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.
Tomorrow
Jay & The Americans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Tomorrow) Your tear-filled eyes will dry
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll come to you and then
You will forget I made you cry
(Tomorrow) Your broken heart will mend
(Tomorrow) He'll kiss your tears goodbye
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll take you by the hand
I know I'm leaving you with a broken heart
But time will heal the wounds; you'll make a brand-new start
(Tomorrow) You'll wake up with the sun
(Tomorrow) You'll see a brand-new sky
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll hold you in his arms
And you will forget I made you cry
(Tomorrow)
The song "Tomorrow" by Jay & The Americans is a ballad about heartbreak and hope for the future. The lyrics acknowledge the pain and tears the singer has experienced because of a past lover, but promise that in the future, love and healing will come again. The repetition of the word "tomorrow" emphasizes the idea of a new day, a fresh start, and a brighter future.
The opening lines, "You will love again / Your tear-filled eyes will dry," suggest that the singer has been hurt deeply by the actions of the past lover. Despite this pain, the chorus promises that tomorrow, a new love will come and erase the memories of the past. The verse "I know I'm leaving you with a broken heart / But time will heal the wounds; you'll make a brand-new start" acknowledges that the past relationship has ended, but encourages the singer to move forward and find happiness again.
The song's message may be seen as somewhat simplistic or even cliché, but its power comes from its ability to tap into the universal experience of heartbreak and provide a sense of comfort and encouragement for the future. The soothing melody and gentle vocals of Jay & The Americans add to the emotional impact of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
(Tomorrow) You will love again
In the future, you will have the capability to love another person in the same way that you loved me
(Tomorrow) Your tear-filled eyes will dry
Your sorrowful and tearful eyes will gradually cease to produce tears and become dry over time
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll come to you and then
At a future time, the person who will make you happy will arrive and build a relationship with you
You will forget I made you cry
You will no longer remember or be affected by the reason why you are currently sad, which is because of my actions
(Tomorrow) Your broken heart will mend
Your heart, which has been broken due to our separation, will eventually be repaired through time and healing
He'll kiss your tears goodbye
The person who comes into your life will comfort and support you by kissing away your tears
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll take you by the hand
At some point in the future, your future partner will hold your hand and lead you towards your shared destination together
And you will forget I made you cry
You will not recall or be harmed by the memory of my wrongdoings that caused you emotional pain
I know I'm leaving you with a broken heart
I acknowledge that I am responsible for the current hurt and sadness you are experiencing
But time will heal the wounds; you'll make a brand-new start
However, with time and patience, your heart will heal and you will be able to move on with your life, starting fresh
(Tomorrow) You'll wake up with the sun
In the near future, you will wake up with the rising sun in a new day
(Tomorrow) You'll see a brand-new sky
You will witness and experience the beauty of a new and different sky, symbolizing a fresh start in your life
Tomorrow (tomorrow) he'll hold you in his arms
At a future point in time, your new partner will embrace and hold you closely in a loving manner
And you will forget I made you cry
You will not hold onto the memory of the pain and harm that I caused you, and instead move forward with your life
(Tomorrow)
The future time period where these positive changes and healing will take place
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jay Jay Johansson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind