Originally the Royal Sons Quintet, the group began recording for Apollo Records in the early 1950s, changing its name to the Royals after abandoning gospel for secular music. The group paired Pauling with vocalists Jimmy Moore, Obadiah Carter, and Otto Jeffries, with Johnny Tanner singing lead. Later Tanner's younger brother, Eugene, would replace Jeffries. The robust Johnny Tanner sang lead on most of the group's hits, including "Think," although the sweeter-voiced Eugene Tanner stepped to the microphone for the group's best-known song, "Dedicated to the One I Love." "Baby Don't Do It" and "Help Me Somebody" became hits in 1953, but the group soon signed to Cincinnati's King Records. In addition to heartfelt odes like "Dedicated to the One I Love," Pauling also wrote comic and risque tunes, including "Monkey Hips and Rice," later the title of a two-CD anthology of the group's music released by Rhino Records in 1994. Pauling used an extra-long strap for his guitar, sometimes playing it down around his knees for comic effect. The group shared stages with all the major R&B artists of the 1950s, including Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, once substituting for the latter's Raelettes at a show in Durham, North Carolina.
Confusion arose when two groups of Royals began touring, the other led by Detroit R&B legend Hank Ballard. According to members of the "5" Royales, the confusion peaked in 1953 when an unscrupulous promoter booked Ballard's group in Winston-Salem, trying to pass the Detroit band off as its native-son namesakes, much to the chagrin of a local audience. Shortly thereafter, the air cleared when Winston-Salem's Royals became the "5" Royales and Detroit's Royals became the Midnighters. Ironically, both artists would have hits at King working with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame producer Ralph Bass, becoming good friends and routinely competing in battles of the bands at clubs like Atlanta's Royal Peacock in that city's Sweet Auburn section. Ballard's group gained fame for originating "The Twist", later a monster dance craze and hit for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame excludee Chubby Checker, and for its risque series of "Annie" songs, including "Work With Me Annie" and "Annie Had a Baby."
With King, "Think" and "Tears of Joy" became hits for the "5" Royales in 1957, while some of their lesser-known tracks from this period are now critically acclaimed as innovative. Veteran rock critic Dave Marsh chose the 1958 "5" Royales hit "The Slummer the Slum" as one of the top 1001 singles of all time in his book The Heart of Rock and Soul, crediting Pauling with capturing the first intentional use of guitar feedback on record, years before better-known squawks from the Beatles, Yardbirds, and Velvet Underground. In the 1960s, R&B gradually gave way to more polished soul music and the Royales' career waned rapidly.
The "5" Royales broke up in 1965, though various combinations of musicians would tour under the group's name into the 1970s. For a time Pauling continued recording with pianist and frequent Royales collaborator Royal Abbitt as El Pauling and the Royalton. Pauling's brother, Clarence Paul, a former member of the Royal Sons Quintet, found success as a producer and songwriter at Motown Records in the 1960s. Most of the group's members survived well into the 1990s, but not Pauling. After years of struggle with alcohol dependency, he ended up working as a night watchman at a Manhattan church and died of an apparent seizure on December 26, 1973.
Baby Don't Do It
The "5" Royales Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
I've given you all of me
If you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
You told me that you loved me
How good you made it sound
But baby, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it
if you leave me pretty baby I¡Çll have bread without no meat
Baby I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you so
Please don't say you leave me any more
If you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
Please don't say that you changed your mind
And stop my falling heart from crying
If you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
You told me that you loved me
How good you made it sound
And now you're trying to tell me you're gonna put me down
But baby, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it
if you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
The "5" Royales's song Baby Don't Do It is a plea from a man to his partner not to leave him. He is saying that if she leaves him, he will be left with nothing but bread without any meat, in other words, a poor and unsatisfactory existence. He reminds her of how she professed her love for him and the happiness they shared together. He begs her not to change her mind and not to break his heart. The song is full of passion and emotions, and the repetition of "don't do it" reflects the desperation of the singer to keep his partner by his side.
The lyrics can be interpreted as a warning to the partner about the consequences of leaving a relationship hastily. The idea of bread without any meat implies a life of loneliness and emptiness, with no sustenance or joy. By reminding his partner of the happy times they shared, the singer is trying to spark a reconsideration of the relationship, and perhaps a renewed commitment to making it work. The repeated refrain of "don't do it" emphasizes the importance of staying together and not giving up hope.
Line by Line Meaning
If what you say is true that you and I are through
If you really mean that we are breaking up
If you leave me pretty baby I'll have bread without no meat
If you leave me, I'll be left with nothing
I've given you all of me
I have given you everything I have
You told me that you loved me, How good you made it sound, And now you're trying to tell me you're gonna put me down
You once told me you loved me, but now you're telling me you're leaving me
But baby, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it, don't do it
Please don't leave me, don't leave me, don't leave me
Baby I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you so, Please don't say you leave me any more
I love you so much, please don't keep talking about leaving me
Please don't say that you changed your mind, And stop my falling heart from crying
Please don't tell me you changed your mind, and don't break my heart
Writer(s): L. Pauling
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@donaldmorrow3096
The year before this record, they were the Royal Sons Quintet, an up and coming Gospel group. They are among the first acts to switch from Gospel to R&B without changing their sound one bit. This development and the almost immediate success of this monster Doo Wop hit (the first of their two R&B #1 hits) directly lead to what would later be called Soul music. This begins the inestimable contributions and legacy of the 5 Royales.
@pauljoseph8691
Basically the 50s in a bottle. Soul, RnB and rnr. A bit of doo wop too. These guys are so overlooked. They had an enormous output over many years
@ThomasSmith-hq7in
Outstanding music
The record label is a piece of art
@richardnano2228
Before The 5 Royals went on to become the Midnighters with lead man Hank Ballard, they had another semi hit called “Dedicated to the one I love”, which the Shirelles had a huge hit with.
@northlight1908
Actually, this group, the "5" Royales, hailed from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and should not be confused with the Royals, who came out of Detroit. The "5" Royales, featuring lead vocalist Johnny Tanner and guitarist/songwriter Lowman Pauling, indeed would have a hit with the original "Dedicated To The One I Love" – as well as "Laundromat Blues," "Think," and several other songs. On the other hand, the Royals, led by Hank Ballard, became the Midnighters in 1954 at the command of their label, King, to avoid confusion with the "5" Royales. Just as the Royals were changing their name to the Midnighters, they scored a huge hit with one of their best-known songs, "Work With Me Annie."
@bettysheats6398
Awesome fifties group deserved much more praise
@louiebates9801
The trendsetters..before Hank Ballard, Clyde McPhatter and the hot too woo groups, the 5 Royals were breaking ground in the genre of Black music.
@louiebates9801
I meant doo wop, auto spell put too woo...sorry..
@ralphbailey5028
Saw the Five Royals, late 50's at the Syria Mosque in Pgh Pa, open their set with Babby
Don't do it, - guitar playing was outstand, - I THOUGHT THE BEST GROUP AND MOST TALENTED
OF THE WHOLE SHOW, - NEVER FORGOT THEM,.
@ronlawray1563
Have Mercy...Born 1940...Haven't heard this since the 50's....Remember the words well...
Bless You Tube!