He also served as a disc jockey and radio host and personality, and has been considered an expert on the popular music of the 1940s and 1950s.
Born in Springfield, Missouri, Lowe graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
His most notable run as a disc jockey was with WNEW AM in New York. Lowe also worked at WNBC AM in New York where he was heard both locally and on the coast-to-coast NBC Radio weekend program Monitor.
A million-seller and gold record recipient, Lowe's 1956 hit "Green Door" was written by Marvin Moore and Bob Davie. The song reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1956. Lowe earlier wrote "Gambler's Guitar", a million-selling hit for Rusty Draper in 1953.
He retired in 2004 at the age of 81, and lived in Southampton, New York.
Lowe died on December 12, 2016 at his home in East Hampton, Long Island, after a long illness.
For contributions to the music industry, Lowe was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6341 Hollywood Boulevard.
Discography
Singles
Year Single (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated US R&B US Country Album
1953 "Gambler's Guitar"
b/w "The Martins and The Coys" - - - The Door Of Fame
"Look In Both Directions"
b/w "Santa Claus Rides A Strawberry Roan" (Non-album track) - - -
1954 "Pretty Fickle Darlin'"
b/w "Go and Leave Me" - - -
"River Boat"
b/w "Goodbye Little Sweetheart" - - -
1955 "Close The Door"
b/w "Nuevo Laredo" (Non-album track) 27 - - Songs They Sing Behind The Green Door
"Maybellene"
b/w "Rene LaRue" (from Wicked Women) - 13 - Non-album tracks
"John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith"
b/w "St. James Avenue" - - -
1956 "Blue Suede Shoes"
b/w "(Love Is) The $64,000 Question" - - -
"The Green Door"
b/w "(The Story Of) The Little Man In Chinatown" (Non-album track) 1 5 - Songs They Sing Behind The Green Door
"Prince Of Peace"
b/w "Santa Claus Rides A Strawberry Roan" (Non-album track) - - - The Door Of Fame
"The Martins and The Coys"
b/w "The Golden Goose Is Dead" - - -
1957 "By You, By You, By You" / 43 - - Non-album tracks
"I Feel The Beat" 84 - -
"Four Walls" / 15 - -
"Talkin' To The Blues" 15 - 8
"From A Jack To A King"
b/w "Slow Train" - - -
"The Bright Light"
b/w "Rock-A-Chicka" - - -
1958 "The Lady From Johannesburg"
b/w "Kewpie Doll" - - -
"Take Us To Your President"
b/w "Later On Tonight" - - -
"Ja Ja Ja"
b/w "Chapel Bells On Chapel Hill" - - -
"Play Number Theven"
b/w "Come Away From His Arms" - - -
1959 "Without You"
b/w "I'm Movin' On" - - -
1960 "He'll Have To Go"
b/w "(This Life Is Just A) Dress Rehearsal" - - -
"The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere"
b/w "The Tomorrow That Never Came" - - -
"Man Of The Cloth"
b/w "Someone Else's Arms" - - -
1961 "That Do Make It Nice"
b/w "Two Sides To Every Story" - - -
1963 "Hootenanny Granny"
b/w "These Bones Gonna Rise Again" 103 - -
1964 "Addis Ababa"
b/w "Have You Ever Been Lonely" - - -
1965 "Mr. Moses"
b/w "Make Your Back Strong" - - -
1967 "Blotsen Botten"
b/w "Gambler's Guitar" - - -
1968 "Micahel J. Pollard For President"
b/w "The Ol' Race Track" - - -
1973 "Green Door" (Re-recorded version)
b/w "San Francisco Bay"
Featuting Teresa Brewer on background vocals - - -
Four Walls
Jim Lowe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're drawn like a moth to a flame
You laugh while the wine's over-flowing
While I sit and whisper your name
Four walls to hear me
Four walls to see
Four walls too near me
Sometimes I ask why I'm waiting
But my walls have nothing to say
I'm made for love, not for waiting
But here where you've left me, I'll stay
Four walls to hear me
Four walls to see
Four walls too near me
Clo-osing in on me
One night with you is like heaven
And so, while I'm walking the floor
I'll listen for steps in the hallway
And wait for your knock on my door
Four walls to hear me
Four walls to see
Four walls too near me
Clo-osing in on me
Clo-osing in on me
In "Four Walls" by Jim Lowe, the singer expresses his feelings of loneliness and longing for his beloved who has left him alone in a room surrounded by four walls. The verses contrast the lifestyle he imagines his ex-partner is living out in the city, enjoying the "bright lights" and the "wine" while he is trapped in his own thoughts, whispering his ex-lover's name to himself. He questions why he's waiting in this space, surrounded by walls that seem to be closing in on him. He acknowledges that he is "made for love," not for waiting, but still feels obligated to remain there.
The chorus of the song repeats the image of the four walls closing in, emphasizing the sense of entrapment and isolation. The singer recognizes that his lover's visit would be heavenly, and thus he listens for her steps in the hallway, waiting for her knock on the door. The repeated phrase in the last line of the song, "closing in on me," suggests that the singer feels imprisoned by his own emotions and surroundings, reflecting his inability to escape the situation.
Overall, "Four Walls" is a melancholic and introspective song that explores themes of love, loneliness, and feelings of entrapment. Lowe's delivery is gentle and emotive, emphasizing the yearning and vulnerability inherent in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Out where the bright lights are glowing
In the bustling city filled with vibrant lights and sounds
You're drawn like a moth to a flame
You're irresistibly attracted to the excitement of the city
You laugh while the wine's over-flowing
You enjoy the indulgences and pleasures of life in the city
While I sit and whisper your name
Meanwhile, I am left alone and yearning for your presence
Four walls to hear me
These four walls are the only thing that can listen to my thoughts and feelings
Four walls to see
These four walls are the only thing that can witness my loneliness and pain
Four walls too near me
These four walls are suffocating me and making me feel trapped
Clo-osing in on me
The walls are closing in, making me feel more and more confined and claustrophobic
Sometimes I ask why I'm waiting
I question why I'm still holding onto hope and waiting for your return
But my walls have nothing to say
Even my walls can't offer me any answers or comfort
I'm made for love, not for waiting
I am a person who needs love and companionship, not someone who can simply wait indefinitely
But here where you've left me, I'll stay
Despite this, I am still waiting for you in this place where you've left me
One night with you is like heaven
Being with you, even just for one night, makes me feel elated and complete
And so, while I'm walking the floor
As I pace around this small space, unable to escape my own thoughts
I'll listen for steps in the hallway
I'll be listening intently for any sign of your return, desperate for some indication of your presence
And wait for your knock on my door
Hoping that you'll come back to me, so that I can finally be free from these four walls
Clo-osing in on me
This repetition of the final line emphasizes the suffocating, claustrophobic feeling of being trapped within these four walls
Contributed by Stella E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MrRossHartman
Another clean label scan and great audio, thanks!