It was in 1978 that the group enjoyed their first commercial success with "Rama Lama Ding Dong", covered from The Edsels original hit, which reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart. More chart success quickly followed with another single, "Imagination", which reached number 39 in 1979. But after this, success was more difficult to find, and Sharpe was to find greater success on the touring circuit than in the best-sellers charts.
It was not until 1982 that Sharpe would find himself with another major hit. "Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)" proved to be a success with music fans and reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. Although he never had another hit as big again, Sharpe retained a fan following and his music remained widely available. The group's last chart single was "If You Wanna Be Happy", which reached UK chart position 46 in 1983.
Looking For An Echo
Rocky Sharpe & The Replays Lyrics
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Me and Frankie and Jimmy and some Italian guy
We were singing oldies but they were newies then
And today when I play my old 45's I remember when
We practiced in a subway,in a lobby or a hall
Crowded in a doorway singing "do waps" to the wall
And if we went to a party and they wouldn't let us sing
We'd lock ourselves in the bathroom and nobody could get in
A place to be in harmony a place we almost found ooooh
And the girls would gather 'round us and our heads would really swell
We'd sing songs by the moonglows, the harptones and the dells
And when we sang sincerely, we really sang it high
And even though it was falsetto we almost reached the sky
We've sung a lot of changes since 1955
And a lot of bad arrangements we've tried to harmonise
Now they've turned into oldies but they were newies then
And today when I play my old 45's I remember when
we were looking for an echo an answer to our sound
A place to be in harmony a place we almost found
We were looking for an echo an answer to our sound
A place to be in harmony a place we almost found
Found..oooh....found...oooh..found
The song "Looking For An Echo" by Rocky Sharpe & The Replays is a nostalgic ode to the days of the band's youth, when they were a group of harmonizing friends singing oldies but newies at Daydream Junior High School. The lyrics describe their passion for harmony and the lengths they went to in order to find the perfect place to sing together. They would practice in subways, lobbies, or halls, and even lock themselves in the bathroom at parties just to perform. They were looking for an echo, an answer to their sound, and a place to be in harmony. The girls would gather around them, their heads swelling with pride as they sang songs by the Moonglows, the Harptones, and the Dells. Despite their bad arrangements and attempts at harmonizing, they still believed that they almost reached the sky with their falsetto.
This song speaks to the universal experience of seeking acceptance and a sense of belonging within a group. The search for an echo represents the desire to find resonance with others and to create something special together. The nostalgia expressed in these lyrics provides a glimpse into a simpler time when the innocence of youth mixed with the joy of singing created a harmonious blend.
Line by Line Meaning
At daydream junior highschool we used to harmonise
During our time in junior high, we frequently sang in harmony.
Me and Frankie and Jimmy and some Italian guy
I sang with my friends Frankie, Jimmy, and an Italian person whose name I can no longer recall.
We were singing oldies but they were newies then
Although the songs we were singing were old at the time, they were still new to us.
And today when I play my old 45's I remember when
Listening to my old records reminds me of those days long ago.
We practiced in a subway,in a lobby or a hall
We practiced our music in unconventional places, such as subways, lobbies, and halls.
Crowded in a doorway singing "do waps" to the wall
We would often sing our doo-wop songs in a doorway, with our voices echoing against the wall.
And if we went to a party and they wouldn't let us sing
If we attended a party where we weren't invited to perform, we would find a way to sing anyway.
We'd lock ourselves in the bathroom and nobody could get in
We would go so far as to lock ourselves in the bathroom to ensure that no one interrupted our impromptu performances.
'Cause we were looking for an echo an answer to our sound
We were in search of a place where our voices could truly harmonize.
A place to be in harmony a place we almost found ooooh
We came close to finding the perfect acoustic environment for our singing, but it always eluded us.
And the girls would gather 'round us and our heads would really swell
Girls would often gather around us when we sang, which would give us a sense of pride and confidence.
We'd sing songs by the moonglows, the harptones and the dells
We frequently sang songs by groups like the Moonglows, Harptones, and Dells, whom we admired.
And when we sang sincerely, we really sang it high
When we sang with earnestness, our voices would reach high notes and soar.
And even though it was falsetto we almost reached the sky
Although we were technically singing in falsetto, it felt like our voices were reaching up toward the heavens.
We've sung a lot of changes since 1955
Over the years, we've tried different styles and genres of music since 1955.
And a lot of bad arrangements we've tried to harmonise
We've experimented with different arrangements of songs, some of which weren't successful in achieving the harmonies we wanted.
Now they've turned into oldies but they were newies then
Songs that are now considered "oldies" were once new to us and we sang them passionately.
We were looking for an echo an answer to our sound
Throughout our singing careers, we were always searching for the perfect acoustics in which to harmonize.
A place to be in harmony a place we almost found
We came close to creating the perfect environment for our harmony, but we never quite achieved it.
Found..oooh....found...oooh..found
Even though we never quite found that perfect place, we continue to search for it in our music and in our hearts.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICHARD REICHEG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind