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.
I Miss You
Jay & The Americans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cant hug and kiss you
Still cant believe your gone
I remember like yesterday
When i was comin up
Times got hard but she never gave up
Everything you did mama it was all love
I made some mistakes but you never led me wrong
I put all my struggle and pain in every song
Still till today in my heart you live on
And still till today in my heart you live on
You know that i miss you
Cant hug and kiss you
Still cant believe your gone
Heart hurt eyes filled wit this achin pain
Cant believe that you really gone from me mane
Last time that we talked it was all good
Big smiles real love straight from the soul
But now i find myself sitting back reminiscing
How god can just take a real one from me
But im glad that you up wit no mo pain
Keep ya arms wrapped around me
While im in this game
You know that i miss you
Cant hug and kiss you
Still cant believe your gone
The lyrics to Jay & The Americans's song "I Miss You" reflect a deep sense of loss and longing for someone who has passed away. The singer expresses their disbelief and sadness at the fact that this person is no longer with them. The lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia, as the singer remembers the past, particularly their childhood and the support and love they received from their mother. Despite making mistakes in life, the singer acknowledges that their mother always guided them in the right direction. The pain of losing their loved one is apparent, as the singer's heart is hurt and their eyes are filled with ache. The lyrics also suggest that the person who has passed away held a special place in the singer's heart, and even though they are gone, their memory lives on within the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
You know that I miss you
I deeply feel your absence and longing for your presence
Cant hug and kiss you
I am unable to physically embrace and show affection to you
Still cant believe your gone
I am struggling to accept the fact that you are no longer with me
I remember like yesterday
I vividly recall the memories as if they happened just recently
When I was comin up
During my journey of growth and development
Times got hard but she never gave up
Despite facing difficulties, you always persevered
Everything you did mama it was all love
You embraced unconditional love in everything you did, mom
I made some mistakes but you never led me wrong
Although I made errors, you always guided and supported me
I had to rise up so today I stand strong
I had to overcome challenges to become a resilient individual today
I put all my struggle and pain in every song
I pour my hardships and emotions into every song I create
Still till today in my heart you live on
Even now, your presence lives on in my heart
Heart hurt eyes filled wit this achin pain
My heart is hurting and my eyes are filled with aching pain
Cant believe that you really gone from me mane
I find it hard to accept that you are no longer with me, my dear
Last time that we talked it was all good
The last conversation we had was filled with positivity
Big smiles real love straight from the soul
You expressed genuine love and happiness from deep within
But now I find myself sitting back reminiscing
Now, I find myself reflecting on past memories
How God can just take a real one from me
I question why God took someone genuine from my life
But I'm glad that you up wit no mo pain
However, I am grateful that you are free from any pain now
Keep ya arms wrapped around me
Please continue to provide me with your love and protection
While I'm in this game
As I navigate through the challenges of life
You know that I miss you
I deeply feel your absence and longing for your presence
Cant hug and kiss you
I am unable to physically embrace and show affection to you
Still cant believe your gone
I am struggling to accept the fact that you are no longer with me
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Tamika Scyrus, Terrence Parkerson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind