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.
O Holy Night
The Ames Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and cloudless morn
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Oh, night divine
Oh, night, oh, night divine
Night divine
The lyrics to "O Holy Night" by The Ames Brothers describe the birth of Jesus Christ, which Christians celebrate on Christmas day. The opening line "Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining" sets a peaceful and serene tone to the song, letting the listener know that something special is happening. The second line "It is the night of the dear Savior's birth" directly ties the song to the religious holiday. The third line "Long lay the world in sin and error pining" acknowledges that the world was imperfect before Jesus' arrival, and people had been yearning for a savior to fix it. Finally, with the line "Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth," the song is expressing that Jesus' presence in the world helps people feel fulfilled and worthy.
The second verse of the song "A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices" speaks to the impact that Jesus' birth had on the world. It brings a "thrill" of hope, which is enough to cause the world to rejoice. The next line "For yonder breaks a new and cloudless morn" is referring to the idea of a new dawn, or a new beginning that comes with the birth of Jesus. The refrain of "Oh, night divine" is used to emphasize the holiness and importance of the night of Christ's birth.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining
This is a sacred night when the stars shine brilliantly
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth
Tonight is the night when the beloved Savior is born
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
For a long time, the world has been filled with sin and wandering away from the truth
Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth
But as soon as He appeared, human beings realized their own worth and value
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
An exciting sense of optimism makes the tired world feel joyous and exuberant
For yonder breaks a new and cloudless morn
A new bright and clear day is emerging over there
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Lower yourself humbly and listen to the voices of the angels
Oh, night divine, oh, night when Christ was born
This is a holy and divine night when Christ was born
Oh, night divine
This is a divine and sacred night
Oh, night, oh, night divine
This is truly a divine and sacred night
Night divine
This is a holy and sacred night
Lyrics © K - M MUSIC INC , Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adolphe Adam
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cindy S
This an amazing forgotten gem from one of the great icons of mid century pop music. Very effective basic approach to delivery of a classic. Thanks for posting my family had many Ames Bros. Albums and I inherited them all. But I never knew of this fine performance.!