The guys auditioned for the seminal music team of Leiber and Stoller, who gave the group its name in 1960. In the manner of the time, Leiber and Stoller wanted to extend this to "Binky Jones and the Americans", but Traynor declined to be known as "Binky Jones" his whole career. He instead offered up "Jay", a family nickname, and it suited everyone.
They first hit the Billboard charts in 1962 with the tune "She Cried". Later covered by several other artists, the track's highest charting was #5, inspiring the group. The next two singles didn't fare nearly as well, however, and John Traynor left the band. David Black (né David Blatt) of The Empires took his place (after first agreeing to adopt the name Jay Black), and Empires guitarist Marty Sanders also joined. Black sang lead for the rest of the group's existence.
They returned to the charts in 1963 with "Only In America", a song originally meant for The Drifters. Other notable hits for the Americans were "Come a Little Bit Closer" in 1964, which hit #3, and "Cara Mia" in 1965, which hit #4. The Americans also recorded a commercial for H.I.S. Slacks, and a public service announcement for the Ad Council, featuring a backing track by Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.
In 1968, they recorded an album of their favorite oldies remade fresh, called Sands of Time, and its single was "This Magic Moment", which also came through the Drifters. That track proved to be the last Top Ten record for the group. However, the band's follow-up album, titled 'Wax Museum', yielded the #19 hit "Walkin' In The Rain". First recorded by The Ronettes, the emotive love song has remained a classic on oldies themed stations along with the group's earlier work.
Their next singles failed to chart, nonetheless, and the band grew apart. The demand for live appearances remained. While the other members moved on to solo musical careers in 1973, Jay Black continued to perform as "Jay and the Americans" or "Jay Black and the Americans" until the 1980s, with a variety of musicians, including Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who would later found Steely Dan. ."
The group reunited in the 1990s for special performances, most notably the 45 Years of Motown special on PBS.
in 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts, and his ownership of the name "Jay & The Americans" was sold by the bankruptcy trustee to Sandy Deanne (Yaguda), Black's former band mate and original member of Jay & The Americans for $100,000 to pay Black's debts. With the name purchase, former members Deanne, Howard Kane, and Marty Sanders reunited, and recruited a sound-alike singer from Chicago, coincidentally nicknamed "Jay." Thus, John "Jay" Reincke became the third "Jay" and the band returned to playing both national and international music venues. Their show covers the history of Jay and The Americans, acknowledging all three Jays and featuring all of the top hits in their original arrangements.
David Blatt still tours under his stage name, "Jay Black". Kenny Vance is currently the lead singer of Kenny Vance and the Planotones, a neo-doo wop band that he formed in the 1970s. After leaving the group, John Traynor recorded a handful of songs on the Coral label, including "I Rise, I Fall" in 1964. None were hits, but "I Rise, I Fall" became a minor hit for Johnny Tillotson. The label billed Traynor as "JAY formerly of Jay and the Americans." Traynor now tours with Jay Siegel's Tokens.
Can't We Be Sweethearts
Jay & The Americans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why don't we fall in love
Right from the start,
You're the girl I'm dreamin' of
Oh can't you see
You're the one and only girl for me
Please by my sweetheart;
Don't you know the way I feel
Please make my dreams come real
Oh don't you know,
Don't you know I really love you so
We'd walk hand in hand in our wonderland
The world would be our own
I'd make love to you, lovin' kisses too
You'd be mine alone
Can't we be sweethearts
Don't you know the way I feel
Don't break my heart;
Please make my dreams all real
Oh don't you know,
Don't you know I really love you so
The song 'Can't We Be Sweethearts' by Jay and the Americans is a beautiful love song that speaks of a boy's intense love for his dream girl. The lyrics convey the message of how deeply he feels for her and longs to be with her. He wants her to reciprocate his feelings for her and be his sweetheart forever. The song starts with an appeal to the girl to be his sweetheart and fall in love with him. The boy is fantasizing about the girl and how wonderful their life would be together. He envisions holding her hand and walking in their own wonderland, where they would be lost in each other's company.
The song emphasizes the idea of love and the sweetness of having someone special in your life. The lyrics reflect the sentiments of every person who is in love and is craving to be with their beloved. The song is full of emotions and feelings of warmth and tenderness. The message it conveys is that love is a beautiful feeling that makes life worth living.
Overall, 'Can't We Be Sweethearts' is a beautiful song that will resonate with anyone who has been in love. The lyrics are simple yet profound, and the song has a melodic and catchy tune that lingers in your mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't we be sweethearts
Asking if we can start a romantic relationship
Why don't we fall in love
Questioning why we haven't fallen in love already
Right from the start,
From the very beginning of us knowing each other
You're the girl I'm dreamin' of
Expressing that the person being addressed is their dream girl
Oh can't you see
Asking if they can see that they are meant to be together
You're the one and only girl for me
Believing that there is no one else meant for them except for the person they are addressing
Please be my sweetheart;
Asking the person to be their girlfriend
Don't you know the way I feel
Wondering if the person being addressed understands their true feelings
Don't play the part;
Asking the person not to pretend or play games with their emotions
Please make my dreams come real
Hoping that their dream of being with the person can come true
Oh don't you know,
Asking if the person is aware of how much they love and want to be with them
Don't you know I really love you so
Expressing how deeply they love and care for the person being addressed
We'd walk hand in hand in our wonderland
Imagining a romantic world where they can be together without any issues or concerns
The world would be our own
Believing that they can conquer anything in the world as long as they are together
I'd make love to you, lovin' kisses too
Expressing their desire to be intimate and loving towards the person being addressed
You'd be mine alone
Believing that they can have the person to themselves
Can't we be sweethearts
Reiterating the desire to be in a relationship with the person
Don't you know the way I feel
Asking if the person understands their true feelings
Don't break my heart;
Asking the person not to hurt or disappoint them
Please make my dreams all real
Hoping that their dream of being with the person can come true
Oh don't you know,
Asking if the person is aware of how much they love and want to be with them
Don't you know I really love you so
Expressing how deeply they love and care for the person being addressed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HERBERT COX, MORRIS LEVY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind