The Ames Brothers got their beginning in Malden, where all four were born. The act consisted of Joe (born 3 May 1921), Gene (born 13 February 1923), Vic (born 20 May 1925 - died 23 January 1978) and Ed (born 9 July 1927).
Born into a non-professional but musical family, the boys were brought up on classical and operatic music. Their parents, David and Sarah Urick, were Russian Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine who read Shakespeare and semi-classics to their nine children from the time they were old enough to listen.
The brothers formed a quartet with a cousin Lennie, and had been touring United States Army and Navy bases entertaining the troops and were offered a job at the Foxs and Hounds nightclub, one of the fanciest clubs in Boston. This one week engagement turned into several months when the word got around of their appearance. At the time, they were going by the name of the Amory Brothers, a name taken from Vic's middle name and they were becoming quite popular in the area. It was at this time that Joe decided to rejoin the group. He said they were just having too much fun together for him to miss out. Taking their act to New York they got a job with bandleader Art Mooney. One day while at Leeds Publishing Company in search of a song called "Should I" that their mother had asked them to sing, Milt Gabler of Decca Records heard them singing it and had them cut a few sides for Decca Records just before the ban which started in January, 1948.
A year later when the ban was lifted, the Ames Brothers were the first artists to record for Coral Records. The name Amory was shortened to Ames. They were swept into national top billing with their first hit record, "Rag Mop," in January, 1950. Doing radio shows for free at times just for the experience, they later became regulars on such shows as The Arthur Godfrey Hour. One of the first acts to appear on the original Ed Sullivan Show when it was known as Toast of the Town, they made their debut with him when the show was telecast live from Wanamaker's Department Store.
Soon, they were the top paid group in nightclubs and supperclubs everywhere and their popularity on television was nationwide. In 1956 they starred in their own show, The Ames Brothers Show, which was seen on Friday nights. It was the first syndicated television show to be shown in foreign countries.
Over their fifteen year career the prolific Brothers notched up 50 U.S. chart entries, 21 of them on the Coral label before signing with RCA Victor. The group disbanded in the 1960s but Ed Ames went on with a successful singing and acting career, including playing Daniel Boone's sidekick, Mingo, on the successful Daniel Boone television series (1964-1970).
They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
The Ames Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
Since everyone spread the story
With his own little personal touch
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Pay no attention to what's said
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream
Is over my head
Do nothin' till you hear from me
At least consider our romance
If you should take the word of others you've heard
I haven't a chance
True I've been seen with someone new
But does that mean that I'm untrue
When we're apart the words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you
Some kiss may cloud my memory
And other arms may hold a thrill
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me
And you never will
The Ames Brothers's song "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" is a warning to their lover not to pay any heed to the rumor mills and gossip mongers before hearing the truth from the horse's mouth. The song begins with the singer explaining that rumors have been floating around about him, and they have inevitably reached the ears of the loved one. However, the singer assures the lover that the stories are not entirely true and that they should wait until they hear the facts from him to form a judgment.
The lyrics urge the lover not to listen to the rumor mills and not to believe what's being said about the singer's life. They emphasize that people are prone to distorting reality and that the lover should hear the whole story before coming to any conclusions. The song talks about how some kisses may cloud the memory and how other people's arms may hold a temporary thrill, but the singer wants their loved one to know that they are still devoted to them.
The song also highlights the importance of trusting one's partner and not giving in to baseless rumors. It urges listeners to wait for the truth, even if it means being patient, and not making any hasty decisions. The Ames Brothers's song is timeless and can resonate with anyone who has ever had to deal with the aftermath of a rumor or gossip.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone told someone and someone told you
This is about how rumors spread from person to person and eventually reach you.
But they wouldn't hurt you, not much
The spread of the rumors may not hurt you, but it could still cause confusion and misunderstanding.
Since everyone spread the story with his own little personal touch
Each person who heard and spread the rumor added their own interpretation or embellishment to it.
Do nothin' till you hear from me
Don't take any action or make any assumptions based on the rumors until the actual truth is revealed by the person themselves.
Pay no attention to what's said
Ignore the rumors and don't let them affect your thoughts or actions until you hear the truth.
Why people tear the seam of anyone's dream is over my head
The singer doesn't understand why people enjoy spreading rumors or potentially ruining someone else's happiness or reputation.
At least consider our romance
The singer asks the listener to remember their relationship and not let the rumors ruin it without confirming the truth.
If you should take the word of others you've heard, I haven't a chance
If the listener chooses to believe the rumors without hearing the truth from the person themselves, then the singer feels that their relationship may be in jeopardy.
True I've been seen with someone new, but does that mean that I'm untrue
The singer acknowledges that they've been seen with someone else, but this doesn't necessarily mean that they've been unfaithful or that their feelings for the listener have changed.
When we're apart the words in my heart reveal how I feel about you
The singer still has strong feelings for the listener, and when they are not together, they are reminded of this through their own thoughts and emotions.
Some kiss may cloud my memory and other arms may hold a thrill
The singer admits that they may have experienced moments of attraction or temptation with others, but they ultimately know that their heart belongs to the listener.
But please do nothin' till you hear it from me, and you never will
The singer asks the listener to not act on the rumors and assures them that they will never hear anything negative from the singer themselves.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DUKE ELLINGTON, BOB RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind