere. She acknowledges that her man has a heart like a rock in the sea, and that he would not have gone so far from her if that were not the case.
The repetition of the phrase "I got those St. Louis blues" emphasizes the deep sadness and despair that the singer is feeling. The line "I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie" is a powerful metaphor that underscores the intensity of the singer's feelings for her lover. Despite her heartache, she declares that she will love him until the day she dies.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down,
I am saddened by the fact that the sun is setting on this day,
'Cause my lovin' baby done left this town.
because my significant other has left me.
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
If I wake up tomorrow feeling as hopeless as I do today,
I'm gonna pack my trunk and make my getaway.
I will pack my belongings and leave this place behind.
Oh, that St. Louis woman, with her diamond rings,
There is a woman in St. Louis who has diamond jewelry,
She pulls my man around by her apron strings.
She has control over my partner and influences his decisions.
And if it wasn't for powder and her store-bought hair,
If she did not use makeup and had natural hair,
Oh, that man of mine wouldn't go nowhere.
my significant other would not have been interested in her.
I got those St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be,
I am extremely sad and upset, experiencing the 'blues.'
Oh, my man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
My partner has a heart as cold and unyielding as a rock in the ocean.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
If he didn't have such a hard heart, he would not have left me alone.
I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie,
I cherish my partner just as a young boy deeply enjoys his favorite dessert.
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his rocker and rye
I love my significant other with the same passion as a Southern gentleman cherishes his whiskey and preferred chair.
I'll love my man until the day I die, Lord, Lord.
I will love my partner forever, even until death.
I got the St. Louis blues, I got the blues, I got the blues, I got the blues,
I am feeling incredibly sad, to the point of experiencing the 'blues' multiple times.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, Lord, Lord!
If my partner did not have such a cold heart, he would still be here with me and not have left me.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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