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.
In My Solitude
The Ames Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I used to know long ago
I can hear the old guitars a playing on the beach at Honaunau
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying komo mai no kaua I ka hale welakahao.
It won't be long till my ship will be sailing back to Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see (yes siree)
Well I'm just a little Hawaiian a homesick island boy
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua Hawaii
Where the humuhumunukunukuapuaa go swimming by.
It won't be long till my ship will be sailing back to Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see (yes siree)
Well I'm just a little Hawaiian a homesick island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi.
I want to go back to my little grass shack in Kealakekua Hawaii
Where the humuhumunukunukuapuaa go swimming by.
Where the humuhumunukunukuapuaa go swimming by
The lyrics of "In My Solitude" by The Ames Brothers reflect the longing of the singer to return to their homeland of Hawaii. The song expresses a deep homesickness and yearning for the simple joys and familiarity of their past life on the island. The mention of the little grass shack in Kealakekua Hawaii represents a nostalgic longing for a simpler way of life, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.
The singer desires to be reunited with the kanes (men) and wahines (women) that they used to know, emphasizing the importance of personal connections and the joy of community. The mention of the old guitars playing on the beach at Honaunau invokes a sense of nostalgia and paints a picturesque image of a bygone era. The line "komo mai no kaua I ka hale welakahao" translates to "come visit us at the house by the sea," highlighting the warm and inviting nature of the Hawaiian culture.
The repetition of the phrase "It won't be long till my ship will be sailing back to Kona" suggests that the singer's return to Hawaii is imminent. Kona, a district on the Big Island of Hawaii, is portrayed as a grand, fair, and welcoming place. The singer's identification as a "little Hawaiian" and the mention of fish and poi, traditional Hawaiian foods, further emphasizes their connection to their cultural heritage and desire to return to their roots.
The mention of the humuhumunukunukuapuaa, the state fish of Hawaii, swimming by in Kealakekua adds a touch of whimsical imagery and reinforces the singer's longing for their homeland. Overall, "In My Solitude" serves as an ode to the singer's yearning for their home, capturing the nostalgia, longing, and love they have for their Hawaiian heritage.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to go back to the little grass shack in Kealakekua Hawaii
I yearn to return to the small, rustic dwelling in Kealakekua, Hawaii
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines that I used to know long ago
I desire to reunite with the men and women who were once familiar to me, a distant memory
I can hear the old guitars a playing on the beach at Honaunau
I can audibly perceive the nostalgic sound of the aged guitars being strummed along the shore of Honaunau
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying komo mai no kaua I ka hale welakahao
I can distinctly hear the elderly Hawaiians warmly inviting both of us to enter their welcoming and traditional house
It won't be long till my ship will be sailing back to Kona
In a short amount of time, my vessel will embark on a voyage to return to the coastal town of Kona
A grand old place that's always fair to see (yes siree)
A magnificent and time-honored location that consistently offers splendid vistas and experiences (absolutely)
Well I'm just a little Hawaiian a homesick island boy
Indeed, I am merely a small individual with Hawaiian heritage, feeling nostalgic for my homeland like a young island-dwelling lad
I want to go back to my fish and poi
I yearn to return to the familiarity of consuming fish and poi, my preferred traditional Hawaiian dishes
Where the humuhumunukunukuapuaa go swimming by
In that place, the distinctive and beautiful humuhumunukunukuapuaa fish gracefully glide through the water
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL COGSWELL, JOHNNY NOBLE, TOMMY HARRISON, WILLIAM COGSWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
That 70's Girl
1954... Nice Harmony! Who needs all that when you've got Love!! ๐
Thank you for sharing! ๐
Michael Tuz
One of those songs that seems to have been recorded by everybody ... this pleasant version of the Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields standard is reminiscent of the one done by the Mills Brothers. The Ames Brothers never disappoint! Thanks for posting!
JadeZee
comparing the ames brothers to The Mills Brothers...is like comparing an ant to an elephant.....
Tom Smith
I've noticed that every time the Ames Brothers are posted (seven times thus far), they are never shown doing any of their hits. I don't know if it's a music rights issue, but they performed several on the show over the years. "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane, "Sentimental Me", "It Only Hurts for a Little While", "My Bonnie Lassie", and a medley of hits, all on different episodes. It would be great to see any of those if it's possible to post them. Also, many other vocal groups have not yet been posted such as the Four Aces, Four Preps, Four Coins, the Lettermen and the Four Lads. It would be great to see all of them as well performing their singles on the show.
Bill
Great harmonies
Harald Trittner
Very nice of course, yes it is...but nothing beats Dean Martin's Capitol Recording๐
Shane McDowall
Pre rock-'n'-roll Yank music at it's finest.
Wan
Their parentsโฆreal last name Eurichโฆcame from Ukraine.
Bruce Kuehn
Correct, like another Sullivan guest that I watched just a couple of days ago, Sophie Tucker - Jews from Ukraine.
Ed (Urick) Ames is still with us at age 94.
shyman99
Audience shot at the end was edited in by this channel to hide the end of song transition.