Born Joan Drost in Buffalo, New York, as a child growing up Sommers would often sing to herself as a way of dealing with her difficult upbringing. Though having not received any musical training, Sommers began her career as a jazz singer in Los Angeles, California. In 1960, she recorded a demo with composer/arranger Tommy Oliver, earning her a recording contract with Warner Bros. Sommers. Her debut single, "One Boy" from the musical Bye Bye Birdie, reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Throughout the 60s, she also maintained a byline as a singer of jingles for Pepsi-Cola (specifically, "It's Pepsi, for Those Who Think Young" and "Come Alive! You're in the Pepsi Generation"), earning her the nickname of "The Pepsi Girl." Years later, she also recorded a jingle for Diet Pepsi, though her work was uncredited. Fittingly, two of her albums -- For Those Who Think Young and Come Alive! -- were named after her classic jingles.
Despite being a hit single,"One Boy" was passed over for inclusion on her debut album, Positively the Most!, whose cover touted the teenaged Sommers as "the greatest discovery in singing talent in the last fifteen years." This marked the beginning of a continuing trend for Sommers: alternating between commercial pop singles and more artistically challenging and varied albums, more often than not keeping the two completely disparate.
In 1962, "Johnny Get Angry" (co-written by legendary songwriter and lyricist Hal David) became Sommers' biggest hit, driven by an anachronistic dark bass line and unusual instrumentation such as kazoos. However, the song drew noted criticism aimed at its lyrical content, perceived by some as having sexist or masochistic overtones. The follow-up single was "When the Boys Get Together", which reached #94 on the charts, becoming her final Hot 100 single, though she would later have two songs on the Adult Contemporary charts.
In 1970, Sommers temporarily retired as a singer to focus on raising a family, making only one recording during the following decade, a soundtrack single for scrapped animation film The Peppermint Choo Choo. She resumed her career at the turn of the decade, recording the album Dream in 1980. She has maintained a sporadic career of recording and performing ever since, continuing to experiment with a variety of musical styles.
Till There Was You
Joanie Sommers Lyrics
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But I never heard them ringing
No, I never heard them at all
Till there was you
There were birds in the sky
But I never saw them winging
No, I never saw them at all
Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Then there was music and wonderful roses
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
Of dawn and dew
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No I never heard it at all
Till there was you
Till there was you
In Joanie Sommers's song "Till There Was You," the singer expresses how her perception of the world changed after she fell in love with someone. She mentions that there were bells on a hill and birds in the sky, but she never noticed them until she met her significant other. The lyrics suggest that love has a transformative power and can make one see the beauty in the world that was previously overlooked.
The lines "Then there was music and wonderful roses / They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows / Of dawn and dew" further portray the effect of love on her senses. The music and sweet scent of roses are a representation of the sensory overload that comes with being in love. The power of love is further emphasized in the repetition of the line "no I never heard it at all / Till there was you."
Overall, "Till There Was You" is a romantic song that illustrates the transformative power of love. It suggests that love can make the world a more beautiful and harmonious place, and it has the ability to make individuals see the beauty that they were previously blind to.
Line by Line Meaning
There were bells on a hill
There were sounds of happiness and celebration in the distance, but I was too caught up in my own world to notice.
But I never heard them ringing
I was deaf to the joyous sounds, as I had not yet opened myself up to the beauty of the world around me.
No, I never heard them at all
My own preoccupations and distractions kept me from experiencing the wondrous sounds that surrounded me.
Till there was you
It wasn't until you came into my life that I began to truly perceive and appreciate the happiness and wonder that existed all around me.
There were birds in the sky
Nature was alive and beautiful, but I was too preoccupied to notice it.
But I never saw them winging
I was blind to the splendor of the natural world and didn't take the time or effort to appreciate it.
No, I never saw them at all
My own issues and worries kept me from truly seeing the world's majesty.
Then there was music and wonderful roses
When you entered my life, I was suddenly surrounded by beauty and delight, from the sweet aroma of flowers to the uplifting power of music.
They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows
The world overflowed with wonder and joy, so much so that even the fields and flowers seemed to radiate happiness.
Of dawn and dew
Even the simplest things about life were imbued with splendor and beauty, from the rising of the sun early in the morning to the soft, shimmering dewdrops on blades of grass.
There was love all around
People and the world itself were filled with love and kindness, but I had yet to fully embrace and appreciate it.
But I never heard it singing
Although love surrounded me, I had not yet opened myself up to the fullness of it, so it was as though it wasn't there at all.
No I never heard it at all
The love surrounding me was so abundant and yet so subtle that I failed to appreciate it for what it was.
Till there was you
It was only through your presence in my life that I finally came to see and embrace the fullness of love, beauty, and joy that was always around me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Christopher A. Stewart, Thaddis Laphonia Harrell, Beyonce Gisselle Knowles, Terius Youngdell Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind