While numerous personnel changes have taken place within the group in its 60+ years of existence, the familiar close harmonies remain The Ink Spots' stock in trade. Making up the current group are bass singer-narrator Harold Winley, second lead Sonny Hatchett, lead tenor Grant Kitchings; and the newest Ink Spot, baritone and guitarist, Morris Dow.
The Ink Spots' story begins in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1932, when four young men - Deek Watson, Charles Fuqua, Orville "Hoppy" Jones and Jerry Daniels - formed the first version of the group. The quartet performed as the Riff Brothers and the Percolating Puppies before settling on the Ink Spots name. In search of a recording contract, the group headed to New York City, where they met up with singer Bill Kenny, who replaced Daniels as the group's lead tenor in 1936. Three years later, The Ink Spots had their first million-selling record, If I Didn't Care. The song, which would be their biggest hit, ultimately sold 19 million copies.
Kenny left the group for a solo career in 1945. The replacement was Jim Nabbie and the hits continued over the next decade; I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire, To Each His Own, My Prayer, I'll Never Smile Again, A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening, Java Jive, Maybe, Into Each Life Some Rain May Fall, We Three, It's A Sin To Tell A Lie, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Prisoner of Love ... and on and on. After the remaining original members left the group, it was up to Nabbie to keep things going. Frustrated by acts billing themselves as The Ink Spots, Nabbie acquired the rights to the Ink Spots' name and registered it as a trademark. While the frequency of hits slowed in the mid '50's, The Ink Spots' influence was heard in the many doo-wop vocal groups formed during this period, as well as many groups, like the Temptations, which would come along later. The Ink Spots' musical impact was recognized formally in 1987 when inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. They have been inducted into the Apollo Hall of Fame and, in 1997, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Nabbie and the rest of the Ink Spots continued to tour, in the neighborhood of some 200 dates a year. Especially pleasing were the 10 to 20 college dates the group would perform each year, where young people, many of whose parents weren't born at the time of The Ink Spots' first hits, would get their first chance to hear the quartet. Nabbie claimed that he was always amazed that younger audiences would accept the "old timers" music so enthusiastically.
In September 1992, Jim Nabbie, "Mr. Ink Spots" for 47 years, passed away, just before the start of an European tour. The Ink Spots were faced suddenly with the prospect of carrying on without their longtime friend and colleague.
More recently, the band has been introduced to a new, or perhaps, younger audience through the highly successful 'Fallout ' series of RPGs, which features the songs 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire' (Fallout 3) and 'Maybe' (Fallout).
But carry on the group has! Grant, who had been with The Ink Spots many years ago, was welcomed immediately by audiences with standing ovations. And so it appears that The Ink Spots will remain a viable musical entity for many years to come.
The Ink Spots Bios:
HAROLD WINLEY
Bass Singer/Narrator
His association with The Ink Spots goes back more than fifty years; before he became an original member of THE CLOVERS. It is now more than twenty-five years that he has been performing with THE INK SPOTS on a continual basis. The deep resonance of his voice has thrilled audiences worldwide. He is the "intellectual" of the group and is interested in everything and anything . . . but photography and music are his passions. Born in Washington, DC where most of his family still resides, he was a resident of New York City for many years. He now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
SONNY HATCHETT
Second Lead/Second Tenor
Sonny is the Group's comedian . . . both on-stage and off-stage . . . and has appeared as a single artist nationally and internationally. Sonny has many comedy albums to his credit. He is also a songwriter and comedy writer and you'll often see his smiling face in movies and commercials filmed in the Miami area. He has been a member of THE INK SPOTS for more than twenty-five years and has earned his nickname of "Twinkle Toes" for his intricate steps on stage. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he now makes his home in the Fort Lauderdale area.
