Changing their name to the Imperials, they signed with End Records in 1958. Their first single was "Tears on My Pillow", which was an instant hit. (While playing this song, D.J. Alan Freed came up with the name "Little Anthony".) The B-side, "Two People in the World", was also a hit. The group followed up with "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko Ko Bop" in 1960. When their success dwindled in 1961, Gourdine left to attempt a solo career. Some members left, and the line-up then became Collins, Wright, Sammy Strain, and George Kerr. Kerr was replaced by Kenny Seymour after a short time. This line-up had little success.[citation needed]
Gourdine returned in 1963, replacing Seymour. The group's classic line-up – Gourdine, Wright, Collins, and Strain – was now complete. With the help of record producer/songwriter Teddy Randazzo (a childhood friend of the group), the Imperials found success on the new DCP (Don Costa Productions) label with the dramatic pop-soul records "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)" (1964), "Goin' Out Of My Head" (1964), "Hurt So Bad" (1965), "I Miss You So" (1965), "Take Me Back" (1965), "Hurt" (1966), "Better Use Your Head" (1966), and "Out of Sight, Out Of Mind" (1969).[2] In 1965, the Imperials appeared on the CBS-TV special Murray The K - It's What's Happening, Baby, where they performed "I'm Alright" before a live audience in New York at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre. At the height of their career, the group made two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, at the time television's top talent showcase, on March 28, 1965, and again on January 25, 1970.[3][4] They also performed on many other popular television variety shows during the sixties, including Shindig!, Hullabaloo, Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall, Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and The Tonight Show.
The Imperials then joined United Artists Records and were assigned to its Veep Records subsidiary, and then to the parent label itself, where they recorded "World Of Darkness", "If I Remember To Forget", "Yesterday Has Gone", and the Thom Bell-produced "Help Me Find A Way (To Say I Love You)".
Albums from this era include: Reflections, Payin' Our Dues, Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind (named after their hit cover of The Five Keys song), and Movie Grabbers, which included a rendition of "You Only Live Twice", the James Bond motion picture theme.[citation needed]
They recorded three singles for Janus Records including "Father Father", which they later performed on the Merv Griffin Show. Then they went to Avco Records in the mid-1970s and recorded On A New Street,[5] and charted with the songs "La La La (At the End)" and "I'm Falling In Love With You". This album was produced by both Bell and Randazzo. A second LP for Avco Records entitled Hold On was withdrawn from sale in the USA after the failure of the title track to sell and AVCO's subsequent financial difficulties. The group appeared on Soul Train on May 26, 1973. By this time, Strain and Wright had left the group, although both would eventually return.[citation needed]
Wright left in 1971 to join Tony Williams' Platters. He was replaced by the returning Kenny Seymour, who was again replaced after a short time by Bobby Wade. Strain left in 1972. He had a restaurant in Los Angeles and was not singing for three years; at the end of that period he was briefly a member of The Fandangos with Lonnie Cook and Alvin Walker. He also auditioned for the lead voice of Arpeggio. Strain had been replaced by Harold Jenkins as a member of The Imperials. He then joined The O'Jays as the replacement for original O'Jays member William Powell, who left the group due to illness. (Powell died of cancer shortly thereafter.) Jenkins had already been functioning as the group's choreographer. Jenkins and Seymour had previously performed together in the Impacts. Little Anthony left for a second (more successful) attempt at a solo career. The trio of Collins, Wade, and Jenkins continued as "the Imperials". Collins left in 1988, and was replaced by Sherman James. They then toured as "Bobby Wade's Imperials". James left in 1992, and was replaced by Ron Stevenson.[citation needed]
The Diary
Little Anthony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one that has the lock and key
And know the boy that you care for
The boy who's in your diary
When it's late at night what is the name you write?
Oh what I'd give if I could see
Am I the boy that you care for
Do you recall and make note of all
The little things I say and do?
The name you underline I'm hoping that it's mine
Darling I'm so in love with you
Please don't leave me blue Make all my dreams come true
You know how much you mean to me
Say I'm the boy that you care for
The boy who's in your diary
In the song "The Diary" by Little Anthony, the singer expresses his curiosity and desire to peek into the diary of the girl he loves, in order to find out if he is the boy she cares for. He yearns to know the name she writes in her diary late at night and wonders if she takes note of all the little things he says and does. He is hoping that she underlines his name in the diary as the one she loves, and he pleads with her not to leave him feeling blue. The lyrics convey the passion, yearning, and vulnerability of the singer as he seeks reassurance from the object of his affection.
The song captures the innocence and romance of teenage love, with its focus on the simple pleasure of sharing secrets and reading each other's diaries. The little book with the lock and key is a symbol of the girl's innermost thoughts and feelings, and the singer longs to be included in them. The lyrics also convey a sense of insecurity and fear of rejection, as the singer begs the girl to make his dreams come true and affirm that he is the boy she cares for. The song is a classic example of doo-wop music, with its smooth harmonies and catchy hooks, and it remains a beloved favorite among fans of the genre.
Line by Line Meaning
How I'd like to look into that little book
The singer wants to read the diary that belongs to the person they care for.
The one that has the lock and key
The diary is likely very personal and private since it requires a lock and key to access it.
And know the boy that you care for
The singer wants to learn more about the person the diary belongs to, specifically who they care for.
The boy who's in your diary
The diary likely contains entries regarding the romantic interests and experiences of the person it belongs to.
When it's late at night what is the name you write?
The artist is curious about who the person writes about in their diary, specifically when they are alone at night.
Oh what I'd give if I could see
The singer deeply desires the opportunity to read the diary and find out who is being written about.
Am I the boy that you care for
The singer wants to know if they are the romantic interest of the person who owns the diary.
Do you recall and make note of all
The artist wonders if the person writes down and remembers everything they say and do, indicating that they want to know how important they are to the person who owns the diary.
The little things I say and do?
The artist is interested in how the everyday things they say and do might be recorded in the diary.
The name you underline I'm hoping that it's mine
The artist is hopeful that the person who owns the diary underlines their name, indicating that they are the romantic interest.
Darling I'm so in love with you
The singer is expressing their love for the person who owns the diary.
Please don't leave me blue
The artist is asking the person not to make them feel sad or uncertain about the state of their relationship.
Make all my dreams come true
The singer wants their romantic desires to be fulfilled by the person who owns the diary.
You know how much you mean to me
The singer wants to reassure the person that they care for them deeply.
Say I'm the boy that you care for
The singer wants the person who owns the diary to confirm that they are the romantic interest of the person the diary belongs to.
The boy who's in your diary
The artist is referring back to the concept that the person's diary is likely filled with thoughts and experiences related to their romantic relationships.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind