He moved to Jersey City in 1943, studied commercial art, had operatic and classical voice training, and was a heavyweight Golden Gloves boxer, before joining gospel quartet The Searchlight Singers. In 1947 he entered and won an amateur talent show at the Apollo Theater with his dramatic rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical "Carousel". However, he did not record commercially until 1953, after he was discovered singing in a New Jersey club by local DJ Bill Cook, who became his manager. Columbia Records saw him as a possible "crossover" singer with a foothold in both pop and R&B , and signed him to their subsidiary label Epic. His first single, "You'll Never Walk Alone", became an R&B number 1 for eight weeks, and a national US Top 30 hit in 1954, and shot Hamilton to fame.
He followed up with a string of singles that reached both R&B and pop audiences, many of which were popular show tunes of the day. These included "If I Loved You" (# 4 R&B), "Ebb Tide" (# 5 R&B), "Hurt" (# 8 R&B), "Unchained Melody" (# 1 R&B, # 6 pop), and "Don’t Let Go" (# 2 R&B, # 13 pop). His style and sound directly influenced later artists such as Jackie Wilson and the Righteous Brothers.
In mid 1956 Hamilton announced his retirement due to illness and exhaustion, but returned the following year. When he came back he had adopted the harder gospel sound of his youth to compete with rock 'n' roll and the emerging soul sound, appearing in the movie "Let's Rock" in 1958. His last hit record, "You Can Have Her" (# 6 R&B, # 12 pop) came in 1961, and was followed by the album Mr. Rock And Soul in 1962. The Epic label treated Hamilton as a major star and issued 16 albums by him. However, in the mid 1960s his career declined while recording with MGM and then RCA Records.
His final recordings were made in Memphis at producer Chips Moman's American Group Productions studio, at the same time that Elvis Presley recorded there, in early 1969. Songs released from those sessions were versions of James Carr's "The Dark End of the Street", Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe", and "Angelica", a Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil song that had been submitted to Presley, but which he then turned over to Hamilton.
He died later in 1969 not long after suffering a stroke, aged 40
Without a Song
Roy Hamilton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without a song the road would never bend
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
Without a song
That field of corn would never see a plow
That field of corn would be deserted now
A man is born but he's no good no how
Without a song
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
I've-a got my trouble and woe and, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
I'll-a never know what makes that rain to fall
I'll never know what makes the grass so tall
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without a song
The lyrics of "Without a Song" by Roy Hamilton speaks about the importance of music in life. According to the singer, life would be incomplete and dreary without music. It begins with the assertion that without a song, the day would never end and the road would never bend. In other words, music provides a sense of direction and rhythm to our lives that goes beyond just the physical movement from one place to another. The lyrics further emphasize that in times of trouble, music is often the only friend a person has. The song makes a powerful assertion that a life without music is like a field of corn without a plow, full of potential but unproductive.
Hamilton then describes the inability of people to understand some of life's mysteries such as the rain, grass or even love. He ends the song by asserting that, despite his troubles, as long as he has music, he will get along. This message of hope and the power of music to heal is one that resonates with many people.
Line by Line Meaning
Without a song the day would never end
Music brings joy and inspiration, without it life seems mundane and pointless.
Without a song the road would never bend
Music adds excitement and adventure to life, it makes journeys more meaningful.
When things go wrong a man ain't got a friend
Music serves as a comforting and trustworthy companion, especially in tough times.
That field of corn would never see a plow
Music fills life with purpose and meaning, without it life would seem barren and unproductive.
That field of corn would be deserted now
Music brings life to barren places, without it life would be dull and uninviting.
A man is born but he's no good no how
Music brings out the best in people, it gives them a sense of purpose and self-worth.
I got my trouble and woe but, sure as I know, the Jordan will roll
Life is filled with challenges and difficulties, but music provides hope and optimism.
And I'll get along as long as a song, strong in my soul
Music serves as a source of strength and resilience, giving people the courage to persevere through tough times.
I'll never know what makes the rain to fall
Life is filled with mysteries that may never be fully understood.
I'll never know what makes that grass so tall
Some of life's greatest wonders and mysteries may never be fully comprehended.
I only know there ain't no love at all
Without music, life lacks the beauty and emotion that comes with love and connection.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melvin Pruitt
Jackie Wilson also had great admiration for him just listen to Jackies tone and you can clearly hear where it came from.
Melvin Pruitt
Elvis greatly admired this man.listen to those lyrics and you'll hear Elvis in his press conference spewing these same words when he's sitting in his caped outfit.
Melvin Pruitt
@Jan M yep