HERMAN DENBY
Lead Tenor
When Grant Kitchings (lead singer 1995-2001) became ill while performing with THE INK SPOTS on the Mississippi Queen, Herman responded immediately and was on the next flight to New Orleans. Those were big shoes to fill, but he did so very well. We are proud to have Herman as a permanent member of the group now that Grant has sadly passed. Herman is a very modest man but he is a published poet, a writer and a songwriter. He was an original member of the "Doo-Wop Hall of Fame" group THE SWALLOWS and wrote most of their songs. He is a life long friend of Sonny Hatchett. He was also born in Baltimore but now makes New York City his home.
MORRIS DOW
Baritone/Guitarist
A native of Philadelphia, he now makes his home in Baltimore, Maryland. He has scored music for many motion pictures and television and radio commercials. Also known as one of the finest jazz harmonica players in the country today, he is a guitarist extraordinare. He is also a writer and has recently had a beautiful book published. Before joining THE INK SPOTS, he toured with many famous artists including Jimmy McGriff and Nancy Wilson. He also worked with Herb Kenny, the brother of THE INK SPOTS' original lead singer, Bill Kenny.
You're Breaking My Heart
Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've fallen for somebody new
It isn't too easy believing
You'd leave after all we've been through
It's breaking my heart to remember
The dreams we depended upon
You're leaving a slow dying ember
I'll miss you, my love, when you're gone
But if some day you should want to return
Please hurry back and we'll make a new start, dear
Till then you're breaking my heart
I wish you joy, though teardrops burn
But if some day you should want to return
Please hurry back and we'll make a new start, dear
Till then you're breaking my heart
The Ink Spots's song "You're Breaking My Heart" is a lament to a lost love who has left the singer for someone else. The lyrics reveal the pain and heartbreak the singer feels as he reminisces about the time they spent together and the unfulfilled dreams they had. The song opens with a declaration of sorrow at the moment of departure, "You're breaking my heart 'cause you're leaving/ You've fallen for somebody new," which serves as the primary theme throughout its duration.
The singer struggles to believe that his love has moved on so quickly, and he questions the authenticity of their relationship, saying, "It isn't too easy believing/ You'd leave after all we've been through." The song's emotional core lies in its vivid visualization of the flickering passion that remains after the relationship has ended, "You're leaving a slow dying ember/ I'll miss you, my love when you're gone." The final verse of the song presents its most poignant moment, as the singer tries to come to terms with the breakup, "I wish you joy, though teardrops burn/ But if some day you should want to return/ Please hurry back, and we'll make a new start, dear/ Till then you're breaking my heart."
In conclusion, "You're Breaking My Heart" is a timeless song that captures the essence of heartbreak in lyrics that remain relevant to audiences for decades. The song is a beautiful tribute to lost love, the pain of separation, and the enduring nature of the human spirit in the face of heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
You're breaking my heart 'cause you're leaving
My heart is experiencing intense pain due to the fact that you are leaving me.
You've fallen for somebody new
You have developed feelings for someone else in a romantic context.
It isn't too easy believing
It is difficult for me to accept and trust that this is really happening.
You'd leave after all we've been through
After facing numerous challenges and experiences together, it is shocking that you would want to leave me.
It's breaking my heart to remember
The act of recollecting and reminiscing is causing my heart to ache horribly.
The dreams we depended upon
The aspirations and goals that we shared and relied upon together.
You're leaving a slow dying ember
Your departure is leaving behind a slowly decaying and disintegrating indication of our love.
I'll miss you, my love, when you're gone
It is with a heavy heart that I have to accept the fact that I will miss you terribly when you are gone.
I wish you joy, though teardrops burn
Despite the pain and tears that accompany your departure, I sincerely wish that you find happiness and fulfillment in your new life.
But if some day you should want to return
In the event that you experience a change of heart and decide to come back to me someday.
Please hurry back and we'll make a new start, dear
If you do decide to return to me, I promise that we will make a fresh beginning and start anew.
Till then you're breaking my heart
Until that time arrives, I will continue to suffer from this agonizing heartbreak that you have inflicted upon me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOE BIHARI, RILEY B. KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind