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.
Come A Litle Bit Closer
Jay & The Americans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just the other side of the border
She was just sitting there givin' me looks
That made my mouth water
So I started walking her way
She belonged to bad man Jose
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
So we started to dance
In my arms, she felt so inviting
And I just couldn't resist
Just one little kiss, so exciting
Then I heard the guitar player say
"Vamos, Jose's on his way"
Then I knew, yes I knew I should run
But then I heard her say, yeah
"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
Then the music stopped
When I looked the cafe was empty
Then I heard Jose say
"Man, you know you're in trouble plenty"
So I dropped my drink from my hand
And out through the window I ran
And as I rode away
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah
"Come a little bit closer
You're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
"Come A Little Bit Closer" is a song by Jay & The Americans that tells the story of a man who becomes smitten with a woman he sees in a cafe just across the border. The song begins with the singer noticing the woman, who he finds extremely attractive. However, he soon realizes that she belongs to a man named Jose, who is considered to be a bad guy. Despite knowing this, the singer approaches the woman and they start to dance. The woman urges him to come closer, telling him that he's exactly her type. The singer can't resist and they share a kiss, but the situation takes a dangerous turn when the guitar player warns them that Jose is on his way.
At this point, the singer knows he should run, and he does. As he escapes, he hears the woman still calling to Jose, telling him to come a little bit closer. The song ends with the singer riding away, knowing that he was lucky to escape with his life.
While some listeners might interpret the story as simply a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting involved with someone who is already spoken for, others see it as a metaphor for the risks and rewards of following your heart, even when there are risks involved. Either way, "Come A Little Bit Closer" is a classic story song that captures the excitement and danger that can come with pursuing a romantic connection.
Line by Line Meaning
In a little cafe
I was at a small eatery.
Just the other side of the border
The cafe was near the border of a different country.
She was just sitting there givin' me looks
There was a woman staring at me.
That made my mouth water
I found her attractive.
So I started walking her way
I approached her on foot.
She belonged to bad man Jose
The woman was in a relationship with a dangerous man named Jose.
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
I realized that I should probably go.
When I heard her say, yeah
She then spoke.
"Come a little bit closer
"Move towards me.
You're my kind of man
I'm interested in you.
So big and so strong
I like that you are physically imposing.
Come a little bit closer
Move closer to me.
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
I'm lonely and the night feels never-ending.
So we started to dance
We began to sway together to the music.
In my arms, she felt so inviting
I held her close and she seemed to enjoy my embrace.
And I just couldn't resist
I couldn't say no.
Just one little kiss, so exciting
We shared a brief, thrilling kiss.
Then I heard the guitar player say
I heard the musician make a statement.
"Vamos, Jose's on his way"
"Let's go, as Jose is approaching."
Then I knew, yes I knew I should run
I realized that I should leave as fast as possible.
But then I heard her say, yeah
The woman then spoke again.
"Come a little bit closer
"I want you to be closer to me again.
You're my kind of man
I like you a lot.
So big and so strong
Your impressive physique is desirable to me.
Come a little bit closer
Please come back over here.
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
I'm by myself and the night feels terribly long.
Then the music stopped
The music ended.
When I looked the cafe was empty
I observed that the eatery had cleared out.
Then I heard Jose say
Jose then spoke.
"Man, you know you're in trouble plenty"
"You're in a lot of trouble now."
So I dropped my drink from my hand
I let go of my beverage.
And out through the window I ran
I fled through a window.
And as I rode away
I was leaving the location.
I could hear her say to Jose, yeah
I overheard the woman speaking to Jose.
"Come a little bit closer
"Please approach me again.
You're my kind of man
I'm really interested in you.
So big and so strong
Your strength and size is very appealing to me.
Come a little bit closer
Please come closer to me.
I'm all alone and the night is so long"
I'm without company and the night seems interminable.
Lyrics © MORRIS MUSIC, INC.
Written by: Tommy Boyce, Wes Farrell, Bobby Hart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Cerph
"Come A Little Bit Closer"
In a little café just the other side of the border
She was just sitting there giving me looks that made my mouth water
So I started walking her way
She belonged to bad man José
And I knew, yes I knew I should leave
When I heard her say
Come a little bit closer, you're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer, I'm all alone
And the night is so long
So we started to dance, in my arms she felt so inviting
That I just couldn't resist just one little kiss so exciting
Then I heard the guitar player say
Vamoose, José's on his way
And I knew, yes I knew I should run
But then I heard her say
Come a little bit closer, you're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer, I'm all alone
And the night is so long
Then the music stopped, when I looked the café was empty
Then I heard José say, "Man, you know you're in trouble plenty"
So I dropped my drink from my hand
And through the window I ran
And as I rode away I could hear
Her say to José
Come a little bit closer, you're my kind of man
So big and so strong
Come a little bit closer, I'm all alone
And the night is so long
@musicchartsplay3461
US BILLBOARD HOT 100
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 12, 1964
NEW NUMBER 86
PEAKED NUMBER 3
"Come a Little Bit Closer" is a song by the 1960s rock and roll band Jay and the Americans. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 21, 1964, making it the band's highest-charting single. It also peaked at number 4 on the Cashbox chart and at number 1 on RPM's singles chart. The song was their first top 5 recording in two years, since 1962's She Cried.
It was written by songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, as well as Wes Farrell, and became Boyce and Hart's first top 10 hit.
Jay and the Americans also recorded a Spanish version of the song.
@taylorarmour340
72 years old that was my hot rodmusic
@skipmiller3812
I'll be glad when a song like this is rediscovered by our younger generation. How can you possibly not move when you hear this tune? A classic.
@friedrice8256
I heard it from just looking at old songs and listening to them. I found out that "oldies" are better then the new rap.
@alexwiese1029
Like Father and Son?
@ryanchapman6570
i have heard and love this song and mr blue sky im part of the younger generation
@jxpenxseonxbox5967
I'm from 2004 I hope I'm young enough 👍
@jmn31871
Yes Sir. I find myself looking back to find new music now a days. And my names in the song :p
@bobbillings
I love how a movie can introduce a whole new generation to this music we been listening to for decades. Fantastic
@VideoJames1019
Bob Billings I wish more people reacted this way instead of being elitist.